A variation of the standard jalapeno popper -- taking it from appetizer to full-fledged side dish.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooked zucchini noodles (you can buy these pre-spiralized or frozen)
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 Tablespoon finely chopped jalapenos
3-5 baby bell peppers
Smoked paprika
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400. Combine the zucchini noodles with the cream cheese, stir in the chopped jalapeños. Pile onto fresh baby bell peppers, halved and seeds removed. Sprinkle with smoked paprika.
Cook & Serve:
Bake at 400 about 25-30 minutes on a pan lined with parchment paper, until the peppers are roasted and the stuffing golden. Broil on high for a moment if you need to encourage the topping to get more golden and bubbly.
A Little Backstory:
I'd love to tell you I thoughtfully plan out my recipes and shopping list, but that'd be a lie. More often, I wander through the market, saying things like "those bell peppers look tasty" and then figuring out later what to do with them. It's all experimental and creative and wonderful. Don't like zucchini? Leave it out. Maybe goat cheese would work better than cream cheese. Next time, I may wrap it in bacon. What the hell.
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