Roasted Cheese Stuffed Chili Peppers

We recently had the cheese stuffed banana peppers appetizer at Frederick’s new Roast House Pub restaurant in Frederick.  Two of our favorite things – soft roasted hot peppers and cheese.  The hubster and I looked at each other and said “we can make these”.  And wouldn’t you know?  Our banana peppers and chilies just happen to be ripening in the garden.  Perfect timing for our own roasted cheese stuffed chili fest.

Here’s what we came up with…

Roasted Cheese Stuffed Chilies

Preheat oven at 375 degrees.

Prepare 12 fresh banana peppers or long chilies, or 24 jalapenos by slicing the tops off to fill from the top, or slice them down the side to fill from the sides.

Saute the following in a skillet until caramelized:

• ½ medium onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. olive oil

Add the caramelized onion mixture to the following ingredients in a food processor and blend smooth.

• 4 oz cream cheese
• ½ cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 tsp. chipotle

Stir in the following ingredients with a spatula or spoon:

• 3 oz. crumbled bacon (we used the ready to eat crumbled bacon in a bag)
• ½ cup canned corn, sautéed in the skillet
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

Stuffing the Chilies

– Add the filling to a Ziploc bag.  Press air out the top and zip closed.

– Cut one of the bottom corners of the bag to create a ½ inch hole.

– Twist the top of the bag and press out the filling into the peppers, either from the top (add enough filling so the top will stick when placed back on the pepper) or along the sides and insert a toothpick to keep them closed.

– Set the stuffed chilies upright in a chili roaster rack or lay them on their sides on parchment.

– Roast chilies for 40 minutes or until they’re soft and cheese is melted and crusty.

Variations

Can I just say “holy bajeebers” these things are GOOD! I personally would not change a single thing on this recipe; however, that would defeat the purpose of this blog, so here are a few ideas for variations.

Smoked vs. Baked.  They’re fantastic roasted in the oven, but just imagine them infused with smoked flavor on the smoker.  Everything is better when it’s cooked outside, right?

Bacon or No Bacon?  It’s hard to say “no” to bacon, but you can always swap it out for crab or shrimp, sausage, chorizo, chicken, ham or pork.  Or don’t add any meat at all.

Dip it.   Seriously, the filling alone would make a fantastic baked queso dip.  A guaranteed hit at any party.

Stuff More Than Peppers.  The filling could also be used to stuff just about anything that’s stuffable – peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, zucchini flowers, enchiladas, chili rellenos.

Mac and Cheese.  Stir it into some pasta and make a special baked mac and cheese.  Yum!

Double the recipe and it’s a party.  These Roasted Cheese Stuffed Chili Peppers are easy to make in volume, plus the stuffed peppers and the leftover filling will freeze well for later.   So start picking those garden fresh peppers and whip up a batch for your next social gathering, or in our case, a casual weekend meal for two.  Enjoy!

The best surprises come from happy accidents.

Simple, Fresh, Delicious Bruschetta

Simple, fresh flavors that make you go mmmmmmm.   That’s what bruschetta does for me.  Just the thought of fresh chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced basil, finely minced garlic, chopped onions, a pinch of salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar gets my taste buds salivating.  Spoon this magical mixture over some sliced grilled italian bread, and you’ve given a whole new meaning to the phrase “happy meal”.

The bread….

We purchase this great garlic infused oraganic italian bread from Food Lion.  Yes, Food Lion!  If your grocery store has a bakery, then pick up a loaf of their fresh baked bread.  It’s hard to go wrong with grocery store bread anymore.

Or if you’re motivated enough to bake your own, visit Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide and give his mom’s italian bread recipe a try – it looks amazing!

• Slice the bread, medium thick so it holds up when you grill it.
• Pour 1/4 – 1/3 cup of olive oil into a small dish, and add about 4 cloves of crushed garlic.  Mix it up with a pastry brush and brush it onto one side of each slice.
• Place the bread on a hot indoor or outdoor grill oil side down.  As that side grills, brush the olive oil and garlic mixture onto the side that’s upright.
• Don’t burn the bread, but leave it on long enough to create dark grill marks on one side then flip it over and do the same on the other side.
• Pile the bread slices onto a plate and set aside.

The bruschetta….

• 3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped (romas are great for bruschetta)
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roll the leaves tight and slice across for chiffonade
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1-2 pinches of salt

Gently stir the ingredients together, and spoon over the grilled bread.  Absolute heaven!

Variations

I don’t like to mess much with simplicity, but there’s always room for some improvisation.  Here are some variations:

Simple Additions:  Add some good quality chopped italian olives; roasted red and/or green peppers; fresh parsley; chopped artichoke hearts; small chunks of pepperoni or salami; some fresh mozzarella, parmesan, asiago or romano cheese.  Even anchovies!

Grilled Veggie Bruschetta: Fire roast your tomatoes and sliced onions on the grill or on the smoker for another layer of flavor.  Add roasted eggplant, squash, and roasted peppers.  You can even roast the garlic.

Cheesy Bread:  Add some shaved italian cheese to the bread when you grill it. Let it get nice and melted and bubbly brown. Then top it with the bruschetta.

Other serving ideas:  Try bruschetta on hamburgers or an italian sub.  Or take two slices of your bread and add mozzerella, sundried tomatoes and some basil in between, add some bruschetta, then grill it like a panini. Don’t forget to brush the bread with olive oil and garlic.  Or how about some prosciutto ham and italian cheese with bruschetta on a panini.

Use fresh vegetables and keep it simple and you’ll have an amazing quick meal for two, delicious appetizers for friends, or keep it in the fridge for a great condiment or a healthy dipper for veggies, pita chips, tortilla chips or crackers.  You can also spread cream cheese on crackers and top with a dollop of bruschetta.

Fresh, simple, and exploding with flavor.  You just can’t go wrong with bruschetta!

The best discoveries come from happy accidents…