Stuffed Peppers

This appetizer trick is perfect for this time of year — when the garden is putting out so many hot peppers you can’t figure out what to do with them.

You can stuff a pepper two ways — one, by cutting off the top and filling it down the hole (harder to do, harder to cook); or two, by slicing the peppers lengthwise, cutting out the seeds, and filling them like little boats.

There are so many ways to make the filling, but I like to stick with a simple mix of goat cheese and cilantro.  I like to top it off with a bit of lime juice too.

Not a fan of goat cheese?  For a milder flavor, use queso fresco, which has approximately the same texture without the tang of goat cheese.

You can add almost anything to the base of your stuffing: onions, bacon, bread crumbs, tomatoes, you name it.

Once the peppers are filled, just pop them in the oven at 375F for 20 min (or: until the cheese is lightly browned and the peppers are cooked and tender).  Note that the longer they cook, the less heat the pepper have.

No one will be able to resist this appetizer — so use up those jalepenos, habaneros, baby bell peppers, or whatever you’ve got growing!