Quick Mini-pepper Poppers

A very Happy New Year to all the followers & readers of this blog. I know three-quarters of January has already passed by, but you see, this is my first time writing something this year!

I have been quite busy for the past few months with my regular full-time jobs ( yes, jobs..) & the kids of course, then the whirlwind trip to India, then all the catching up at work.. well.. you get the picture.. That's why I haven't been able to blog at all!!

I decided to start by re-writing a recipe, making it easier with just 3-ingredients! This is one of my favorite recipes! When Sonal announced her Super-Bowl round up, I knew this was the recipe that I wanted to bring. This is a recipe that makes for the perfect, hassle-free, healthy, vegetarian, bite size appetizer that both vegetarians & non-vegetarians will both enjoy! This is a recipe that even a novice can make! This is a recipe that can be prepped ahead of time, maybe even made ahead of time ( not that it takes much time to make!) or can be made at the very last minute! If you are going to a potluck, this is perfect to make & carry. This can be made in the conventional oven or in a toaster oven. This is a very versatile recipe that you can give it your own personal touch! I had posted the "from scratch" version around Thanksgiving. Today, I am posting the quick version that uses store-bought herbed cheese like Philadelphia or Boursin ( no, I am not being paid by either of them) !!

Image Credit:google

Image credit:google

Believe me when I tell you that this recipe is a keeper!! You & your guests will both love it!!

Servings: 8-10

Prep time: 10 minsCook time: 8-10 minsTotal time: 18-20 mins

Ingredients:

Sweet Mini-peppers: 16-18 nos
Low fat cream cheese with herbs: 1 package ( 8 oz or 222gms)Any brand like Philadelphia or Boursin herbed cheese will do.
Olive oil : to drizzle

Method:

Take the cream cheese in a bowl. Whip it lightly using a fork until softened and creamy. Keep aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

Arrange a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.

Wash and dry the peppers. Slice it into 2 without cutting the stem. You will end up with one half of the pepper with the stem and the other half without the stem. Remove the seeds and discard them.

Fill each of the halves with the cream cheese mixture prepared earlier. Arrange the peppers on the baking sheet in a single layer with the filled side facing up.

Lightly drizzle olive oil in the peppers. Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven. Bake at 350 degF or 180 degree Celsius for 8-10 mins.

Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

If you don't have cream cheese, you can make this with paneer using the recipe found here.

Tip for healthier living:

Cheese is a good source of calcium especially for vegetarians when eaten in moderate amounts.

Food for thought:

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart. Mahatma Gandhi