Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer: Mini Stuffed Peppers

Mini stuffed peppers are great for game day appetizers, and a winner at a pot-luck. They are spicy, but not overwhelmingly hot.

The trick is using pickled jalapenos. With a fresh jalapeno, you never know what you are going to get! Could be extreme heat! If you are serving these mini stuffed peppers for a party, some guests may not like this too much. You can always adjust the jalapeno to your personal taste.

Of course, the cheesy filling is definitely a winner.

Ingredients:

1 8oz package of reduce fat cream cheese (trust me I have made it with both and it doesn’t taste different)
1/2 of a 8 oz bag of shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 of a 6 oz bag of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 bags of the red, orange and yellow sweet mini peppers
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp garlic salt
3 dashes hot sauce (my favorite is an inexpensive but very flavorful hot sauce called Tapatio)
1 Tbsp of pickled jalapenos- chopped finely
1/2 to 1 tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped finely (cilantro can be used as well)
Sprinkle of onion powder – maybe 1/2 tsp

In a bowl, mix the softened cream cheese, shredded cheeses, jalapenos and seasonings. Just a little hint: if you can make the pepper stuffing the night before I highly recommend it! This allows the flavors to build and makes the dish taste even better! Make sure that you blend these ingredients well.

Slice the mini peppers in half.

Lay the peppers in an oven-safe dish or on a cookie sheet. Using a small spoon, fill the peppers with the cheese mixture. This will fill about 15-18 pepper halves.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, or until a golden color on top. Serve hot and enjoy! Watch them disappear.