Tailgate Stuffed Hot Peppers Recipe

[old buzzard]

This is a pretty simple recipe that takes very little preparation and produces great results, whether it's done over charcoal, on a gas grill, or even in the oven. It's been a hit with everyone I've ever made it for.

First select your desired peppers, based on the amount of heat, color preference, etc.
Next slice off the tops and gouge out as much seeds and connecting membranes as possible, without piercing the sides of the pepper.

Cut stick pepperoni into spears long enough, and broad enough to nearly fill each pepper, and shove the pepperoni into the peppers.

Place the stuffed peppers into any sort of container that can be covered and allow them to steam while they are over the heat. Sometimes I use a lid-able pyrex container, sometimes I use several layers of aluminum foil twisted at the top.

Drizzle some olive oil over the peppers, sprinkle them with grated parmesan and a little garlic powder, some salt and pepper to taste, and cover them completely with a blanket of mozzarella cheese. Cover with a lid if using pyrex, or seal completely if using a foil wrap.

Throw them into the oven, or onto the grill, and allow them to cook until the peppers are to the desired tenderness, it doesn't hurt to open their container and check for tenderness as long as you seal them up again.

Serve them as a side dish, or on some Italian bread like a sandwich....

MMMMMM mmmmmmm good.

 

[old buzzard]

Another variation, also easy and tasty, Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Once again, select peppers depending on the desired level of heat and color preference. I like Inferno peppers, or Hungarian Wax.

Crumble and brown your favorite Italian Sausage (Johnsonville works well and is available at Wal-Mart), a little water in the skillet helps break the sausage down. While the sausage is cooking slice the tops off the peppers and gouge out as many seeds and as much membrane as possible.

Once the sausage has cooked until done-ness, gently shove it into the peppers, getting it as far down in as possible, and cram the peppers full. I use the round handle of a wooden spoon to help pack the sausage into the peppers.

Place the stuffed peppers in a casserole or pyrex cake pan, drizzle them with a little EVO, sprinkle with as much grated parmesan as you like, a little garlic powder, and drown them in Ragu pasta sauce. Then cover them in a blanket of mozzarella and bake until the peppers reach the desired level of tenderness. If necessary cover to keep the cheese from burning.

They can be made ahead of time and re-heated the next day, which makes them perfect for a tail gate, or to share with co-workers as I did yesterday - (to rave reviews) !