I love to cook and bake almost as much as I love to make cocktails. So today I’m sharing my Stuffed Mini Pepper Poppers appetizer recipe and what kind of wine to pair with it.
A friend and I meet at our local Whole Foods every two weeks. We share big and small accomplishments, immediate and long term goals regarding writing and other business related items, and a little personal catch-up sort of chat. It’s a great way to start the week. We touch base with each other in person rather than through social media channels. It’s also a great way to accomplish the first thing on our Monday to-do lists. A little fresh shopping in the produce department afterward is just icing on the cake.
My list making skills are excellent. I have a list for everything. Following those lists is a bit more difficult, especially when it comes to shopping lists. Fresh produce always looks so good. I want one or two of everything! That’s how mini sweet peppers made it into my basket. I wasn’t sure what I was going to make with them at the time, but just couldn’t resist.
Earlier in the week I ran across a recipe for garlic shrimp stuffed mushrooms. They sounded so good and I happened to have shrimp in the freezer. Unfortunately my mushrooms had gone bad before expected, so I had to throw them out. That’s when the peppers started calling my name.
I love stuffed bell peppers, so what the heck. Why not make mini stuffed peppers? I usually use rice or couscous as partial filler for large stuffed bell peppers. But right now I’m trying to keep bread, rice and grains off my plate.
Stuffed Mini Pepper Poppers Wine Pairing
{Perfect Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon if you like dark, rich flavored wine. Pinot Noir if you prefer fruit and spice flavored wine with lighter, drier finish.}
I made cream cheese stuffed jalapeno poppers wrapped in bacon a while back. They were super yummy, but really rich. I figured cream cheese in less quantity would be a great way to bind ingredients together for stuffed mini pepper poppers. I used seasoned ground beef I keep in the freezer and a few fridge and pantry items to pull it all together.
They were super easy to make and turned out so tasty! They were savory and cheesy without being too rich.
Since I made them spur of the moment I only snapped a before photo with my phone. They were gone too fast to take an after photo. Perhaps another time.
The down side to making these stuffed mini pepper poppers is they were gone in minutes and we were left wanting more. We didn’t need more, they were just that good. These will definitely make the next party appetizer buffet.
Stuffed Mini Pepper Poppers Recipe
Stuffed Mini Pepper Poppers
15 Mini Sweet Peppers
1/2 pound Seasoned Ground Beef*
4 ounces Light Cream Cheese – softened
1/2 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Chives
2 slices Thin Pepper Jack Cheese
Preheat oven to 325°. Spray a baking sheet or broiler pan with non-stick cooking oil.
Wash mini peppers. Slice in half lengthwise and clean out seeds and ribs. Set aside.
Place ground beef, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic and chives into a medium size bowl. Stir ingredients with spoon or fork until all ingredients are thoroughly integrated. Evenly divide the mixture among the prepared mini peppers using a spoon. Pat mixture down into the peppers as tightly as possible. Place peppers on the baking sheet or broiler pan. Top each pepper with torn strips of pepper jack cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Serve while warm.
*Seasoned Ground Beef
2 pounds Lean Ground Beef
1 White Onion – chopped
1 Tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
10 dashes Chipotle flavored Tabasco
Toss all ingredients into a large pot. Chop ground beef up into small pieces while browning over medium heat. Cook until there is no more pink left in the meat and as little as possible liquid left at the bottom of the pot. Drain ground beef on paper towels to soak up residual grease. Once ground beef has cooled, divide into two to four portions. Place portions into freezer bags or containers and freeze for later use. Excellent for casseroles, enchiladas, taco salads, soups and more.
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All content ©2015 Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist. All Rights Reserved. Chat with Cheri @Intoxicologist on Twitter and facebook.com/Intoxicologist
These look really great! I love red peppers! Illl have to give them a try soon!
Hi Alissa! I’d love to know what you think after trying them. We make them about once every other week. You can also bake half and flash freeze half to save for another day.