Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers with Roasted Corn Salsa

So, I kinda fell in love with this roasted corn salsa recipe - it's such a great way to cook frozen corn - and my mind started spinning with all the ways I could see this being used (as well as just the roasting technique in other recipes - don't be surprised if you start seeing more roasted corn recipes!).

Since healthy appetizers are always a good bet (we need a balance with the cheesy dips, wouldn't you agree?) and I still had some mini bell peppers from the garden, I created these easy, yummy, cheese-stuffed mini peppers that are topped with the roasted corn salsa to help round out our appetizer offerings perfectly. I'm always looking for a grain-free appetizer to serve for those eating paleo as well as emphasizing vegetables and protein over chips and bread. And, hey - there's still cheese involved, right?

The first step to making the stuffed peppers is to cut and seed the mini bell peppers. I wanted to share this easy technique for anyone like me who spent years trying to seed the peppers with the tip of a knife: use a spoon! It's easy to just scoop out the seeds without accidentally cutting into the pepper flesh. For these small peppers, I used a small sugar spoon which just fit inside the pepper halves.

I used two different types of cheese, an herb-garlic Boursin and shredded pepper-jack. Simply spoon the creamy Boursin into the pepper halves or press in the grated cheese, making sure the shreds are pushed firmly inside, then top the pepper halves with a spoonful of the already prepared roasted corn salsa.

Bake for a few minutes until the cheese is just a melty goodness all around. Um, can we just agree that cheese makes so many things good? I really do feel sorry for people who can't do cheese. Really.

And aren't they pretty adorable on a white plate? All those vibrant colors - and the cute little stems. I really felt very 'chef-like' when it occurred to me that I could leave them on and cut them in half. Plus they work like perfect little holders for easier eating!

Seriously, these are so quick and good that they would make a nice vegetable to go along with regular meals, too, and not just appetizers. Now I'm off to find more ways to use the corn salsa...

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Cheese-Stuffed Mini Peppers with Roasted Corn Salsa

Cheese-stuffed peppers loaded with a spicy, garlicky corn salsa makes a tasty, grain-free appetizer option.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Appetizers

Cuisine: American

Yield: 24 halves

Author: Jami Boys

Ingredients

• 12 mini bell peppers cut in half and seeded
• 1/2 to 1 cup cheese of your choice creamy or shredded*
• 1 cup prepared roasted corn salsa

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place pepper halves on a small baking sheet (if some roll around, slice a tiny bit from the backs to help them sit flat).
• Add cheese: use a spoon to fill halfway with creamy cheese (like Boursin); use fingers to stuff halves with shredded cheese, pressing into shell.
• Top each half with a spoonful of prepared roasted corn salsa. Don't worry about some falling off - you can put it back on after baking.
• Bake for 10 minutes and serve immediately.

Notes

*Cheese Options: A garlic-herb Boursin was the flavor winner in our house, but a slightly spicy shredded pepper jack was good, too. Goat cheese and sharp cheddar would also be good- you need a strong flavored cheese to stand up to the corn salsa.

Nutrition Note: calculation was done using cream cheese and plain corn (see corn salsa recipe for specific nutrition).

Nutrition

Serving: 1half | Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 519IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

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