Sweet Pepper Poppers

We’re taking a detour from the normal jalapeño popper. But, for the record, I’m a huge fan of those–especially when filled with goat cheese and wrapped in bacon! These Sweet Pepper Poppers are pretty close to that, but I’ve got an agenda. I want the filling to actually stay in the pepper. I’ve experimented with easy Paleo fodder: scallions, bacon and goat cheese. This isn’t exactly novel, but it is certainly tasty.

Ingredients:
12 mini sweet peppers
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
1/2 cup cooked chopped bacon (about 5 slices)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg
7 grinds black pepper
pinch of red chili flakes

Prep:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix all of the ingredients, except the peppers. Transfer to a small plastic storage bag, seal and refrigerate.

Prepare the mini sweet peppers by making a small slice lengthwise, long enough to get in there with a paring knife to remove seeds and larger ribs. You’re performing micro-surgery on a vegetable here, so try not to lose your cool. (Maybe it’s just me, but I only have so much patience for things like this).

When all the peppers are clear and ready for stuffing, grab that baggie of filling and snip off the end (large enough for your bacon bits to pass through). Insert the open end of the baggie into the pepper and fill. Lay in a baking dish with a non-stick coating, cut side up.

Bake these at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. You’ll find that the filling stays put, making it much easier to dip into sauces and takes bites from.