Chew on This | Stuffed Cubanella Peppers

Ahh peppers.  They're a staple in our house.  I try to put them in just about everything.

My little Sprite doesn't think she likes peppers.  

"Mom, peppers are yuck."

She likes peppers.  She just doesn't realize it.  

Because she doesn't realize she's eating them.  

Because I don't tell her every time I happen to put those delicious peppers into our dinner.

The Sprite is on a need-to-know basis.  

This she doesn't need to know.

So don't spill the beans, 'kay?

These stuffed peppers however?  Well, I think the jig is up with these.  Not so easy to hide.

Oh well.  More for me!

Let's make stuffed peppers!

You'll need:  Peppers! (your choice - I chose cubanella), onion, garlic, sausage, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese), bread and worcestershire sauce.

Sauté those onions.

Now add your sausage.  I wanted to make these peppers zippy (cubanella peppers are mild) - so I added zesty hot sausage.

Mmmmm.  Garlic.  Add it now.

Mmmmm. Worcestershire sauce (I have a slight addiction to this stuff).  Add it.

Mascarpone cheese or cream cheese.  Creamy goodness.

Good golly.  Add the parmesan cheese.

Now you can add the cubed bread.  This just extends your mixture and sucks up all the good juices. 

We'd be remiss to leave those juices behind.

Many of you may add rice to your peppers.  Ninety percent of the time I don't add rice.  I add bread.  

I love bread.

Hello peppers!

It's time to prepare these guys for stuffing.

Take the tops off, and slice down one side of the pepper.  Carefully clean out the ribs and seeds.

Sprinkle your mozzarella into the stuffing mixture.

Now you can fill your peppers with the prepared stuffing.  Yummmmmm!

Seems like we're missing something.   

Well, right here you could add some sauce.  Maybe a tomato-based pasta sauce.  Or, if you don't care for a red sauce, how about a béchamel?  Sometimes I pour on salsa as my sauce.  The choice is yours!

Today, I'm choosing not to add sauce.  I am choosing to add...

panko!  Japanese breadcrumbs.

I got these at Trader Joe's.  You can usually find them in the international food section of your grocery.

If you can't find panko - use regular bread crumbs. 

Sprinkle them on and bake.

(Please pardon this next picture.  The sun had gone down and natural light was not to be found.)

Stuffed peppers!  So easy and so very good.

Cares

Here's the recipe:

Stuffed Cubanella Peppers

7-8 cubanella peppers (I used two packages)

14-16 ounces bulk zesty sausage

1/2 large purple onion, chopped

garlic - 2 cloves chopped

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1/4-1/3 cup mascarpone or cream cheese

Worcestershire sauce - add to taste (I used 2 tablespoons)

2 slices bread - cubed

Panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Warm a saute pan to medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook until they just start to get soft.  Add your sausage.

As your sausage begins to brown, start crumbling.  Next, add your garlic and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir to incorporate.

Turn down you pan to medium-low.  Now you can add you mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese) and parmesan.  Mix together.  Your stuffing may seems just a touch wet - that's okay because now you can add you bread cubes.

Stir to get everything properly mixed.  Take pan off heat.

Prepare your peppers.  Rinse and clean.  Cut off tops and make a slice down one side of pepper only.  Take out seeds and ribs.

Now to your stuffing you may add you mozzarella cheese.  Spoon stuffing into prepared peppers.

Place in a baking dish and sprinkle each pepper with panko breadcrumbs.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until peppers are soft and pliable but not mushy.