Thursday, August 21, 2014

Sausage Stuffed Banana Peppers

I have never been a fan of spicy peppers, so I have been nervous when banana peppers show up in our CSA basket.  Generally, I make banana pepper mustard, but it isn't always the occasion for a bowl of dipping mustard and I haven't gotten into canning (yet?).  So, earlier this summer I started to look for alternative recipes using banana peppers. One morning, I decided that I couldn't wait any longer to use the peppers I had and I didn't feel like going to the store, so I used some ideas from other recipes but ultimately made my own recipe for stuffed banana peppers using what I had on hand.  They turned out fabulous.  My husband LOVED them.  And I did too - and that is saying a lot for someone who doesn't like spicy.  They actually weren't very spicy at all due to the boiling.  (Disclaimer:  My kids didn't try this one, because my husband and I ate them before they got the chance, so I can't report on how they liked them.)

INGREDIENTS:
  • 5 or so banana peppers
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/4 cup of chive and onion cream cheese spread
  • 1/3 cup of shredded cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, Mexican blend, or whatever you prefer)
  • 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.  
  2. Begin boiling water.  Slice the peppers lengthwise and clean out seeds.  Dice onion.
  3. Boil the peppers for about 5-6 minutes.  Meanwhile, brown sausage with onion.
  4. Once sausage is browned, mix in the cream cheese.
  5. Remove the peppers from the water with tongs and place in the prepared baking dish.  Stuff the peppers with the sausage mixture.  Top with shredded cheese.  Bake for 5-6 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Difficulty: easy
Time: about 20 minutes
Source:  this one is my own!


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