Last week I touched on a pepper that packs a little bit of heat, but not everyone likes the spice. This week, I will dive into a pepper that is sweeter than it is hot, and puts your favorite sub over the edge. Looking for something mild to enhance your meals? Let's try out some banana peppers!
- A single serving of banana peppers, 33 grams, contains .15 grams of fat and only 9 calories
- Banana Peppers contain significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and B6
- Banana Peppers contain calcium and magnesium but are a rich source of potassium
- A serving of banana peppers provides 1.1 gram of dietary fiber, making you feel fuller faster and help with weight loss.
Recipes:
Stuffed Banana Peppers (chilipeppermadness.com)
- 10 Banana Peppers
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 8 ounces Beef or Steak
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 4 ounces Shredded Gouda cheese
- Heat an oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice the banana peppers in half lengthwise and core them out. Set them onto a large baking sheet.
- Heat the oil in a medium pan and add the chopped steak. Season with garlic, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes, or until the beef/steak is cooked to your liking.
- Spoon the seasoned beef mixture into the peppers, then top each with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can grill the stuffed banana peppers for 15 minutes, or broil them for 6-7 minutes, until the cheeses are nice and melty.
- Remove from heat and set onto serving plates.
- Top with chopped green onion, spicy chili flakes and hot sauce, if desired.
Italian Sausage Stuffed Banana Peppers (aspicyperspective.com)
- 10 whole Banana Peppers
- 1 pound Italian Sausage
- 1 tablespoon Butter or Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion
- 2-3 cloves Garlic
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese
- 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoons Crushed Red Pepper
- 24 ounces Marinara Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Italian Cheese Blend
- Salt and Pepper
- Parsley for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and a large mixing bowl.
- Prep the banana peppers by cutting off the stems. Use a small knife to slice down one side of each pepper from top to tip. (You don’t want to cut the banana peppers in half, but just create a slit so they’re much easier to stuff.) Remove the seeds inside and discard. Make sure to wash your hands well with hot soapy water. Even though banana peppers are usually mild, they may leave oils on your hands that can burn your eyes.
- Next, set a small skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, diced onions, and garlic. Salt and pepper liberally, then sauté to soften for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the Italian sausage, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper in the mixing bowl.
- Once the onions and garlic have softened, move to the bowl, and mix the sausage mixture by hand until smooth and even.
- Pour the marinara into the baking dish.
- One at a time, scoop up the sausage mixture with your hands and press it down into the banana peppers. Use your finger to press it all the way to the tip filling the banana pepper entirely. The peppers do not have to be closed along the seam, but they also shouldn’t be so stuffed that the pepper could crack.
- Place the stuffed banana peppers in the baking dish. Alternate the directions in which they lay so they fit neatly in the dish. Cover the top of the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 55 minutes undisturbed.
- Remove the foil and check that the peppers are very soft. Sprinkle the shredded Italian cheese over the top of the banana peppers and place back in the oven for five minutes to melt.
- Serve warm, with marinara and a sprinkling of chopped parsley
Italian Banana Pepper Chicken (dinedreamdiscover.com)
- 3 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 12-ounce jar Banana Peppers
- 3 tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Brush each side of the chicken breasts with olive oil and season both sides with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet and cover it with refrigerator pickled banana peppers. Top with slices of butter.
- Bake the chicken for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese, is melted.
- Place the chicken under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes to brown the cheese, if desired.
