Peppers: Flavor Up Your Fave Meals

Talk about variety!  Peppers come in a huge range of sizes, colors and flavors.  No wonder they have burst on the scene in dishes far beyond the humble stuffed pepper. They're everywhere, in home kitchens, ethnic restaurants and trendy food establishments. 

Add Some Color and Crunch

Raw bell peppers of all colors are great for snacking. Ripened red, yellow and orange peppers have a sweet taste, while unripened green peppers are more bitter. Try out these ideas for fresh peppers:

• Slice and serve them with a creamy dip.
• Stack them on sandwiches.
• Add them to green salads for color and crunch.

Add Some Heat

Cooked peppers are amazingly versatile: Try sautéing, stir-frying, stuffing, baking, grilling or roasting them. The best part is they need very little seasoning or attention:

• Just remove the stem and seeds before cooking.
• Then cut them into whatever shape or size you like.
• You can roast them in bulk under the broiler or on the grill.
• Add them to sandwiches or antipasto platters, or blend them into pasta sauces.