For the Love of Ranunculus

Odd title for a food blog post, huh?  At least I caught your attention.  Ranunculus are, hands down, my favorite flower and whenever I have the chance to purchase them at a reasonable price, I most certainly take advantage.  So, when I found a bunch of golden and orange ranunculus at Trader Joe's for $5.99, I busted out my wallet and moseyed on out of there feeling about 5% happier.  Of course I also picked up a few ingredients along the way, making sure to focus on food items that would coordinate well with the colors of my new pretty petals.  What did I find to match?  Petite orange and red bell peppers.  They're not only petite, they're also precious, and I'm pretty sure that Peter Piper picked a peck of them back in the day.

When it came time to cook, I stared at these little peppers for a few solid minutes before deciding that they were too cute to chop up and were better suited for stuffing.  Since I had also grabbed a bag of Harvest Grain Blend (Israeli cous cous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa), I figured I would incorporate the hearty mix into the pepper stuffing along with some chèvre and mozzarella.  The result was wonderful; a delicate, but filling combination packed full of flavor and perfect for an appetizer course or light dinner.  Oh yes, and the peppers are just as precious and petite cooked as they are raw.

Petite Peppers Stuffed with Harvest Grains and Chèvre (4 light dinner servings)

* 8 baby bell peppers

* 2 cups cooked grains, such as TJ's Harvest Grain Blend

* ¼ cup shredded mozzarella

* 4 oz chèvre goat cheese

* 2 tbsp grated parmesan

* 2 garlic cloves, minced

* 1 tsp olive oil

* sea salt and black pepper

{1} Preheat oven to 350° for later use.  Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add minced garlic and sauté until tender, 1-2 minutes.

{2} In a medium bowl, combine the cooked grains, mozzarella, chèvre, parmesan, and garlic and stir until combined.  Add salt and pepper, to taste (make sure to taste prior to adding salt because the salt-content in the cheeses may be enough).

{3} Cut tops off of peppers.  Gently scoop out seeds and white flesh with a spoon.  Spoon ¼ cup of the grain mixture into each pepper and pack down with back of spoon.  Place stuffed peppers on their sides on a foil-lined baking sheet.

{4} Bake the petite peppers for 24-26 minutes or until the peppers are slightly softened and tender.  Let cool for 5 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

* Leftover tip: If you have any leftover grain mixture, heat it up and eat it all by its lonesome for lunch!