In your Summer and Spring boxes, you received some amazing varieties of peppers! Peppers can be used for an abundance of recipes that the entire family can enjoy.  We have put together our favorite uses of peppers that are quick, delicious, and easy!

Grilled Peppers

Ingredients: 

• Peppers 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• Salt and Pepper for taste 
• Fresh chopped parsley 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat a grill to medium heat

2. Quarter peppers, remove the seeds and stem from the inside of each pepper

3. In a medium bowl, copine olive oil, peppers, and salt and pepper. Toss thoroughly to coat peppers. 

4. Using tongs, arrange the peppers on the grill rack skin side up. Close the grill and cook for 4 minutes. 

5. Flip peppers and close grill to cook another 3-4 minutes or until desired charring is achieved. 

6. Remove peppers to bowl and toss with fresh parsley before serving. 

Charred Pepper Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers, stemmed + quartered
• 1 poblano pepper, stemmed + quartered (or a few small sweet peppers) 
• olive oil
• kosher salt
• 2 jalapenos, stemmed + halved (or any spicy pepper)
• ½ cup diced red onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• ½ cup packed cilantro leaves
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tbsp water

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place the red peppers and poblano peppers onto a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil to coat and spread into an even layer, with the peppers faced down. Season with a good pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes.
2. Add the jalapenos to the pan. Drizzle them with oil and season with salt. Continue to roast all of the peppers for 10 more minutes, or until charred and tender. Allow the peppers to cool slightly. Peel and discard the skins (this does not have to be perfect). Allow the peppers to fully cool.
3. Add the peppers, red onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice to a food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Blend in the water. Season with salt to taste.

Chili with Peppers

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper, or any sweet pepper variety 
• 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeno chile peppers or any spicy pepper variety 
• 1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes 
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, undrained
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

 In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine the ground beef, onion and bell peppers. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain excess fat.

Add the chili powder, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, chile peppers, tomatoes, tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in the beans and heat through.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients: 

• 12 jalapeño peppers (can substitute spicy or sweet peppers)
• 1/4 cup chopped cooked bacon
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup shredded jack cheese, plus another 2 ounces of jack cheese cut into 2 1/2-inch long batons
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Prepare the peppers for stuffing: 
3. You can either slice the jalapeños/peppers in half lengthwise or you can slice off the top one-third (lengthwise) of each jalapeño to make a boat shape out of each pepper.
   The halved jalapeños/peppers will go further (twice as many stuffed peppers), but you can put more filling into the boat-shaped peppers. Your choice. If you choose to make the boats, you can mince the tops and add them to the filling if you want some extra heat, or save them for another recipe. In either case, scrape out all the seeds and ribs from each jalapeño/pepper with a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works great).
4. Mix: Mix together all the filling ingredients except the jack cheese batons.
5. Stuff the peppers! Pack the filling into the peppers and nestle a baton of jack cheese onto the filling of each one.

5. Bake: Arrange the peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned, and the peppers are cooked.

Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

If you try any of these recipes, we would love for you to share them with us on social media on our Instagram @Leafedbox or email us your creations at info@leafdbox.com. 

Full recipes can be found at: The Happiest Home Maker, The Original Dish, All Recipes, and Simply Recipes.