Gratinéed Peppers, And a Blogiversary Giveawaay

In this summer of bounteous corn, peaches and tomatoes here in the Garden State (that would be New Jersey, of course), let's not forget about peppers. Red peppers are starting to come in strong, and if you grow peppers, you know that if you leave them on the plant longer, they'll turn from green to red -- that's when they're sweetest and so delicious to eat in so many ways. One of my favorites is this gratinéed recipe. Just take out the core and inner white ribs, then cut the peppers in thirds -- quarter them if they're large. 

Mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil and seasonings. Cook the peppers without the gratinéed mixture first for half an hour, then remove from the oven and fill with the bread crumb mixture.

Place the pan back in the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the crumbs start to turn golden. 

These are delicious as a side dish, or even as a first course. 

Now for the giveaway and the reason -- I'm celebrating 15 years of blogging!! Woohoo! It's hard to believe I've been at this so long, but initially I started it as a way to archive family recipes. But it's become a whole lot more through the years. Yes, most of the recipes are Italian-influenced, but there are plenty of other recipes too. And through the blog, I've made friends from across the U.S. and the world -- a real bonus. Though I don't post as frequently as I used to (life has a way of interfering), I'm planning to get back to posting once every week or so when the summer fun with family and friends tapers off.

You'll be more likely to see what I'm up to on a daily basis on my Instagram account, where it's so quick and easy to post.

I sometimes wonder whether anybody still reads my blog on a regular basis. Are we food bloggers relevant any more, now that so many other platforms have emerged? 

In any event, I thought I'd gift one faithful reader with a thank you for staying with me through the years. Some of you know I like to paint, and I've been focusing more on watercolors this summer. I haven't had a chance to get back to my oil painting in the last couple of months with so much travel and visitors taking priority.

But I painted a series of peppers a while ago, and I'm happy to part with this 8" x 8" framed, original oil painting of a red pepper, to one of you.

All you have to do is subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already - it's easy - just enter your email address in the "subscribe" box. ) Then leave a comment on the blog with an email address for me to contact you if you're chosen. (by the random computer-generated method). Follow Ciao Chow Linda on Instagram too (click here) for an extra chance to win. And for three chances to win, follow my art page on Instagram here. Buona fortuna.

Click here to connect with me on Instagram and find out what’s cooking in Ciao Chow Linda’s kitchen each day (and more)

Gratinéed Red Peppers

printable recipe here

Ingredients

3 medium size red peppers

1/4 cup bread crumbs

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

4 tablespoons olive oil

salt, pepper to taste

Directions
Core the peppers and remove the white ribs.

Cut the peppers into thirds (or quarters if large) and place on a pan smeared with olive oil.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the peppers, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake the peppers at 375 degrees for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling by mixing together the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.

Divide the filling among the peppers and bake for another 15 minutes or until lightly browned.