3 red sweet bell peppers
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (approximately)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3-4 stems fresh basil (1-2 tablespoons chopped)
1/4 teaspoon oregano
pinch red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups garlic croutons
1 cup fresh mozzarella
sea salt and pepper, to taste
dash of paprika

In a skillet, sauté croutons in 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and basil for 3-5 minutes. Add mozzarella, cut into small cubes. Toss to combine. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Remove tops from peppers, leaving peppers whole. Save tops to replace later. Remove seeds and cores from peppers. Rub peppers with olive oil. Mix enough remaining olive oil with ingredients in skillet, using only enough to coat well.

Fill peppers with mixture and replace top.

Place peppers on preheated grill over indirect heat or in the oven at 400°F. Bake until peppers are tender and are just beginning to color.

Cut each pepper into halves and sprinkle top with paprika for color.

Variation: After peppers are cooked, cut into halves, and sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese. Broil 2-3 minutes. Drizzle sparsely with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette before serving.

Submitted by: CM