Stuffed Banana Peppers

Must be a Buffalo thing.

I spent a year of my life living smack-dab in the middle of two New York cities - Rochester and Buffalo.  While I lived in a pretty remote area, I was sandwiched between two exciting cities with two completely different vibes.

Rochester was an old-school kind of place.  It's biggest culinary claim to fame is the Garbage Plate.  If you don't know what that is, you should get familiar.  You might need to be blindfolded the first time you attempt a plate, but once you taste it, you won't care what it looks like.

Buffalo was completely different.  There's sports and music and chicken wings.  How could you go wrong?

Buffalo had and up-and-coming feel to it.  Even though the buildings were old, it always seemed like B-Lo was on the fast track to a booming Renaissance.  I don't know if that even makes sense in print.  I think it's something you just have to feel for yourself when you're there.

I don't know where Stuffed Banana Peppers come from in Western New York, but I do know that these two cities, only an hour apart, have completely different ideas about them.  At least, from what I have gathered.

In the Roc, stuffed banana peppers sit on your plate much like a Spanish rice-stuffed bell pepper would.  There's tomatoes and garlic and rice and the peppers were often split in half.

In the Buff, stuffed peppers with a mixture akin to a dip (and we all know Buffalo makes a mean dip!)  with cheddar and cream cheese and sauteed vegetables.  The tomatoes usually come on the side in a sweet and spicy marinara.

The Buffalo version was definitely my favorite of the two.  Probably only because I prefer my spanish rice in bell peppers as that's how I've always known them.  The cream cheese filling makes this tangy, savory and super delicious appetizer or main course.

Try it for yourself and see!



Stuffed Banana Peppers

8 banana peppers
1 8 oz. brick cream cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
1/2 cup minced onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste


Preheat oven 350F.

Combine everything but the banana peppers in a large bowl.

Cut the stem off at the widest part of each banana pepper.  Remove all of the seeds from inside.

Stuff spoonfuls of the mixture inside each pepper until completely full.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese at the end of the pepper is bubbly and brown.

Serve with Marinara sauce.





Listening to:  Ted Nugent - Cat Scratch Fever