Chile Pepper Recipes for Cold Days

Whether you’re gearing up for a Super Bowl party or cooking up a winter treat there are many chile pepper recipes to trigger the heat receptors in your mouth. Here are a few of them. Enjoy!

1. Capsaicin is an irritant from the seeds of the chile pepper that produces a burning sensation wherever it comes in contact with: hands, eyes, or throat. It affects animals and humans, but birds are not affected by the sting of the heat. In fact, pepper seeds are spread most often by birds carrying the seeds in their beaks and dropping them.

2. The capsaicin compound was first isolated by Christian Freidrich Bucholz in 1816. Bucholz was a German scientist.

3. Besides being consumed as a food product, capsaicin's are also used in topical ointments, as a dermal patch for pain relief of peripheral neuropathy, and as a cream for treatment of psoriasis.

To make 4 dozen

25 medium sized jalapeno peppers

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese.

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Using disposable latex gloves to avoid the pepper’s capsaicin, a skin irritant, take each pepper and slice it open lengthwise; remove the seeds and membranes. Gently boil the peppers in a saucepan for 5-10 min. Remember: the longer you boil, the milder they become. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

In a small bowl beat together: cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, and cheddar cheese. When smooth scoop two teaspoons into each pepper half and crumble bacon on top.

Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 5-10 min or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded & diced

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & diced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 T. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 cans (14.5 oz each) black beans-rinse and drain

4 c. low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

2 tsp chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped

½ c. chopped tomato

1 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. fresh cilantro, minced

¼ tsp. coarse salt (sea salt may be used)

½ c. nonfat sour cream

In a large soup pot heat the oil and cook onions and peppers until golden, about 10 minutes.

Stir in garlic, cumin, and oregano. Cook for approximately 1 minute. Add the black beans, broth, and chiles, and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Let it cool slightly. Place approximately half the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree. Return this mixture to the soup pot stirring until well blended.

In a separate bowl, combine the tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, and salt.

Serve soup in individual bowls adding 2 T of sour cream mixture to each serving and topping with the tomato mixture.