Stuffed Jalapenos with Couscous and Parmesan

Here's how this recipe started... I stumbled upon these gorgeous jalapeños at the market. I wasn't shopping for jalapeños, but they were staring right at me. I mean, look at them? Bright green, colossal, and practically flawless. So, I grabbed a bunch and decided to figure out what I'd do with them when I got home.

So here's what I did: I filled the raw peppers with tender pearl couscous (that I seasoned with cheese and herbs), and then I topped the stuffed peppers with more parmesan cheese. More cheese is always a good idea. Once roasted, the peppers were soft, and they added the perfect amount of heat to the couscous filling.

I served these babies as a side dish, but they would make a great party appetizer and game day snack! If you need to make more, simply double or triple the recipe.

Want to substitute something for the couscous? Orzo pasta would work great, as would regular couscous.

Stuffed Jalapeños with Couscous and Parmesan

1 1/4 cups water
1 cup pearl couscous
1/4 cup plus tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan, divided
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large jalapeño peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded (remove the white portion too)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the couscous and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the halved jalapeños (if you have any leftover, simply place it in a small ramekin and bake it alongside the peppers).

Arrange the peppers in a shallow baking dish and top with the remaining parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes, until the cheese melts and the peppers are tender.

Serves 4