Ingredients
24 miniature sweet red peppers1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese24 bacon strips, halved lengthwise2 slices white cheddar cheese1 jar (9-1/2 ounces) pitted Greek olives, drainedCrushed red pepper flakes, optional
Preparation
Preheat oven 400°. Cut miniature peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds; set aside. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and Parmesan cheese until blended. Spoon into pepper halves. Cut bacon in half lengthwise. Wrap a half-strip of bacon around 24 pepper halves; place in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Place unwrapped pepper havles in another 15x10x1-in. baking pan.
Bake until bacon is cooked and filling is bubbly, 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, using a star cookie cutter, cut stars out of cheese slices. Arrange peppers, olives and cheese stars on a serving platter to resemble an American flag. If desired, sprinkle bacon-wrapped peppers with red pepper flakes.
