Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Dip

The trifecta for a perfect appetizer – simple, easy and outrageously delicious!

By: Jodie Shield, RD

My husband and I play in a really fun and competitive mixed doubles tennis group.  After each match, we head over to somebody’s house for dinner and everybody brings an appetizer.  This is where the culinary competition begins!  Hands down, our friend, Nedra, wins the prize for the world’s best appetizer. (She’s a great tennis player, too!)  Her specialty is Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Dip. It’s so amazing and always the first appetizer devoured.  In fact, you know how everybody leaves at least one bite just to be polite, not with Nedra’s dip!   I begged her for the recipe and she said she was too embarrassed to share it because get this – it is so easy!   She just tosses some of those cute little mini tri-color peppers on the grill earlier in the day, slices them into thin strips, tops them with bruschetta and goat cheese, and bakes them for a few minutes in the oven.  The trifecta for a perfect appetizer – simple, easy and outrageously delicious!  Nedra you go girl!

 Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Dip

Makes 12 servings

 Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bag mini sweet bell peppers
• 1 cup bruschetta
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
• Balsamic vinegar (optional)
• Directions:

1. Grill peppers over medium high heat until roasted for about 10 minutes.  Remove seeds and cut into strips.
2.  Place pepper strips into a casserole dish.  Spread bruschetta over peppers and sprinkle goat cheese over the top.
3.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place pepper dip into oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve with whole grain pita chips or toasted French bread rounds.

Nutrition Information (pepper dip only); 40 Calories, 1 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrate, 2.5 grams fat, 0.7 grams saturated fat, 6 milligrams cholesterol, 0.7 grams dietary fiber, 97 milligrams sodium.

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