Awesome appetizer: Stuffed mini peppers with chorizo and cream cheese

This is a fabulous addition to your game day menu. If you find these mini sweet peppers in the grocery store or at the farmer's market and don't know what to do with them, you have to give this recipe a try. This stuffed appetizer is a mouthful of spicy, sweet goodness (much like Charo whenever she was on The Love Boat).

What you'll need:

• Bulk chorizo
• Mini sweet peppers
• Block of cream cheese
• Chopped fresh herbs like basil, Italian parsley, oregano 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the peppers by cutting the tops off and pulling out the seeds and ribs. I use a cupcake pan to roast the peppers, so they stay upright.

Put a frying pan on medium-high heat, and cook the chorizo until browned, about 10 minutes.

In a bowl, add the block of cream cheese, chopped fresh herbs, and cooked chorizo (still hot from the pan). I prefer to use fresh basil for this dish, but I don't have any on hand, so I'm using Italian parsley and oregano. If you plan ahead, you can leave the cream cheese out to soften, but it's not necessary as the heat from the cooked chorizo will soften it up in the bowl.

Mix together until well blended.

Now you're ready to stuff the peppers. Season the peppers with salt and pepper, then add the chorizo mixture. Be sure to push the filling into the peppers, so it's completely filled to the top.

Roast the peppers in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees until the tops are browned and the peppers are soft. If you like a firmer pepper, take them out of the oven sooner.

Let them cool a little before handling them. Roasting the peppers brings out their natural sweetness. Combine that with the spiciness of the chorizo and tangy, creaminess of the cream cheese, and you've got an appetizer worthy of the Lombardi trophy.

Gnocchi with sopressata, garlic, and herbs

This is such a simple dish and so flavorful. Better yet, it's quick and easy. I can even give you some quantities for this recipe. Serves 2 as a main dish or use it as a side to make that piece of grilled chicken a happy camper.

What you'll need:

• One package of gnocchi, fresh or frozen
• 4 oz. sliced sopressata
• Lots of freshly sliced garlic
• A few tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like Italian parsley, oregano, basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Parmesan or romano cheese, grated
• Freshly ground pepper and kosher or sea salt

Put a pot of water on to boil the gnocchi. When it comes to a boil, add a copious amount of salt to the water. The gnocchi are ready when they float. I'm using a whole wheat gnocchi.

In the mean time, add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced sopressata to the pan and allow to cook until just crisp. You can use whatever kind of Italian dry salami you'd like. Then add the sliced garlic.

Lower the heat and allow the garlic to cook for only a minute. If the gnocchi is not ready yet, take the frying pan off the heat. You don't want to burn the garlic. When the gnocchi is ready, scoop it out with a slotted spoon or drain the water, and add it to the frying pan.

Next, add whatever fresh herbs you have. I like to use Italian parsley and fresh oregano. Add some freshly ground pepper. Mix everything together, and then taste it. You may not need any additional salt, but adjust as necessary.

Serve with lots of grated cheese - locatelli, parmesan, whatever you have. This is my hubby's favorite dish. He could eat the entire pan full of gnocchi. In fact, he told me I never make enough of it. From now on, I'm going to double the recipe just for him.