From my kitchen: Crab & Bacon Stuffed Bell Peppers

This past weekend, I was craving something light yet decadent.  We had pigged out a bit too much on Mexican food and I was in the mood for something a little less heavy.

What I really wanted was a crab cake.  But since those are a no-go for me at the moment because of the gluten, I came up with a plan B that was a total success - Crab and bacon stuffed bell peppers.

Even my husband liked it.  Little B, not so much.  But that is okay because it meant more for me.  This dish was so good that it will become a regular on the meal rotations.  Next time I might play around with the seasoning a bit more to give it more of a Cajun flair.  But that is the beauty of this dish, the spices can be modified based on whatever you are in the mood for.

So bottom line, if I were handing out stars, this one would get a 5 out of 5.  It is delicious!

Crab & Bacon Stuffed Bell Peppers

1 lb lump crab meat

1/2 c rice krispy cereal (could also use corn flakes)
3-6 strips of bacon (chopped into 1/2 inch pieces)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
4 green onions, chopped
1 large egg (room temperature)

Kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4 tsp paprika

4 bell peppers (stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed)

Olive oil, for drizzling
1 c water

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine the crab, cornflakes, half of the bacon, the mayonnaise, green onions, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper, if using.

Spoon the filling into the bell pepper halves, dividing it evenly. Place the remaining bacon on top of the filling and drizzle with olive oil. Arrange the filled peppers in a single layer in a baking dish or small roasting pan. Pour the water around the peppers. The water is so the pepper don't burn at the bottom. Bake until the peppers are tender, about 40-45 minutes.