Crispy Garlic Pepper Parmesan Cheese Appetizer

I seem to be seeing a great deal of cheese recipes lately from several bloggers. I LOVE cheese. I have posted several recipes with cheese in them, but I want to re do one of the simplest and tastiest recipes featuring cheese, but more importantly, includes a mixture of garlic, cheese and a Poblano pepper (a great pepper, not the burn your throat heat, but a spicy flavorful pepper nonetheless).

Ingredients could not be easier... As with most things, a good quality Parmesan cheese works best. Amounts are relative, depend on if you want to make 1 (no possibility that you could ever only eat one of these) or a dozen. An 8 ounce package makes about a dozen, a great amount when you are serving 4 people, as you will eat 3 of these while you wait for the party to start. BUT, I have also made these using one of those tubs of pre-grated Parmesan cheese. However, this recipe does not work at all using that powdered Parmesan cheese stuff.

I also LOVE garlic, so I will use a a half a head of garlic, about 4 cloves for Garlic.

And equal amounts (about 1/2 of one, seeds and white meat removed) of Poblano Pepper. As with all recipes, good cooks can adapt this recipe to their tastes. More pepper or spicier peppers will certainly change the taste of the finished product. This formula works well for a wide variety of tastes.

Just grate the cheese, dice as tiny as you can the garlic and pepper, and mix.

This works best using a silicon baking sheet. If you must, use a metal flat baking sheet, generously oiled (no need to add oil if using the non-stick silicon sheets). Take a handful of the mixture and bake in an oven for about 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Keep an eye on these, as you want the cheese to melt, but not burn. Just a little crispy around the edges.

But, for an extra kick, try cooking these on a grill. I cook with indirect heat (not over hot coals, but to the side, or with the burners covered using a gas grill (as pictured). These are great as appetizers to pull from the grill and let your guests enjoy before you start on the burgers and dogs. The tin foil pack is a small package of water soaked hickory wood chips. I punch holes on the tinfoil, and roast the package over a side burner (in this case, I use a searing burner). This adds a bit of smoke flavor to the whole!

Remove and let them sit on a napkin for a bit til they are cool.


Crispy, cheesy, garlicky and peppery... You will make these again and again!

I love this recipe, and wanted to share this with the readers of another food blog. This is a specialty blog featuring the foods and tastes of one of my favorite cities, San Antonio, Texas. They are currently doing a contest for this terrific looking cookbook. Take a look at the site, lots of great information, and amazing Tex-Mex recipes (so good, she wrote a cookbook about 'em)! Click the photo of the cookbook for details about the FREE giveaway contest, or click HERE to go to the

FOODS and FLAVORS of SAN ANTONIO blog. It is worth the trip! (and in a few days, go back and vote for my recipe! ;-)