If you follow me, you might remember a while back I made this awesome Tequila Spiked Pimento Cheese? It was right around the Superbowl. It was so good, and I loved it so much, I was inspired to use it as a base to spin off several recipes. One of those is these Pimento Cheese Chorizo Mini Bells.
Tequila Spiked Pimento Cheese
Just fyi, using that Tequila Spiked Pimento Cheese, I also made some I made killer Pimento Cheese Fries, a Grilled Turkey & Pimento Cheese Sandwich that was incredible and stuffed burgers with it using my Juicy Lucy recipe. Awesome! So while you don’t have to use my Tequila Spiked Pimento Cheese, I’d suggest you make a big batch of it (you don’t have to spike it, either if hooch is a no go at your house) or maybe a batch of my Roasted Red Pepper & Jalapeno Spread for this Popper recipe and for a couple of the others! I mean sure, you can buy a tiny little pricey package of Pimento Cheese at the store, but why when it’s so easy to mix up your own?
About Pimento Cheese Chorizo Mini Bells:
But now that we talked all about the Pimento Cheese, let’s talk about these fun little Stuffed Mini Bells. They came about quite by accident. See I’d bought Mini Peppers for another recipe and had some of my homemade Mexican Chorizo on hand…well, you can draw the fateful conclusion to this on your own. By the way, although the chorizo has a bit of spice & and depending on what Pimento Cheese you use, it can, too, this has plenty of cream cheese in it (it helps hold everything together) and it will mellow them out. They’re very family and/or party-friendly.
These really aren’t “lookers” mainly because that Pimento Cheese is so ooey, gooey, melty deliciousness, they were some of the best stuffed mini bells, evah! Maybe a sprinkle of parsley would have helped in the looks department? Or cilantro? Or a better photographer and better styling? I’ll take great taste overlooks any day, how ’bout you?
The folks (my favorite octogenarians, who I am helping out these days) inhaled these, btw, and so did I. And although football’s over for the year (these will be a star at a Superbowl party) we have plenty of basketball left! Go Timberwolves! And Go Pimento Cheese & Chorizo Stuffed Peppers!
Roasted Red Pepper and Cheese Spread
Preparing the Mini Bells:
I love recipes like this that can be made for the family or for a party! And while it’s no big deal to make a few of these, I have some hints if you’re making them for a crowd. I’m not gonna say it’s ever fun to fill or stuff anything, but I gotta say it’s more fun when you sit down with family and/or friends and do it. It’s always a great time to catch up and chat, and I have a few tricks to make this recipe easier.
First of all, cut all your baby bells in half: Lay them out. They’re laying on the flat side, right. Turn each a quarter turn and slice through them and you’ll have two stable halves that rest well on a flat surface. I slice all of them first, then take a knife and carefully cut where the seeds meet the stem, being careful not to cut through the pepper.
It’s a simple matter, then, to scoop the seeds and ribs in one fell swoop with a teaspoon. That little extra step of cutting makes cleaning them so much easier and helps prevent any of those baby bells from cracking or breaking as they are cleaned. As each is done, give it a little shake to remove any errant seeds and move it to a sheet tray, close together is great.
Pulled Pork Mini Bells – take a between the seeds and stem first then scoop everything out with a spoon
Making Pimento Cheese Chorizo Mini Bells:
It’s good to know if you are making these for home or a crowd that a bag of mini bells usually has about two dozen in it, which is going to make 48 appetizers, although the amount in the bags can vary. If you multiply the recipe out, always check. The recipe multiplier can get a little strange with some ingredients.
This is so straightforward to make. Cook up your chorizo. I always cook it to start with a bit of water; it can be very sticky and a potato masher helps to make quick work if you use it as the chorizo browns. By the time it’s done, the water will be evaporated. Use good softened cream cheese so it mixes well.
I like to fill these with a wide tip and a pastry bag or a Ziploc with the corner cut off. Just make sure the opening is large enough to accommodate the chunky filling. It makes it go super fast.
Home Made Chorizo
Saving Money on Pimento Cheese Chorizo Mini Bells:
These peppers usually come about 24 or so to a package; when they first appeared at stores, they were pretty pricey. While the price has come down, search for these peppers on sale, especially around big game days like the Superbowl or March Madness. If you have an Aldi nearby, check there for a great price.
If chorizo’s outrageous or not available, make your own. Super easy with a food processor, just make it the night before. I make my Homemade Mexican Chorizo all the time. It does require some specific spicing so if you don’t live in an area where peppers are sold or you have a lot of options at the spice store, plan for that as well. Even here in the Twin Cities, I can find a variety of dried peppers just at the regular old grocery but if you’re in a smaller town, that can be more difficult.
Pimento Cheese Chorizo Mini Bells
Pimento Cheese Chorizo Mini Bells
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 48 appetizers 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 package (about 2 dozen) mini bell peppers, washed, cleaned of seeds and cut in half lengthwise
- 3/4 cup pimento cheese, Tequila Spiked, Roasted Red Pepper & Jalapeno or packaged
- 1 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 4 – 6 ounces of Mexican chorizo, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking tray by lining with aluminum foil.
Mix together pimento cheese, cream cheese, and chorizo. Fill peppers. Place on baking tray.
Bake until cheese is melted and peppers are tender but still sturdy about 15 minutes. May be placed under the broiler for a minute or two to brown top if desired.
Allow to sit for a few minutes to firm up and cool slightly before removing from tray.
Helpful hints:
- When cutting peppers, note how it lays naturally and cut horizontally. The peppers will stand up better. Prop against each other on the tray.
- A piping bag makes quick work of filling the peppers.
- May be made ahead to the point of baking and refrigerated.
These are fabulous when grilled. They can be placed on the grates but it is much easier to remove them quickly if they are grilled on a sheetpan or in a cast iron skillet. Watch the time, which can be a variable, and medium to medium high heat is your best bet.
Keywords: Appetizer, Bell Peppers, Cheese, Chorizo, Cream Cheese, Mexican or Southwestern, mini bell peppers, mini peppers, pimento cheese, Pork, Sausage
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You know I’ll be bringing this to our Throwback Thursday #26 Link Party, hosted by Quinn of Dad What’s for Dinner, Meaghan of 4 Sons are Us, Alli of Tornadough, Carlee from Cooking with Carlee and Moi! That’s right – me! Click over to our Throwback Thursday post for links to their blogs and social media, rules and more info or just click on the blue leapfrog, below, to view all the Throwback Thursday Posts or enter your own!
I will also be bringing these over to Angie’s Link Party, Fiesta Friday # 108, Hosted this week, by Suzanne from Apuginthekitchen and Zeba from FoodfortheSoul! It should be another great party!!
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