Cheese-stuffed Mini Peppers

This past year for Easter, we decided to have a scaled down dinner.  So, instead of preparing a large meal, my mom and I made a meal out of appetizers.  We each made our favorites to share with the family.  One of my dishes was this one - cheese-stuffed mini bell peppers.  This is a great dish to serve to a large crowd.  They are very easy to put together.  You can even assemble early, refrigerate, and cook when needed.  And, they are really colorful!  For this recipe you will need:

2 dozen mini bell peppers (assorted colors)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion, diced
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.  Set aside.  Remove the stems of the peppers, including the seeds.  Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onions and cook until softened.  Add the garlic and cook for just a minute or so more.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  In a bowl, combine the cheeses, salt, pepper, and onion mixture.  Add in the peas and basil and combine.  Fill each of the mini peppers with the cheese mixture and arrange on the baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the peppers are softened.  Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.