PEPPERONI POPPERS RECIPES

Steps:

• Halve peppers lengthwise (from the tip through the stem) and remove the seeds. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together cream cheese, chopped pepperoni, mozzarella, dried basil, and salt until well combined.
• Fill each pepper half with about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of cream cheese mixture. Top with 2 or 3 whole mini pepperoni slices (optional).
• Place, cut/filled sides up, in a baking dish or on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 400℉ for 18-20 minutes, until cheese is a little bubbly and beginning to lightly brown. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving.
• If the pepper halves don't sit level or are very tippy, cut a very thin slice from the bottom side of the pepper to give it a flat spot to sit on. Just be careful to keep the slice very thin -- it's easy to cut right through the entire bottom of the pepper.
• You can cut up mini pepperoni for the "chopped pepperoni" component of the recipe. That way when topping the poppers with mini pepperoni slices, one package of mini pepperoni can serve both purposes in the recipe.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Unroll the crescent dough and make 15 balls
• Arrange them on parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
• Starting with 5 on the bottom, 4, 3, 2, 1 for the top of the tree.
• Save a little of the dough for the base and shape the tree bottom.
• Place a small piece of pepperoni into each ball.
• Make sure the balls are close together.
• Add the fresh basil leaves around the tree.
• Spray the whole thing with butter oil spray.
• Sprinkle with long shreds of Parmesan cheese, oregano, granulated garlic powder if desired.
• As soon as it comes out of the oven brush the entire tree with melted butter mixed with a pinch of granulated garlic powder.
• Bake at 350 degrees to package instructions around 10 minutes are until the tops start to get golden brown.