Pepper Autumn Days With Gold

Soon after Labor Day, my mind fills with thoughts of fall and all its pretty colors. This appetizer fits my line of thinking because of the golden hues of yellow bell peppers.

Do a bit of advance work and this dish becomes easy to assemble for entertaining.

Drain the goat milk yogurt, which I buy at Trader Joe’s, overnight. It will become a bit thicker than sour cream. I like to blend half the chopped spinach with the yogurt until smooth, then stir in the remaining spinach for texture. A bit of tarragon brings out the flavor of the spinach. Make it easy; look for cleaned spinach packaged in microwaveable bags. To toast pine nuts, pop them in your toaster oven three to four minutes, then sprinkle them with a bit of salt.

Yellow Pepper and Spinach Bites

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes plus 8 hours draining

2 cups goat milk yogurt

1 (10-ounce) bag spinach leaves, cooked and finely chopped

1/2 cup nonfat sour cream

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced tarragon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon minced green onion

3 yellow bell peppers

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted and lightly salted

* Spoon yogurt into strainer or colander lined with cheesecloth. Fold cheesecloth over to cover yogurt. Place strainer on edge of bowl deep enough to drain yogurt. Refrigerate overnight.

* Combine drained yogurt and 1/2 of spinach. Puree until smooth and blended. Blend in sour cream. Stir in remaining spinach, garlic, tarragon, salt and green onion. (Mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated 1 to 2 hours before assembling.)

* Cut peppers into eighths lengthwise, then into halves crosswise. Spoon dollop of spinach yogurt mixture atop each pepper piece. Arrange on serving platter. Sprinkle each with toasted pine nuts.

3 dozen Bites. Each Bite: 26 calories; 65 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.09 gram fiber.

* Tea towel and platter from Sur La Table stores.