Instructions: In an 8- to 10-inch frying pan over high heat, stir onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil often until lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add rice and pine nuts and stir until some of the rice is opaque and nuts are slightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, bay leaf, and thyme; stir, then cover. When boiling, turn heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender to bite, about 15 minutes; add 2 to 4 more tablespoons broth if liquid is absorbed before rice is tender. Remove from heat. Add salt to taste.

Lay half the pepper halves side by side, cut-side up, in a shallow 8- by 12-inch casserole or pan. Mound rice filling equally in peppers, using it all. Lay remaining pepper halves, cut-side down, on rice filling, matching sizes and shapes to bottom halves. Drizzle peppers with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. (May be prepared to this point up to 1 day ahead, cover, and chill; uncover to bake.)

Bake in a 375 degrees regular or convection oven until peppers are soft and slightly browned, about 30 minutes. With a wide spatula, transfer filled peppers to a platter or plates. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

This recipe yields 4 or 5 appetizer servings.

Comments: At a food show last spring, a colorful display caught my eye. At first glance, I thought I was seeing mounds of fresh chilies. Closer inspection brought a sweet surprise: The shiny, bright red, yellow, and orange vegetables werent chilies at all - they were bell-type peppers, similar in shape to fresh jalapeno chilies (with very few seeds). From 2 to 4 inches long, they make two or three bites - an ideal size for appetizers and salads. Stuffed with a rice filling and baked, they make a handsome, delectable garnish around a holiday bird or roast.

Masters Touch grows the little peppers in Mexico and Florida, labels them VineSweet Mini-Peppers, and distributes them year-round to chain supermarkets and warehouse stores such as Costco.

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