1-Getting started with crab and shrimp stuffed bell peppers is simple and fun, beginning with preheating your oven. Set it to 400°F to ensure even cooking for this tasty dish. Once your oven is ready, slice the 4 red or yellow bell peppers in halves, remove the stalks, seeds, and white parts to create perfect shells.

2-Brush the pepper halves with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until they soften slightly. While the peppers bake, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the 1 small finely diced red onion for about 5 minutes until it softens.

3-Building the Filling Next, add 2 cloves minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute to release its aroma. Stir in 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon Italian herbs, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 ½ cups cooked baby shrimp, and 1 cup jumbo crab meat; cook for 2 minutes to blend the flavors. Add 1 ½ cups cooked white rice and mix for another 3 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the juice of ½ lemon, plus more salt and pepper if needed.

4-Fill the baked pepper halves with this seafood mixture, top with ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, and pop them back in the oven for 10 more minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles. If you like, garnish with fresh parsley for a fresh finish. This entire process takes about 1 hour, with 20 minutes prep and 40 minutes cooking, yielding servings at around 175 calories each, including 8.7 g total fat, 4.2 g saturated fat, 54.6 mg cholesterol, 16.1 g total carbohydrates, 2.0 g dietary fiber, 3.1 g sugars, 350.7 mg sodium, and 8.8 g protein.