This is great over salad greens and excellent with fish; you can also use it as a light veggie dip. I recommend roasting fresh red bell peppers, but if time doesn’t allow, substitute a 14-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained, adding 1 teaspoon of sugar to ensure sweetness.

Ingredients

　　4 red bell peppers

　　1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　3/4 cup olive oil

　　Salt and pepper

　　Roast the bell peppers under the broiler, or bake them on a baking sheet in a 500-degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. Place the charred peppers in a paper bag, close the top, and let the peppers cool for 10 minutes. When the peppers are cool, rub off the charred skin and rinse under cold water. Stem and seed the peppers. In a food processor or blender, puree the peppers to a fine consistency. Add the vinegar and garlic and process on low speed, slowly drizzling in the oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.