Want a hint that will helpwith the skin on the peppers?
before you cut the pepper and remove the seeds and pith, char it briefly over the flame on your gas stove (or directly on the burner set to medium heat if you're one of those heathens that cooks with electric), rotating it until the skin on all sides has mostly but not completely blackened. Remove from heat and let cool, then, under cold running water, rub the charred skin. Most of it will come off, and the little bits that remain will impart a nice smoky flavor to the pepper. If it's done right, the flesh of the pepper will still be firm enough to hold it's shape, but will have cooked just enough to sweeten it up a little and offer a nice counterbalance to the smoky flavor of the few remaining bits of skin.