Last night I had an impromptu night of cooking with my roommate & friend. We made, you guessed it, stuffed bell peppers. I have always been a fan of stuffed peppers. Something (err— everything) about them is just fantastic. I think it has something to do with the mix & match of meat, vegetables, and rice — all of these make a balanced meal in my mind. Not to mention, I love baking things. Is this weird? I would MUCH rather bake something than an other form of cooking. Its so simple and easy! Okay, I understand that may have just qualified me as a lazy cook but whatever, the food turns out great and allows my kitchen to remain mess-free. Perfectly good justifications if you ask me. I have used the recipe from Let’s Dish before and once again, it was a complete success. Bon Appetit!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
2 cups cooked rice
4-6 red (or green) bell peppers
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. Coat the pepper halves inside and out with about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place into a lightly greased baking dish. In a large saute pan over medium high heat, saute the onion and garlic in remaining olive oil until soft. Reduce heat to medium and add ground beef; cook until beef is no longer pink . Stir in taco seasoning. Add diced tomato and green chilies, corn, beans and sour cream. Stir and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice and cilantro.
Generously fill peppers with meat and rice mixture. Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until peppers are just tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Return to oven, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes more, until cheese is melted and peppers are tender. Garnish with additional cheese, cilantro, avocado or sour cream, if desired.
* My friend brought over a side salad which included goat cheese (my favorite!!), shaved almonds, apples and a few other goodies. It was delicious!
PS. Can you tell the difference in quality of photos? I used my dad’s camera that I talked about yesterday and I think the pictures are so much better. But I am a nerd and notice these things. Maybe I finally found a hobby? We’ll see!! Bare with me as I am still learning how to use it :) Enjoy your Wednesday!
xx, MEB
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