Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 2 – 4 large bell peppers (I like the colorful ones)
• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 can black beans or white beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 cup of corn
• 1–1½ cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, etc.)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1–2 tbsp olive oil
• Optional: ½ cup salsa or a little tomato sauce

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Prep the peppers:
   Cut the peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Place them cut-side up in a baking dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 10 minutes to soften them slightly.
3. Cook the meat:
   While the peppers bake, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef/turkey and cook until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess grease if needed.
4. Season:
   Add garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well.
   If you have salsa or tomato sauce, stir in about ½ cup—it keeps the filling nice and juicy.
5. Add beans and corn:
   Stir in the drained beans and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
6. Stuff:
   Spoon the meat-and-bean mixture into the softened peppers. Top generously with cheese.
7. Bake:
   Cover loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5–10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the peppers are tender.

Note: I like to serve this entree with rice. Any leftover mixture I have I eat it with tortilla chips and guacamole and it’s like having nachos. So yummy!