Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 large green bell peppers
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups steamed rice
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack pepper cheese

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 2 slice tops off peppers and save.
• 3 cut peppers in half lengthwise so they will lay flat.
• 4 remove seeds and veins.
• 5 steam tomato over boiling water 5-10 minutes or until the skin can be removed easily.
• 6 remove skin while still warm, then when cool enough to handle remove seeds and dice.
• 7 (or sub one 10 oz can steamed diced tomato) in a medium frying pan, cook garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until it starts to turn light brown.
• 8 add onions and continue to cook about 5 more minutes or until well wilted.
• 9 place everything except the cheese and the peppers themselves in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
• 10 in a greased baking dish, place 4 pepper halves open side up.
• 11 place beef mixture in each and shape until even with open end and top of pepper.
• 12 bake uncovered 35 minutes.
• 13 remove from oven and sprinkle cheese evenly over each pepper.
• 14 bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is all melted.