Culinary Guides

Whole bell peppers stuffed with Mexican style ground beef, rice, black beans, corn, and cheese, then left to cook low and slow. It is a hands off dinner that fills the kitchen with a good smell all afternoon.

Ingredients

• 10 colorful bell peppers
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup shredded queso blanco or Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

For topping

• Chopped cilantro
• Diced avocado
• Mexican crema or sour cream
• Your favorite hot sauce

Directions

1. Slice the tops off the bell peppers and core out the seeds and membranes. Stand them in a crockpot; use two if they are large.
2. Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat and cook the onion and jalapeno about 5 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic and cook another minute, then add the ground beef and cook about 5 minutes until browned. It does not need to be fully done, since it finishes in the crockpot. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly.
4. Stir in the cooked rice, black beans, crushed tomatoes, corn, cheese, taco seasoning, salt, and pepper until well combined.
5. Pack the filling tightly into each pepper, then pour about half an inch of water into the bottom of the crockpot to steam them.
6. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours, until the peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
7. Serve hot, topped with cilantro, diced avocado, a drizzle of crema, and hot sauce.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat well in the microwave or oven. Ground turkey or chicken works in place of the beef.

Grower's tip: for stuffing you want big, boxy peppers that stand on their own, so grow a blocky bell variety and let the fruit size up fully before picking. A flat bottom keeps them upright in the crockpot.

This is a garden dinner in disguise. Grow your own bell peppers, an onion patch, a row of sweet corn, and a pot of cilantro for the top.