Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Partly because I'm a contrarian, but mostly because a friend is having a party there tonight, I'll be drinking beer at a German restaurant.  If you want to get into the Mexican spirit though, maybe give these stuffed peppers a whirl.  I made them for dinner last night and they were delicious.

Stuffed Peppers

1 lb ground beef, turkey, or pork (or any combination of them)
3 bell peppers, halved, seeds removed
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil, separated
1/2 can corn, drained
1/2 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheese (I use the Mexican blend)


Place the halved peppers in a baking dish, drizzle with one of the tablespoons of olive oil, and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

In a large pan, saute the onion and garlic in remaining olive oil.  I like the low and slow method of a low heat for a longer amount of time, but cook until the onion is translucent.  Add the meat, cooking until it is browned through.  Add corn, black beans, and taco seasoning.  Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.

Spoon the mixture into each pepper half, heaping it over the tops.  Sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 325 degrees for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

I had some tomatillo salsa on hand, so I added that to the tops of the peppers before covering them with cheese.  It added some definite kick.  You could also add diced green chilies into the mixture for some heat.