Plus, with all this colder weather finally happening in SoCal. I can start baking some comfort food dishes that I have been itching to make. I especially love this time of the year because bell peppers are inexpensive. Tis the season of bell peppers. I'm a little sad since I didn't plant much in my garden earlier this year, hence I am missing on the bounty of fresh garden bell peppers. However, I'll happily purchase a bunch at my local Farmers Market. Whenever I see red bell peppers for 79 cents a pound, I know that's a deal!
This easy to prepare meal took me less than 30 minutes to prep during Elena's nap time. The less time I can focus on dinner equals more time for me to relax is a winner in my book. Mel had originally made this meal meatless, but I wanted to add some healthy protein for an added kick. You can choose either way, and be completely satisfied with dinner. I paired the meal with warmed tortillas on the side to complete the meal.
Enjoy!
Adapted from I Was Born To Cook
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{Printable Recipe}
Ingredients:
4 large bell peppers
1 cup cooked rice
1 pound ground turkey
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves
1 onion, chopped finely
1 1/2 cups favorite salsa, plus more for garnishment
1 cup black beans
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
3 to 4 green onions, chopped
Salt & pepper
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bell peppers in half lengthwise, discard seeds and membranes.
Layer tomato sauce in a 9x13 casserole dish. Season tomato sauce with Mexican oregano and garlic powder.
In a large skillet, saute the onions until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Add ground turkey and taco seasoning. Cook until browned.
In a large bowl, combine about half of the cooked ground turkey (reserve the rest of the ground turkey for tacos or another dish), rice, black beans, and salsa. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Scoop mixture into each bell pepper half and place in casserole dish.
Bake covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, remove the foil and add the cheddar cheese and cook until cheese has completely melted.
Garnish with extra salsa on plates and chopped green onions.
Yield: 4 servings
Review: It's a very filling dish, Eric and I only ate one bell pepper. So depending on your appetite, this dish might serve more.
