Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

40 Minutes

Servings

Ingredients

6-7

Large

bell peppers, halved (vertically, through the stem) with guts removed

pound

ground beef

1/2

pound

breakfast sausage

teaspoon

salt

small

onion chopped

cloves

garlic, minced

medium

zucchini, finely diced

1 1/4

cup

frozen or fresh corn kernels

can

black beans, drained and rinsed. 15.5oz

ounces

tomato sauce

1 1/2

teaspoons

cumin

1 1/2

teaspoons

chili powder

3/4

cup

Monterrey Jack or Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4

cup

chopped cilantro

Instructions

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large jelly-roll pan with foil. Spray outside of pepper halves with oil. Arrange peppers cut side down on prepared pan; bake on lower rack 10-15 minutes.
When the peppers finish cooking, they should be tender with a few random dark spots. Turn them right side up and arrange in 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Turn oven back to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, sauté ground beef and sausage in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Drain excess grease. Add onions and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes until soft. Add remaining ingredients except cheese and cilantro. Heat thoroughly. Zucchini will start to soften slightly when ready.
Spoon hot veggie mixture into cooked pepper halves. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cook in 350 degree oven until heated through and cheese is slightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Freezes well. If freezing to use later, don't add cheese. Allow frozen peppers to thaw. Cook from 20-30 minutes to reheat, adding cheese in last 10 minutes.