New Lebanon— Finally, the cooler weather has arrived and it’s time to fire up our baking ovens. Baked stuffed peppers is a go-to meal for my family. We eat this dish two to four times a month. It’s easy to make, healthy, and so versatile! Replace the fajita seasons with Italian seasonings, add tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese for Italian Stuffed Peppers, and so on. My family’s favorite version is this fajita version; we love the Mexican-inspired flavors.
Fajita Stuffed Peppers
3-5 bell peppers (any color, I prefer red)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion
2 fresh cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey (or beef or chicken, I prefer turkey)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock (or broth)
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt (I prefer pink)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup cooked Basmati rice
1 cup cooked black or forbidden rice
1-2 cups of cooked corn (fresh, frozen, or canned; I prefer fresh or canned)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat the oven to 400.
Slice 3-4 peppers in half, vertically. Gently remove membrane and seeds. Put aside.
Chop the one large onion and the remaining bell pepper.
Brown the chopped onion in the tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.
Add the chopped pepper and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the ground turkey and break it up while it cooks though.
Add the tomato paste, chicken stock, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan until heated through.
Remove from heat and mix in the rice and corn.
Use this mixture to generously stuff each pepper half.
Top each pepper with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes, and serve warm.
TIPS:
Top with a dollop of greek yogurt or sour cream.
Serve with a side salad for a lovely dinner.
Use yellow peppers for a mild taste.
