A New Classic

I finally ventured to try something many people would consider a classic comfort dish. Boy, am I sorry I waited so long! Let's see... green pepper, ground turkey, cheese, and tomato sauce. That is certainly a list of ingredients that is right up my alley. These stuffed peppers were delicious and very well-cooked. I've seen stuffed peppers on the list of various menus before, but was always hesitant to order because I was concerned that the peppers would be mushy. I am always, always a crunchy vegetable girl!

I added a little mexican flavor in these, which I think went over well. I could also up the cheese content, but since I'm slightly cheese-obsessed that's not so abnormal. It's possible that I made these slightly too spicy, but for some reason I've been on a huge spice kick. I've lowered the amount of cayenne pepper in the recipe below to account for this.

I would very much recommend making a veggie version of these as well. Using "crumbles" or TVP, I think, would also make a delicious meal. The original recipe called for four peppers, but I made this for two instead. We did end up with some extra filling, but one peppers plus the extra filling was perfect for hubs, while one pepper was plenty for me. Don't wait as long as I did to make this!

Stuffed Bell Peppers
adapted from Food by way of Joelen's Culinary Adventures

2 large green bell peppers
1/2 c. rice, cooked according to directions on packaging
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb. ground turkey
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c. + 2 handfuls of shredded cheese (I used colby jack)
2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
kosher salt (to taste)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the top with the stem off of the peppers and remove the seeds and innards. Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt and the bell peppers. Cook until the peppers are just beginning to soften, about 3 - 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the peppers from the water. Run cool water over the peppers to blanche and stop the cooking process. Drain on a plate with a paper towel. You may need to turn the peppers upside down to remove excess water from the inside. Place the peppers cut side up in a baking dish. I used a bread pan and this held them perfectly.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Next add the garlic and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes. Add the ground turkey and break up while browning the meat. Once the meat is browned remove from heat. Add in the chili powder and cayenne pepper, along with a little more kosher salt to taste. Add the rice, tomatoes, and 1 cup of cheese. Mix to combine well.

Fill the peppers with the meat mixture. Top with another handful of cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the filling is heated through, about 15 minutes.

Eat however you can figure it out! It will be delicious no matter what!