Southwest-Stuffed Peppers (In A Crock Pot!)

Here we are again, readers - Thursday, also known as NOT YET FRIDAY. All this week has seemed to fly by but this morning it's come to a screeching halt and feels like I've been sitting at my desk for at least 9 hours when in actuality it's only been 3. How does that even work? Anyway, enough of my complaints, and let's instead talk about fun things!


Last night my work best friend and I snagged preseason Carolina Hurricanes tickets so we decided to have a night full of sexy hockey men and beer drinking (well, mainly I was the one drinking). However, due to the fact arena and stadium food can cost a small fortune, and I wasn't entirely sure of the availability of vegetarian-friendly options, I instead opted to eat at home.

So let's take it on back to Tuesday night, shall we? The Crock Pot is an ingenious gadget that can be used to prepare all sorts of things! Soups, casseroles, hot cider, queso dip, pulled meats! The best thing about them is you can prep everything ahead of time, turn it on in the morning and have dinner totally ready by the time you get home! Who doesn't love that sort of convenience? So Tuesday night after my dinner of Roasted Chickpea Gyros, I set to work on preparing the ingredients for my Southwest-Stuffed Peppers.


Southwest-Stuffed Peppers

4 large bell peppers, seeded and de-ribbed (find fat and sturdy peppers that can stand up)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can black beans, drained
1 can refried black beans
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp red chile powder (or paprika)
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 C yellow rice, cooked
1/4 C pickled jalapenos, drained or 1/4 C chopped green chile
1 C shredded cheddar cheese


The evening before you plan to eat your stuffed peppers, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat until soft. Add in your black beans and refried beans, season with salt, pepper, red chile powder (or paprika if you aren't a New Mexican) and cumin, and cook until heated through. Set aside.


Cook rice according to package instruction. Personally, I've always associated yellow rice with Southwest and Mexican cuisines because my father would always serve it when we ate Southwestern foods, but obviously any sort of cooked rice would do. Or even quinoa if you wanted to go that route.


After your peppers have been cleaned out, spoon about 1/4 C of the bean mixture into the bottom of the pepper, top with 1/4 C rice, a layer of jalapenos or chile, another 1/4 C bean mixture, and top with a few more jalapenos or chile. My 6 quart Crock Pot comfortably fit 4 bell peppers. Store your stuffed peppers in the fridge until ready to cook.


The peppers cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours. I went the 4-6 hour route. The final 20 minutes of your selected time frame, top each pepper with 1-4 C of shredded cheese and change the temperature to the "keep warm" setting and replace the lid. The steam will help melt the cheese - plus the crock pot will still be hot for the next few hours anyway.


The peppers themselves were the perfect texture of soft with a little crunch - al dente? Could that apply to peppers? Sure, why not. We'll go with the peppers were the perfect al dente. The filling was flavorful, spicy and reminded me of dinners I had as a kid. Plus who doesn't love the fact that dinner is ready by the time they get home? We're all busy and functioning adults here, aren't we? I know I loved the convenience of rushing home from the gym at 6:20 PM, quickly changing my clothes, devouring this pepper in less than 5 minutes and still making it to the game in time for puck drop!


Good luck making it through Friday, Jr., readers! Stay tuned for some exciting seafood recipes!