Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
- Peppers
- 6 large orange bell peppers, with flat bottoms so they stand up
- Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 can black beans, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups cooked rice
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- ¼ cup water
Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cut a lid off the top of each pepper around the stem, like a pumpkin. Pull out the seeds and white ribs.
- With a small sharp knife, carve a face into one side of each pepper. Keep the eyes and mouth small so the filling doesn't spill out. An adult should do the carving; kids can draw the faces with a marker first.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef and onion and cook, breaking up the beef, until no pink remains and the beef reads 160°F (71°C).
- Spoon off the extra fat.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and salt until fragrant.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the black beans, rice, salsa and 1 cup of the cheese.
- Stand the peppers in a 9x13-inch baking dish and pour the water into the bottom of the dish.
- Pack the filling into the peppers, mounding it slightly on top.
Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
- Cover the dish with foil and bake until the peppers are tender when poked with a knife.
- Uncover, top with the remaining cheese and set the lids beside the peppers. Bake until the cheese melts.
- Put the lids back on and serve.
- Cook to 160°F inside (check with a thermometer).