The Life In My Years

MEXI-CALI STUFFED PEPPERS

CourseHors d’oeuvres, Main Dish, Potluck Friendly, Supper
CuisineComfort Food, Mexican

Servings

Cook Time

45minutes

Servings

Cook Time

45minutes

Ingredients

3lbs. lean ground beefyou can use ground pork or ground chickent, if you prefer
1 chopped brown onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
18cloves finely chopped garlic
2 chopped dark green jalapeños
1 bunch chopped cilantrosave a stem or two for whole-leaf garnish
32 oz. frozen corn
4 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. cumin
12 oz. canned black olivessmall or medium (don’t use jumbo)
3/4lb. shredded jalapeño jack cheese
30 oz. canned tomato sauce
1 tbsp. EVOO
1/2cups cornmeal
42 oz. canned enchilada sauceor make homemade!
18 large green bell peppers
Sour creamfor garnish

Instructions

FILLING

Sauté beef, chopped onion, garlic, red bell pepper, cilantro and jalapeños, with cumin, chili powder and salt & pepper (to taste), until beef is browned.
Add tomato sauce and corn, then continue to heat over low temp.
Add a ladle full of Enchilada Sauce.
Thicken with some cornmeal (+/- measurement listed above, depending on how loose the mixture is).
Add halved olives just before spooning into peppers.

ASSEMBLY

Cut tops off of bell peppers, remove seeds and rinse/drain.
Fill 1/2 way with mixture, then sprinkle some cheese, then top with mixture, then more cheese.
Spoon over Enchilada sauce, reserving plenty of extra sauce for serving later.

COOKING & SERVING

BAKE covered at 350° for approx. 45 minutes.
Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a few leaves of fresh cilantro.

Recipe Notes

This is also a GREAT dish for a potluck! Assume ½ of a stuffed pepper per serving, so this recipe will serve 36, or use mini-peppers for 6-dozen hors d’oeuvres!