WRECIPE WEDNESDAY… Mexi-Cali Stuffed Peppers

Time for a comfort-food fiesta! This installment of WRECIPE WEDNESDAY pairs a staple of American mom-cooking (stuffed peppers) with the exciting flavors of Mexico.

Make the meal an EVENT by spinning some Carlos Santana (dating myself again), or re-watching some classic Mexican-American themed movies for this one – La Bamba, Stand and Deliver, Fools Rush In, any of the Zorro movies (I LOVE the Antonio Banderas ones!) to watch pre/post/during dinner!

Print Recipe

MEXI-CALI STUFFED PEPPERS

Course

Hors d'oeuvres, Main Dish, Potluck Friendly, Supper

Cuisine

Comfort Food, Mexican

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

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

Course Hors d'oeuvres, Main Dish, Potluck Friendly, Supper Cuisine Comfort Food, Mexican Cook Time 45 minutes Servings Ingredients 3 lbs. lean ground beef you can use ground pork or ground chickent, if you prefer 1 chopped brown onion 1 chopped red bell pepper 18 cloves finely chopped garlic 2 chopped dark green jalapeños 1 bunch chopped cilantro save a stem or two for whole-leaf garnish 32 oz. frozen corn 4 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. cumin 12 oz. canned black olives small or medium (don't use jumbo) 3/4 lb. shredded jalapeño jack cheese 30 oz. canned tomato sauce 1 tbsp. EVOO 1/2 cups cornmeal 42 oz. canned enchilada sauce or make homemade! 18 large green bell peppers Sour cream for garnish

Instructions

FILLING

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

ASSEMBLY

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

COOKING & SERVING

1. BAKE covered at 350° for approx. 45 minutes.
2. 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!