Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Orange bell peppers carved into jack-o'-lantern faces and stuffed with a hearty beef-and-rice filling.
Ingredients
- 6 orange bell peppers any color works
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 1 cup cooked rice white or brown
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder plus salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Choose a baking dish just large enough for the peppers to stand upright and lean on each other.
- Slice the top off each pepper about 1/2 inch below the stem and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Using a small paring knife, carve a jack-o'-lantern face into the rounded side of each pepper.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes, then drain any excess fat. Stir in the rice, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until heated through.
- Spoon the filling into each pepper, packing it in gently, and top with the shredded cheddar.
- Bake, covered loosely with foil, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes, until the peppers are fork-tender and the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Refrigerate leftovers airtight up to 3 days. Freeze baked, cooled peppers airtight up to 3 months; thaw overnight and reheat covered at 350°F for about 20 minutes.