Bea's Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Bea over at Trapped Under Something Heavy has been trying to eat healthier, and this is a recipe she came up with the idea for, based on her rice and beans dish. We kicked variations back and forth and this is what we came up with. It's really easy to make ahead of time, refrigerate, and pop in the oven 30-45 minutes before serving. You could serve a salad with it, though it has all the food groups represented in it, as is. I'm just saying...

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Start with:

1 onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, diced

2-3 jalapenos, de-seeded and chopped

Saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeno in a large sauce pan with some olive oil and a bit of butter, until looking a little transparent.

Then add:

1 cup of rice (we like basmati or jasmine, but whatever floats your boat)

chili powder, to taste (we like about 2-3 teaspoons, maybe more - I go by smell)

While the rice, spice, and oniony-type stuff is sauteeing, open up a can of petite diced tomatoes and drain the liquid into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 2 cups. Save the diced tomatoes.

When the rice, et al is looking a bit toasty and smelling a bit nutty, add the tomato-water, and the diced tomatoes. Stir and cover. Let come to a boil, then turn down to low heat for 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, grate about 1-2 cups of cheddar cheese (this is a preference thing, so add as much or as little as you like. I used Cabot Black Wax cheddar, because it's white and creamy, so it's presence wouldn't be as easily detected by my cheese-hating son - Muhahaha!)

Open a can of black beans; drain and rinse them.

If you're like me, and need a little meat in the mix, chop up a breast or two of chicken. I had some left over from another meal, where I had sauteed the chicken in olive oil with garlic and a bit of pepper.

Wash 6-8 medium peppers (maybe 4-6, if they're large) and cut off the tops. clean out the guts and set aside.

By this time the rice ought to be done, so take it off the heat and stir it. Add in the black beans, the cheese, and the chopped up chicken. mix well.

Fill each pepper and mound up slightly. These can be placed in a casserole dish and refrigerated for up to a couple of days in advance. When you're ready to bake, place them in an open casserole dish, with more grated cheddar on top. Drizzle a bit of olive oil around the peppers to help them roast and expand their flavor. Bake at the magic number (350 degrees) for about 30-45 minutes, depending on how done you like your peppers. Top with sour cream (we used the Breakstone's light) and serve.

They should look like this: Bon Appetit Ya'll!