I am loving this hot weather and nothing says summer like stuffed peppers. Last week we enjoyed a trip to Amish country. We picked up the most 
beautiful green peppers. They were huge and crisp. The Butcher had brought home about 5 pounds of extra lean ground beef. Before I even thought about it I had browned the meat and seasoned it with Taco seasoning. After the fact I wished I had kept back some of the extra lean ground beef for stuffed peppers. What to do? It didn’t take me long to think up “Mexican” stuffed peppers. I hope you like this traditional dish with a Mexican flair.
Stuffed Peppers–Mexican Style
3 to 4 big green peppers (or 7 to 8 medium hot yellow peppers)
2 pounds of extra lean ground beef
5 Tablespoons of Taco seasoning spice
2 cups of shredded Mexican Cheese
28 oz. can of pureed tomatoes
Brown the ground beef and season with the Taco seasoning. Set aside. Cut the tops off of the peppers and clean out the seeds. I cut the bottom off of the top of the green pepper and use it to “seal” up the peppers while they are cooking. Put 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese with the ground meat and mix together. Fill the peppers with the meat and cheese mixture. Put the pepper tops on top of the stuffed peppers. Put the stuffed peppers in a covered casserole dish. Cover the peppers with the Tomato Puree. Bake in an oven heated to 350 degrees for 2 hours. The flavors will be nicely blended together. Remove the casserole from the oven and remove the lid. Add the remaining shredded Mexican Cheese on top of the Tomato Puree and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
I made smashed redskin potatoes to accompany this meal. I am still a southern girl and I like stuffed peppers over mashed potatoes. Serve with fresh cantaloupe and you have a real “southern” meal–south of the border, that is!
Enjoy! Now get out and do something fun with the last days of summer. Until next time…From our Butcher Block to your Table.
