Taco Stuffed Peppers

I needed a freezer-friendly recipe for a friend who'd just had a baby, and amazingly, I didn't have a single dish that fit that bill for the hot summertime. Everything I freeze is what I consider a winter dish - soups, chilis, etc. After a little digging, I finally settled on stuffed peppers, but I knew I didn't want to make the standard tomato soup version. I lumped together ideas from several different recipes and came up with this version. The picture only shows four peppers - I could have easily filled six. I had a little leftover filling, and it was wonderful on baked potatoes.

Taco Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers, any color
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c. cooked rice
3/4 c. salsa or picante sauce
1/2 packet taco seasoning
1/2 c. shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 350. In a large skillet, brown beef and onion. Meanwhile, cut tops off peppers and scoop out seeds and membranes. Rinse thoroughly and drop in boiling water for no longer than two minutes. Remove with tongs and set upside-down to drain.

Once beef is cooked, drain excess fat. Stir in rice, salsa, taco seasoning, and cheese. Spoon into peppers. (If desired, top with extra cheese.). Place peppers in a cake pan lined with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. If tops are becoming too brown, lightly cover with foil.

Once cooled, these can be frozen. Wrap individually in foil or freezer paper. To reheat, microwave on high for 5 minutes, or bake 30 minutes at 425.

Serves 6.