A Twist on a Classic: Chili-Stuffed Peppers

Chili is one of my favourite foods — it seems that one just can’t go wrong with it.

It can be made in five minutes (with some canned beans and an assortment of spices), or in ten hours (slow-cooked to perfection); it can be vegetarian, or chock full of meat; it can be eaten out of a glass bowl, a bread bowl, on tortilla chips, or on top of pasta. The opportunities truly are endless.

It’s the little black dress of the food world.

Here, I’ve combined it with rice, stuffed it inside of bell peppers, and topped it all off with cheese. It’s easy to make, fun to eat, and provides a great presentation for an otherwise simple dish.

Use the leftover chili (oh, there will be leftovers) for dinner tomorrow night: reheat, transfer to a large plate, and top with sour cream, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, and grated cheese — then just scoop it up with baked tortilla chips.

Chili-Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4 (plus leftovers)

Ingredients:
1 pound extra lean ground beef
½ yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1–2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 (796 ml) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (540 ml) can mixed beans, rinsed and drained
2–3 tablespoons chili powder, to taste
2 tablespoons vinegar
4 cups cooked brown rice
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange)
½ cup grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or Monterrey Jack)
2 green onions, sliced

Instructions:
1. In a large, wide pot, cook ground beef until brown and cooked through. Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapenos, and cook until bell peppers are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, beans, and chili powder, to taste. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook for 30 minutes, stirring often.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, reduce heat. Cut the top of the bell peppers off, and remove seeds. Cut off a small portion of the bottom to help the peppers stand up, if necessary. Place the peppers in the simmering water, cook for about 5 minutes, or until they become somewhat tender and remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining peppers. Transfer the peppers to a paper towel, top side down, and let drain for a few minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir the rice into the chili and season with salt and pepper; spoon the mixture into the peppers and top with grated cheese. Transfer the peppers to a medium baking dish, and then pour in enough water to reach ½ inch up the dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, cover with foil, and bake for another 10 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions, serve immediately.