Stuffed Poblano Peppers

When it comes to finding inspiration for dinner, I just open up Foodbuzz. It doesn't take long to find countless tempting recipes with amazing pictures all begging to be made and tasted. The hard part is deciding which ONE to make today!

When I ran across this recipe for Stuffed Poblano Peppers from A Couple Cooks, I knew it was meant to be. I love their blog, it's well written, easy to read, and great pictures! I have made several recipes inspired by them, we seem to like a lot of the same ingredients.

This recipe is easy to adjust to your preference. The way they made it is a wonderful vegetarian dish, but I had some ground pork that I didn't know what to do with, so I threw it in, a good idea! I also took note of Sonja's comment and decided to use goat cheese instead of the Mexican blend, another good idea!

Stuffed Poblano Peppers Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 poblano peppers
1 cup uncooked brown rice (or any cooked grain)
1 cup of cooked ground pork (optional)
1 cup salsa
1 15 oz. can of black beans
1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels
8 oz cheese (shredded blend, goat cheese, or ??)
3 green onions (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Chopped cilantro for serving (optional)
Cayenne to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper


Combine 1 cup uncooked rice with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer according to package instructions. (Or, prepare the rice or grain ahead of time.)
While the rice cooks, prepare the peppers: slice them in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Make sure to wear gloves!  
Place the peppers in a baking dish skin side up. Broil about 5-6 minutes, then flip the peppers and broil 5-7 minutes more.
Chop the 3 green onions (if using), and drain and rinse the black beans.
In a large microwave safe bowl, combine: beans, onions, salsa, corn, a bit of the cheese, cumin, chili powder, a couple dashes of cayenne, if you like it spicy!
Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the rice is finished, combine with the filling.

Note: Remember that quantities and ingredients are all to taste, so feel free to adjust as needed!

Heat the filling a few minutes in the microwave (or on the stove) until warm, depending on the heat of the rice.
Place the pepper halves skin side down in a baking dish, and spoon the filing into each half. Top with shredded cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream.

Alternative oven method: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Follow steps above to prepare the peppers and filling. Then bake until the peppers are tender and browned, around 25 to 30 minutes.