Southwestern Turkey Stuffed Peppers

One of all-time favorite summertime meals is stuffed peppers.  And, since I always love trying new recipes, I was so excited when I found this recipe for Southwestern Turkey Stuffed Peppers.  I modified the recipe slightly to fit my own tastes, but overall, I kept it pretty much the same.

I actually made this toward the end of last week when Brad was out of town for a bachelor party, and I ate it the entire time he was gone.  It's that good.  This recipe will easily serve 5-6 people.  You stuff the peppers pretty full, so one pepper halve is a full meal all on its own.  If you're just cooking for one or two, don't be afraid to still make the full recipe.  It makes great leftovers.  {Trust me on this one!}

Southwestern Turkey Stuffed Peppers

1/2 lb. dark, ground turkey meat
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 cups brown rice, cooked
3 green bell peppers, halved and seeds removed
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 {16 oz.} can of your favorite salsa
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Get your rice started cooking first.  Add 2 cups of water to a medium-sized sauce pan.  Bring the water to a boil, and add one cup of the rice.  Stir, return to a boil, and then turn down the heat to medium or medium low, and put the lid on top of the pot.  Watch over the rice making sure that it doesn't over cook.  {I don't have an exact time because I prefer to just keep an eye on my rice rather than time it.}  Once the rice is cooked, measure out 2 cups of rice and place it in a large mixing bowl.  Store the rest of the rice for later recipes.

Spray the bottom of a large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Add the peppers to the dish and cook for 25 minutes.

While the rice and peppers are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tbsp. olive oil, the diced onion, and the diced jalapeno.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until translucent.  Next, add the turkey.  Cook all the way through.  Mix together all of the spices in a small bowl, and add 1 tbsp. of the seasoning mix to the cooked turkey.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the beans, corn, and salsa.  Stir everything together, and pour the turkey mixture into the mixing bowl with the rice.  Mix everything together, and you're ready to stuff the peppers.

Remove the peppers from the oven and stuff them with the turkey/ vegetable mixture.  Place the peppers back in the oven, and cook for another 20 minutes.

Take the peppers back out of the oven about 5 minutes before they are fully cooked, and sprinkle the cheddar cheese generously on top.  Cook for another 5 minutes, and serve with your favorite toppings.  I added a little extra salsa on top and some sour cream, but you could also add crumbled tortilla chips, cilantro, avocado, or anything else that sounds delicious to you!