Southwest Stuffed Peppers

I found this easy recipe on Pinterest.com several weeks ago and finally had some peppers from my garden to use for it!  I modified the recipe to use some fresh tomatoes from my garden as well.  Here is the original recipe, but below is how I made it.  Easy and simple but yummy!

Southwest Stuffed Peppers Recipe

8 Servings, Prep: 25 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients

·         8 medium green peppers - I just used 4 and baked the remaining rice mixture in a dish without peppers

·         1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)

·         1/2 can green chilies, undrained

·         2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped

·         1-1/2 cups water

·         1 envelope (5.4 ounces) Mexican-style rice and pasta mix

·         2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions

• Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. In a large pot, boil peppers in water for 3-5 minutes. I also boiled the tops and then chopped them up to add to the rice mixture.  Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.
• In the same pot, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the diced tomatoes, green chilies, water and pasta mix. Also add cooked pepper tops if you would like.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  At this point, you might also want to add salt and pepper.  Because you are using fresh tomatoes instead of canned like the original recipe, there is less sodium and you might want to add a little.
• Fill each pepper about 2/3 full and sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted and peppers are tender. Yield: 8 servings.