Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I've been meaning to create this recipe for a while.  Last week, I got some lovely poblanos at the farmers' market, but didn't get around to using them until today.  But let me tell you- it was worth the wait.

It's sort of like a cross  between stuffed peppers and a burrito.  Inside the poblano, you'll find brown rice, pinto beans, fire roasted tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cheese.  It's dishes like these that remind me that I could never be vegan- cheese is just too essential.

When I made the filling, I made extra so that I could use the rest to make frozen burritos.  With the recipe below, I stuffed 2 poblanos (4 halves) and make 5 burritos.  I'm thinking you could fill about 12 full poblanos with the full recipe.

Please try!  It's tasty, simple, vegetarian, customizable.. I could go on, but I'd rather you just make them and see for yourself. :)

Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers

should make 12 servings 

(make the full recipe and use extras for burritos- just wrap filling in a tortilla and freeze until you're ready to eat, then pop in the microwave for a about 4-5 minutes and you've got another meal!)

olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced/grated

1 cup dry brown rice, cooked to package directions

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained

2 tbs chili powder

1 tbs cumin

salt and pepper to taste

12 poblano peppers, halved and seeds removed

8-12 oz mexican style cheese, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium pan, saute onion, pepper and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes.   While onion mixture is cooking, combine cooked rice, beans, and tomatoes in a large bowl.  Add onion mixture and spices and stir to combine.  You can add as much cheese as you'd like at this point, or save it all for the topping.

3. Place halved poblanos in a large glass baking dish.  Fill each pepper with the rice mixture and cover each with the shredded cheese.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, making sure the top of the cheese doesn't burn.  Remove from the oven and serve immediately.