Crock Pot Stuffed Peppers

Usually when I suggest I have Stuffed Peppers for dinner, I get groans from the family.  I finally decided I was going to make them anyway.  There were gobbled up in no time.  This was a very tasty recipe that required little prep time. The peppers are stuffed with a ground beef, rice, cheese, Rotel mixture seasoned with onion, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. The peppers are cooked on low for about 6 hours in the crock pot.  About 15 minutes before serving they are topped with cheese.  Delicious.

The family really enjoyed this dish.  I see more Stuffed Peppers for dinner in our future.

CROCK POT STUFFED PEPPERS

From The Country Cook

Ingredients

6 bell peppers

1 lb lean ground beef (90/10)

1 cup cooked rice

1 (10 oz) can Rotel, or tomato sauce

1 cup pimiento cheese (or shredded cheese)

1 tsp dried minced onion

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

shredded cheese, for topping

Instructions

1. In a large bowl combine, ground beef (uncooked), cooked rice, Rotel, Price*s Pimiento Cheese Spread, seasonings and Worcestershire sauce.

2. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds.

Add 1/4 cup water into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Place peppers into the bottom of the slow cooker (in a single layer.)

3. Then begin stuffing them with the meat mixture. It may seem like all the meat won't fit into all the peppers but it will. Just keep packing down the meat mixture and spoon a little extra on the top.

4. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours (or high for 4 hours) until meat is completely cooked.

About 15 minutes before they are done cooking, add shredded cheese to the tops. Cover and let cheese melt.

Serves 6

Tex-Mex Chopped Salad

It was one of those perfect days when the sun was shining bright, but it wasn't  too hot.  There was just a very little breeze in the air.  Hard to believe we are still in winter.  Spring is around the corner though.   A salad would be perfect for lunch on a beautiful day like this.  I chose to make a bright and colorful salad - a Tex-Mex Chopped salad.

This salad has colorful ingredients that are tasty and good for you.  There are some slice green peppers, tomatoes, corn, avocados, pinto beans (the recipe called for black beans, but I substituted pinto beans), lettuce (again, I substituted lettuce for cilantro).  All of these salad fixings are tossed in a tangy lime vinaigrette dressing that is out-of-this world delicious.   I like tang to my  salad dressings.

What is great about this salad if you have picky eaters like I do, the  ingredients are separately placed on individual plates.  If a family member doesn't like say avocados, they do not need to put them in their salad.

I loved the flavors and texture of this salad.  Everything blended together nicely and the lime dressing added a wonderful tangy flavor.  I topped my salad with fresh ground pepper.

Tex-Mex Chopped Salad
From Better Homes & Gardens Magazine Adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (15-16 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (I used Pinto)
10 ounces frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
2 cups lightly packed cilantro, chopped or 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and chopped
1 green sweet pepper, chopped
6 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. In a screw-top jar combine lime juice, oil, sugar,  kosher salt, and crushed red pepper.  Shake well to combine.
2. Arrange black (pinto) beans, corn, cilantro (lettuce), tomatoes, avocado, sweet pepper, and green onion on plates.  Drizzle with dressing.

Makes 4 servings