I am also trying to be more open-minded about crock pots. People love the dang things. Crock-pots cook things to death and then I don't like it. So, I have been trying to figure this out. My decision is most things are cooked too long in the crock-pot.
All this being said, I have come up with a super-easy, fairly healthy, inexpensive recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers. It is so easy that the kids can do most of it with an adult kitchen helper.
One large can white meat chicken, drained and shredded
One cup of salsa
4 oz. Pepper Jack cheese
One bag Old El Paso Mexican Rice, prepared according to package directions
One can of Black Beans, rinsed and drained
Five bell peppers, tops removed, seeds and membranes removed
Spray a 6 quart crock pot with non stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, add the rinsed beans, cheese, salsa, chicken and rice and stir together. The mix will seem a little dry. Don't worry about it. It will not be dry after it cooks. Now fill your peppers. I use my very clean hands and scoop the mixture in, pressing it in firmly. You can place the tops back on your peppers or leave them off. Either way works great. At this point you are ready to cook your peppers. They will need to cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remember all your ingredients are pre-cooked, so you are just melding the flavors and steaming your peppers to the desired softness. Some of you will want your peppers super soft and smashy, you leave them in for the full six hours. They were plenty soft for me after four hours.
Most important, enjoy them with your family and friends. Let the kids bask in the glory of having "made it myself" and you don't have to stress alone in the kitchen, go eat together on the patio. Enjoy!
Wait, isn't "preparing" the rice the same as cooking the rice so you can cook the bell peppers?
ReplyDeleteNo, this rice was "nuked" for one minute in the bag it came in. That I can dismiss. Getting out another stock pot and steaming the peppers is a pain for some reason though. One of my many oddities!
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