MEXICAN STUFFED PEPPERS WITH RANCHERO SAUCE

Mexican Stuffed Peppers With Ranchero Sauce image

There are a few steps to this stuffed peppers recipe, but don't let them scare you off. These stuffed peppers are fantastic. The filling for the bell pepper is worth making this recipe alone. It's meaty and full of chunks of onion and bell pepper that add tons of flavor. You will have a bit of filling left over but don't worry,...

Provided by Michelle Crawford

Categories Beef

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

2 lb ground beef
6 large bell peppers
1 large onion chopped
2 pkg taco seasoning
2 small cans tomato sauce, 8 oz each
3 c cooked white rice, can cook it in chicken broth (1 1/2 cups uncooked rice if cooking in broth, optional)
2 can(s) water using the tomato sauce cans
6 slice American cheese (optional)
RANCHERO SAUCE
1/4 c margarine
1/2 small onion chopped
1/4 c flour
3 c Knorr's chicken bouillon broth (use the builoon with 3 cups of water prepared per package directions)
1 can(s) mild Rotel tomatoes or Rotel with cilantro and lime or the fire roasted
salt and pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Cut tops off bell peppers and de-seed. Save tops.
2. Place the peppers in a large pot of hot water and allow them to cook a bit on medium-low heat until tender while everything cooks, about 10 minutes. Not soggy, you still want them to stand.
3. Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper pieces to a 4 or 5-quart Dutch oven.
4. Brown and drain grease. Preheat the oven to 350.
5. Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and 2 tomato sauce cans of water to the meat. If too dry, add a little bit of extra water. The goal is the consistency of a Mexican jambalaya. If desired, you can add a bit of chili powder and cumin. Let simmer for the flavors to meld together.
6. Add the cooked rice after simmering. Turn to the lowest setting or turn off the stove.
7. Next prepare the ranchero sauce. In a large skillet, add butter and melt. Saute the 1/2 chopped onion in butter.
8. Then sprinkle in the flour in (you may not need all of it). Stir like making a gravy.
9. Add the can of Rotel tomatoes and keep stirring.
10. A little at a time, add the 3 cups of chicken broth until all blended and until it starts to thicken. You may not need all the broth.
11. Place the peppers in a 9X13 baking dish. Then fill them with the meat and rice mixture, almost overfilling them (you may have some mixture leftover).
12. Next, pour some of the ranchero sauce over each pepper.
13. As an option, add a slice of American cheese over each pepper.
14. Pour the remaining ranchero sauce in the baking dish to flood the pan.
15. Bake for about 30 minutes.