SPICY STUFFED BANANA PEPPERS

Spicy Stuffed Banana Peppers image

Banana peppers can be very tricky: Sometimes they are hot and sometimes they are not. If you want to be on the safe side, I recommend using Bianca peppers instead, which are a more sweet type of pepper. -Danielle Lee, Sewickley, Pennsylvania

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Dinner

Time 4h15m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

6 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons uncooked red or white quinoa, rinsed
1/2 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
16 mild banana peppers
2 cups reduced-sodium spicy V8 juice

Steps:

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat; fluff with a fork., In a large bowl, combine sausage, beef, tomato sauce, green onions, garlic, chili sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and cooked quinoa. Cut and discard tops from peppers; remove seeds. Fill peppers with meat mixture., Stand peppers upright in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Pour V8 juice over top. Cook, covered, on low until peppers are tender, 3-1/2-4-1/2 hours., Freeze option: Freeze cooled stuffed peppers and sauce in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 412 calories, Fat 22g fat (7g saturated fat), Cholesterol 74mg cholesterol, Sodium 965mg sodium, Carbohydrate 29g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 13g fiber), Protein 26g protein.