Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I needed a side to go with the Spicy Shrimp and Mushroom Casserole recipe and this went perfectly. I found it on the site a couple cooks, which looks worth digging through for more yummy recipes. Especially since in their "about" section they talk about how they made a decision to reduce their meat intake.

I basically followed the recipe as shown below, except that I had a hard time getting my peppers to keep their shape. My mother-in-law came up with the idea of placing the peppers flat on the bottom of the casserole dish and just covering them with as much filling as I could.

So here is the recipe:

Serves 4

What You Need
4 poblano peppers
1 cup uncooked brown rice (or 4 cups of any cooked grain)
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 15 oz. can of black beans
1 1/2 cups frozen or canned corn kernels
3 green onions (optional)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Cayenne to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Shredded cheese (we used a Mexican blend)
Chopped cilantro for serving (optional)

What To Do

1 Combine 1 cup uncooked rice with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then simmer according to package instructions. (Or, prepare the rice or grain ahead of time.)

2 While the rice cooks, prepare the peppers: slice them in half and remove the seeds and ribs. Make sure to wear gloves! I learned this the hard way (don’t ask).

3 Place the peppers in a baking dish skin side up. Broil about 7 minutes, then flip the peppers and broil 7 minutes more.

4 Chop the 3 green onions (if using), and drain and rinse the black beans.

5 In a large microwave safe bowl, combine: beans, onions, 1 1/2 cups salsa, 1 1/2 cups corn, a bit of the shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, a couple dashes of cayenne (if you like it spicy!). Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the rice is finished, combine with the filling.
Note: Remember that quantities and ingredients are all to taste, so feel free to adjust as needed!

6 Heat the filling a few minutes in the microwave (or on the stove) until warm, depending on the heat of the rice.

7 Place the pepper halves skin side down in a baking dish, and spoon the filing into each half. Top with shredded cheese and broil until the cheese is melted, for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

8 If desired, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream.