Beef-And-Barley-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Submitted by ClareVH

"I found this recipe on the Yahoo Health website. Originally from Better Homes and Gardens, with slight changes in ingredients and methods. "Stoplight" peppers (a package of 1 each red, green and yellow pepper) make a pretty presentation. You can use pre-shredded 3-cheese blend (Monterey Jack, cheddar and Mozarella) instead of the Monterey Jack."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 large bell peppers, any color, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1⁄3 cup sliced green onion, including green part
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cooked pearl barley
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1⁄2 cup shredded carrot
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Pour the chicken broth into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, green onions and garlic until beef is browned; drain fat if desired.
4. Stir in barley, salsa, carrot and cumin; Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well; add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and combine with other ingredients.
5. Fill the pepper halves with the beef/barley mixture and place in the prepared baking dish.
6. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for one hour; Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the peppers and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
7. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream as topping.
8. *Note: you can pre-boil the pepper halves for 3 to 5 minutes in salted water and reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes in a 350F oven.