Preparation Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (191ºC).
• Cut the tops off of each bell pepper, leaving about 3 inches of the bottom for stuffing. Remove the membrane and seeds. Chop the top pieces into ¼" dice, about 1 cup. Set aside. Grease the sides and bottom of a cast-iron skillet or casserole baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the peppers inside and lightly season the insides with salt and pepper.
• Chop the onion into ¼" dice. Mince the garlic. Cut the serrano pepper in half, remove the seeds, membrane, and stem, then mince.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add diced onion, minced garlic, and minced serrano pepper. Saute until tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add in the ground beef, breaking it into smaller pieces. Cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and chili powder, and stir to combine.
• Add in 1 cup of diced bell peppers, stir and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, and green onion, and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add in ¾ cup cheese, stir to combine. Taste the filling and adjust seasoning as needed.
• Add about ¾ cup of the filling to each bell pepper.
• Bake until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of cheese on top of each one. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.
• Serve garnished with green onions and thinly sliced serrano peppers.