This recipe was inspired by one of the first dishes my lovely wife used to make for me while we were dating. She found the recipe for Southwest Pumpkin Burgers in a copy of an EatingWell magazine and it quickly became one of her favorite solo dinners and then when I started spending the weekends with her, she made it for me. I really have to give her credit for almost all of my kitchen inspiration and she definitely deserves kudos for introducing me to the wonderful world of vegetarian cooking. We’ve made the Pumpkin Burgers numerous times over the years, but since I had a couple of bells hanging out in the fridge in desperate need of use I decided to do stuff peppers instead. This was a delicious, quick meatless meal that I’m pretty sure I’ll be making again.

Here’s the link to EatingWell’s recipe:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/252604/southwestern-pumpkin-burgers/

Southwest Pumpkin Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients: 

1 Red Bell Pepper, cut in half, seeds and membranes removed

1 Orange Bell Pepper, cut in half, seeds and membranes removed

1/2 can organic Pumpkin Puree

1 tsp TexJoy Chili powder

1 tsp Cumin powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/4 tsp Red Pepper flakes, optional

1/4 cup TJs Fire Roasted Frozen Corn, defrosted

1/4 cup Sweet Onion, chopped

1/4 cup shredded Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, divided

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil the inside of a casserole or roasting dish, preferably with a lid. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree with the seasonings and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Stir in next the corn and chopped onion. Set aside.

Place the bell pepper halves on the roasting pan and sprinkle each one with a small amount of the shredded cheddar then generously stuff the peppers with the pumpkin mixture. Layer the remaining cheddar over top of each pepper. Cover the roasting pan with its lid or a sheet of aluminum foil. Add the covered roasting pan to the oven and roast the peppers 30 – 45 minutes until the peppers are tender and the cheese has melted. Remove the lid and continue to cook the peppers until the cheese is golden and bubbling, about 10 – 15 minutes more.

Allow the peppers to cool about 5 minutes then serve with a dollop of sour cream and salsa, if desired.