This is the first year, possibly in my adult life and certainly since starting the company, that I have had the opportunity to sit back a couple of days before the 4th of July and actually plan/enjoy the holiday. Usually I am working right up until the last minute, and I don't even realize that there is a holiday until that day and no one is answering their phones.
This year is different, and this year I am looking forward to grilling, relaxing and taking some time to imagine what the first 4th of July celebration in 1776 must have been like. And yes, I do imagine it being like a bald eagle glaring defiantly at the British, no offense to all my British friends.
But as to the first part of that, grilling, I have included a little recipe that ironically is a combination of some stuffed peppers I did a week or so back and another recipe that someone sent me. Theirs is a little healthier, mine a little more delicious. Ultimately you can determine your own way of putting this recipe together, and I will write optional next to some of the things that I added to make mine less healthy.
- 1lbs ground beef
- 2 cups of rice (cooked)
- 1 onion
- 1 can shoepeg corn
- 1 jar Grumpy Man salsa (Mild, Medium or Hot depending on taste)
- 5 bell peppers
- cream cheese (optional, but I do like to throw in the whole 8oz pack)
- cheddar cheese
- 1 can black beans (optional) (will make it go farther and probably add a couple of bell peppers)
- Cook your rice
- Season and cook your ground beef as desired (get creative)
- Chop your onion (I like to sauté mine, but you can do it raw)
- Slice your bell peppers in half lengthwise
- Add into a bowl 2 cups cooked rice, 1lbs ground beef (cooked), onion, shoepeg corn and salsa. Mix it all together.
- Black beans are optional but will make it go farther if you have more people
- This is when you add the cream cheese as well (take it out of the fridge before hand). I like this because it adds a little bit of a jalapeño popper feel, plus its cream cheese and delicious.
- Stuff peppers and place them on a nice hot grill for 20-30 minutes depending on how you like your peppers done. I will usually use indirect heat so I don't char the peppers too much.
- Sprinkle with cheddar cheese at the end so it melts and then serve up deliciousness.
I didn't say anything about seasoning in here because, really, that is a taste preference. Salt and pepper is fine or you can season your meat with taco seasoning. Either way, it's going to be delicious.
Happy 4th of July everyone, and stay grumpy.
Image by DWilliams from Pixabay, Image by laurenar from Pixabay, Image by Gerd, Altmann from Pixabay, Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay, Image by Kathy Büscher from Pixabay