Chiles Rellenos

Ok, I'll admit it. I am a wuss. I have very little tolerance for spicy food. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that for a long time I avoided a dish whose main ingredient is a giant chili pepper. To me, chiles rellenos just looked like the stuff of my worst heartburn nightmares. So, I stayed as far away from them as I could. Until recently. I am now proud to say that I've tried chiles rellenos, and I love them. Last Christmas, at my aunt's house, I was offered some. It would have been rude of me not to try one. plus, they did look kind of delicious. All full of meat and ooey gooey cheese. So I mustered up my courage and ate one. Then another. And then another. They were soooo yummy! And really not that spicy. I liked them so much, I decided to try my hand at making them myself. Unlike some recipes which consist of a chili covered in bread crumbs and then fried, this one is much lighter and easier to make. I use Poblano peppers because of their low heat index and delicious smoky flavor. Technically, the peppers could be stuffed with anything. I've tried them stuffed with ham and even vegetables. I've used steak in this recipe, but ground beef would work as well. They would go great with Mexican rice and sliced avocados. For me, this was definitely a case of "never judge a book by it's cover", that's why I'm really glad I turned the page and started eating!

Chiles Rellenos

• 4 large Poblano Peppers
• 1 lb Sirloin Steak, or any other cut, in tiny cubes
• 1 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups Frozen Corn Kernels
• Tsp. Cumin
• Pinch Chili Powder
• Shredded Cheese Blend (Monterrey Jack, Colby, Cheddar)

Turn broiler on. place peppers on a cookie sheet covered with foil. Roast until peppers begin to get scorch marks in some places, turning over for an even roast. Remove from oven and let cool.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Add onion and cook for about a minute. Add meat as well as salt/pepper to taste, cumin, and chili powder. Cook until meat is browned. Add corn and stir. cook until corn is soft.

Using a knife, make a slit all the way down the pepper. careful not to cut it in half. Remove insides with a spoon. If you want some heat, leave some seeds behind. If not, remove all. Spoon filling into the pepper. Cover with cheese. Repeat until all peppers are stuffed.

Place peppers in broiler until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!