Mexican Beef-Stuffed Peppers (slow cooker)

Ingredients
4 medium green or sweet red peppers
1 pound ground beef
1 package (8.8 ounces) ready-to-serve Spanish rice**
2 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1-1/2 cups salsa
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (omitted)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro (omitted)
Directions
1. Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds; set aside. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
2. Stir in the rice, 1-1/2 cups cheese, salsa and pepper sauce. Spoon into peppers. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Pour water around peppers.
3. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until peppers are tender and filling is heated through. Top with remaining cheese; sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings. (could have made 6 stuffed peppers)

*added 1/2 a diced onion - sautéed until soft, mixed in with the other ingredients

**Oven directions:
 - Place peppers open side down in baking dish, add 1/2 in. of water, cover, bake at 400° for 20 minutes
 - Reduce oven temperature to 350.
 - Remove from oven, turn peppers upright and fill with beef filling.
 - Cover with foil and continue to bake 20 minutes.
 - Remove from oven, sprinkle with cheese, return to oven and bake uncovered until peppers have reached desired tenderness, about 10 - 20 minutes longer. 

** I used this box mix for the Spanish Rice, my store didn't have ready-to-serve

From: Taste of Home