Good Old Fashioned Stuffed Bell Peppers
Number three son recently asked for this recipe. When I emailed it to him I began to crave it … even the green bell peppers that I avoided as a kid. (But, make this recipe in my opinion.) Not all my children were into the green bell peppers … So, I always made a little extra stuffing to serve ‘unstuffed.’ Certainly the green bells can be traded out with the less strong tasting more mature red, orange or yellow. I suppose you could make it without bell peppers at all. Ha! Quick and yummy! Give it a try!
Maybe you’d rather try a more contemporary recipe, here
Orzo Stuffed Peppers
Recipe
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4-6 Green bell peppers or if you like, a combination of colors–after removing top and membrane cook in boiling water about 5 minutes. This step can be eliminated if you like the bell pepper more crisp. Salt inside of the bell peppers and set aside. You can keep tops with stems that have been sliced off. The new thing is to place the stemmed tops on the filled bells just before baking to give a more artsy look but not necessary.
1 T olive oil or cooking oil
1 medium onion
1 to 1 1/4 pound ground beef
28-30 ounce can of petite cut tomatoes
1/2 cup long grain white rice
Up to 1 cup of water
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Drops to taste tabasco-optional
Salt and pepper
1 generous cup shredded cheddar cheese and more for sprinkling on filled bells
Sauté onion in the oil over medium heat in a large skillet until translucent. Add diced bell pepper acquired when you cut off tops. (If you are not using tops later.) No stems here please. Cook all another minute or two.
Add ground beef (salt and pepper) and slightly brown beef without overly drying it out. Drain off excess fat.
Add tomatoes, rice and start with 1/2 cup water. Cover and simmer until rice is tender (about 20-30 minutes). Check half way at about 10 minutes to see if you need to add more water to the mix so the rice can cook and the mixture can avoid becoming excessively dry.
Add the cup of cheese after the rice has cooked and allow to melt into mixture.
Taste for need of more salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place the salted bells into a baking dish you have oiled. If making just four cups you might use a 9 inch square baking dish. The excess stuffing mixture can be placed around the filled bells. Fill the cups generously. Use the sliced off tops or not. If your mixture is fairly dry cover the dish before baking 20-25 minutes. If not dry bake without covering. When removed from oven sprinkle the open bell peppers with cheese. If using the tops with stems sprinkle under the tops and replace tops.
Hope this is what you remember!
Love,
mom