[carlo3b]

Here you are.. Just what you expected I'm sure.. :)

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

• 6 green bell peppers
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or chuck
• 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice
• shredded mild Cheddar cheese, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, optional


1) Cut tops off peppers; remove seeds and membranes. Chop edible part of tops and set aside. Rinse peppers under cold water.
2) Place peppers in a large pot; cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain peppers and set aside.
3) Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Sauté chopped green pepper (from tops), chopped onion, and chopped celery for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4) Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
5) In a large mixing bowl, combine egg with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to blend; add ground beef, cooked rice, and 1 cup of the tomato mixture. Mix well.
6) Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place in a 3-quart baking dish. Pour remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers.
7) Bake at 350° for 55 to 65 minutes. If desired, top stuffed peppers with a little shredded Cheddar cheese just before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.
Serves 6.

[jellybean]

TRADITIONAL ITALIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

I LOVE!!! stuffed peppers, but I've never made them. Do you brown the ground beef before stuffing the peppers or does it cook while in the oven? Can I use brown or wild rice instead of long grain white?

[jellybean]

I found this recipe in a restaurant magazine. I think this would be awesome with Thanksgiving dinner.

Apple Brown Rice

1 quart apple cider
3/4 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups uncooked brown rice
3 cups frozen sliced apples, thawed, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
2/3 cup apple cider

Preheat oven 350 degrees F
Combine first 6 ingredients - Bring to boil.
Add rice, return to boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer.
Cook 25 minutes or until rice is tender.
Combine apples, butter, shredded cheese, half the bread crumbs and apple cider. Add to cooked rice and blend.
Spread evenly in greased 13 x 18 x 1 pan.
Sprinkle with remaining bread crumbs.
Bake 10 minutes or until bread crumbs are light golden brown.

[MozartLover]

"TRADITIONAL ITALIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS"

Woo-hoo!!! That's a keeper!!!