Stuffed Peppers

Pinterest strikes again.  That site is dangerous I tell you.  My husband especially loves stuffed peppers.  I came across a recipe that used ground beef as well as sausage.  It sounded good.  And I made them with a few adaptations. The original recipe can be found here.

Sad story, the first time I started to make them, I discovered that the store had sold me some sausage that had expired last month!   The meat smelled “off” – as I started cooking it – my family appreciates that I quickly changed my menu for that day!!  The store were kind enough to give me my money back on that item, but made not apologies for selling it in the first place, nor did I feel that they cared if I ever bought another thing at their store, so I will not be buying my meat there again (EVER). Why is customer service so hard to find nowadays? I find plenty of customer dis-service.  Thanks for letting me rant!

Stuffed Peppers

Serves 6 adapted from http://www.dearcrissy.com

Ingredients:

• 1 package mild Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 6 large bell peppers (I like to use red or orange or yellow ones)
• olive oil, to drizzle over the peppers before cooking

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 375 F.

In a large skillet, brown the sausage, ground beef, 1 teaspoon of salt, and onion over medium high heat.  Add the garlic the last few minutes of cooking.  Drain off any excess fat. Turn off the heat.

Add the cooked rice, 1/2 cup cheddar, diced tomatoes, parsley, remaining salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.

Wash the peppers and split them lengthwise.  Remove the stem, seed and white ribs from the peppers.  Place the peppers in a casserole.  Fill the peppers with the meat filling until full.  Sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese.  Drizzle the peppers with a little olive oil.  Cover the casserole with foil.  Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 375 F.  Remove the foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and browned.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

This would also be great with heated up Queso if you wish.

Printable Recipe

 

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Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers are a hit around our home, but what really makes them a star is the cheese sauce that I make to go with it.  It really goes well with the flavor of the meat and peppers.  I paired it with fresh corn on the cob and garlic seasoned brown Basmati rice.  I have to say the peppers almost did not make it to the photo – we were hungry and devoured them like they were the last food on earth.

I usually buy pre-stuffed peppers (I like the ones they sell at the meat counter at Henry’s) They are turkey meatloaf stuffed peppers – any meatloaf mix will do though.  The cheese sauce is easy to prepare in the microwave with things I usually have in my pantry or fridge.

Stuffed Peppers with Spicy Cheese Sauce

Serves 5-6

• 5-6 meatloaf filled green bell peppers

For the Cheese Sauce:

• 1 (14 oz) can Rotel diced tomatoes and chilies (Mild)
• 8 slices American cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Cook the peppers in a baking dish (I add some water to the bottom to keep them moist) and cover them with foil.  Bake for one hour.  Remove the foil and continue cooking for another 15-30 minutes or until the meat is to temperature with a meat thermometer. (Mine were at 165 for the turkey meatloaf mix). Note:  When you serve the peppers, use tongs and tip them halfway to let the moisture drain into the baking dish before putting on the plate, or you may have a puddle of water on the plate.
2. For the cheese sauce: Combine half a can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies with 8 slices of American cheese slices.  Microwave for a minute and stir.  Continue microwaving it until it is a smooth sauce.  Serve with the peppers.  This cheese sauce is delicious.  The leftover sauce could be used for tortilla chips later.  It makes plenty of cheese sauce.