Stuffed Bell Peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

4 bell peppers

2 lbs ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

2 cups cooked rice

1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tops off bell peppers reserving them for later use, clean out the seeds and par boil the pepper bottoms for about three minutes, or when color has just started to change. Remove peppers from hot water, drain well and place in baking dish. Mix half of the ground beef with salt and pepper and some of the chopped onion, garlic & chopped bell pepper tops, form into meatballs and stuff the bell peppers. Bake 20-25 minutes or until meatballs are done.  Brown the other half of the ground beef in a skillet with the rest of the chopped onions, garlic, bell pepper and salt and pepper to taste. Drain fat. Combine ground beef mixture with cooked rice and sauce, stir well. Remove stuffed bell peppers from the oven and spoon the ground beef and rice mixture around the stuffed peppers, sprinkle with shredded cheese and return to oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese has melted.  

Variation

Par boil bell peppers a minute or two longer until color has changed to dark green, brown all of the ground beef instead of making meatballs then combine all ingredients and stuff the bell peppers with the rice mixture. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese has melted and dish is heated through. 

Donna White Johnson