Stuffed Peppers

An easy-to-make family favorite, these also freeze well! (Prepare filling & stuff peppers, then freeze. Bake when needed.)


Stuffed Peppers
Makes 4-6 servings.

1 lb. ground beef
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 c. uncooked white rice + 2 c. water [1]
1-2 c. tomato sauce [2]
2-3 large bell peppers
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
French's onions (optional)

In large skillet, saute garlic and onion until tender. Add ground beef and cook thoroughly, draining grease as needed.

In separate pan, cook rice.

When beef is cooked, add tomato sauce, simmer 5 minutes. Add rice and heat through.[1]

Slice peppers in half. Remove seeds and ribs, rinse. Stuff beef/rice mixture into each half, then place in baking dish. Spoon remaining beef/rice mixture around peppers in baking dish. (Optional: top with ingredients like shredded cheddar cheese or French's onions.)

Bake at 350F for 45-60min. [2][3] The longer these bake, the more pepper flavor will infuse into the stuffing because the pepper will begin to break down and become soft and pliable.[3]

Notes:
[1] In the past I've used 1-2 bags of cooked boil-in-bag rice instead.
[2] I used Ragu spaghetti sauce.
[3] My stomach isn't real tolerant of bell peppers, so I tend to make this a little bland. I'm considering cutting up some pepper pieces and putting them into the stuffing mix to really infuse that pepper taste throughout.

[1] The stuffing mixture.

[2] 4 pepper halves with lots of extra stuffing around.
These were baked with cheddar cheese and French's onions on top.

[3] A stuffed pepper, hot from the oven, with a slight crunch on top from the onions.