random recipe #2: stuffed peppers.

I made stuffed peppers for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I have to tell you—they were delicious. When trying new recipes, I usually Google what I want to make, just to get the “skeleton,” if you will—the basic ingredients, the baking temperature and time—and then I make my  own interpretation.

So, giving credit to some kind folks at AllRecipes.com and Food.com, here is my latest version of the filling for stuffed peppers:

1 lb of ground beef
1 cup of cooked jasmine rice
½ jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I’m currently crazy about Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil)
½ cup of diced bell pepper (just use the tops of whatever bell peppers you’re going to stuff)
¼ diced onion
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
¼ red wine (I prefer using actual wine to cooking wine—less sodium)
a generous portion of Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
¼ seasoned bread crumbs (optional—just adds a fun texture)

Sautee the peppers and onions until tender. At the last minute or two, add the fresh garlic. It only needs to cook for a minute—otherwise, it will burn, and you’ll taste it later. Add the cooked rice, raw ground beef, peppers and onions, and everything else together in a mixing bowl.

This recipe will make enough filling for 6 peppers. Since I’m usually just cooking for myself and my husband, I will make two peppers at the time and then freeze the rest of the filling for later.

For the peppers:
After you’ve cut the tops of your bell peppers, cover them in a light layer of olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or so to soften. Then, fill them with the mixture and add two tablespoons more of the pasta sauce to the top of each pepper. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the peppers for one hour. Toward the end of the baking time, add a little shredded cheese to the top and let it melt.

De.Li.Cious. Feel free to tweak...my favorite recipes are the ones you can make your own! Happy eating!