Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients

6 green bell peppers look for similar sized peppers
▢1 tablespoon olive oil
▢1 1/2 pounds ground beef I use 90% lean
▢1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
▢1/2 teaspoon black pepper
▢2/3 cup yellow onion finely chopped
▢1 tablespoon garlic minced
▢1 1/2 cups long grain white rice COOKED, do not use raw
▢8 ounce can tomato sauce
▢14 1/2 ounce can petite diced tomatoes do not drain
▢1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
▢2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided use
▢2 tablespoons parsley chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Slice the tops off the peppers. Use a small knife to remove the seeds and ribs inside, then discard the seeds and ribs.
Arrange all the bell peppers cut side down in a 9"x13" baking dish. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the dish.
Cover the dish with foil, then bake for 30 minutes.
While the peppers are in the oven, make the filling. Warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
Add the ground beef and season with the salt and black pepper.
Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until meat the meat is finely crumbled and cooked through.
Add the onion to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Stir in the rice, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Add 3/4 cup of the cheese and stir to combine.
Take the dish of peppers from the oven and drain off the water. Carefully flip the peppers over and fill them with the rice mixture.
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown. The peppers should be tender at this point too.
Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy.
Notes
Look for green peppers that are similar in size and shape so that they cook at the same rate. If your peppers don’t stand up on their own, you can cut a thin slice off the bottom to make them more stable.
This recipe calls for cooked rice. Do not attempt to make it with raw rice as it will not have enough liquid to cook through.
I use 90% lean ground beef because it has plenty of flavor without a lot of grease. If you use meat with a higher fat content, be sure to drain off any excess grease after it is cooked.