Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers: very possibly the most creative way in which to get your kid to eat their veggies.  Why? Well, disguise a green vegetable with cheese, dirty rice, and other spices, and you’ve got a cute dish that’s guaranteed to be eaten! Especially when you cook the vegetable w/the hat on.

I love stuffed vegetables–sweetened red or yellow peppers with black beans–or this recipe: green bell peppers with dirty rice, beef, spices, and cheese.  The combination of cooked green peppers with savory dirty rice is clearly delicious.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Technically, this recipe is made for two, but it can easily be doubled and serve four.  The original comes from nowhere in particular, but for great ideas on how to prepare stuffed peppers, see Elise Bauer’s blog Simply Recipes here.

Ingredients:
* 2 green bell peppers, washed, seeded, and de-capped

* 1 1/2 cups cooked white or brown rice

* 1 cup cooked ground beef

* 1/4 yellow onion

* salt and pepper, to taste

* 1 cup cheese, shredded (yellow or mix)

*  1/3 cup chopped basil

* 2 tablespoons thyme

* 1 teaspoon paprika

1.) Preheat oven to 350F.  Prepare rice according to package instructions.  Set aside.

2.) Bring a small pot to a boil and add both of the green peppers (and their caps) to the water.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Remove from pot and drain.

3.) Cook ground beef in a skillet, when half cooked, add onions and caramelize in the same pan.

4.) Create pepper stuffing/mixture: in a large bowl, mix rice with paprika, thyme, basil, salt and pepper, and caramelized onions.  Adjust seasonings as necessary.

5.) Place peppers in a roasting pan, or loaf pan.  Stuff with rice, beef, and spice mixture.  Feel free to over-stuff.  Sprinkle the top of each pepper with 1/2 cup of cheese and place tops on green peppers.

6.) Bake in 350F oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for several minutes before serving.  Enjoy! Makes 2.

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