stuffed bell peppers

various dates

The meat mix usually has some extra fillers like bread or rice and other vegetables to obtain a larger volume (rice is cheaper than meat) and for flavor variation.

The traditional sauce is tomato, but I have made it with Alfredo as well. Any sauce you like with meatballs would work with this as well.

It is possible to freeze stuffed peppers and reheat them in the microwave without thawing first. Commercially-produced stuffed bell peppers are usually prepared that way. They usually are only a half-pepper (Pic1) because they fit in a flat box that way. When I make stuffed bell peppers, I use the biggest peppers I can find and I use them whole, so that each one is a full meal.

a. stuffed bell peppers with tomato sauce

2014-08-14 a.o.
Pic1-4 on this page were borrowed from the internet.

Another world-wide classic, although as always each region has their own variation on the theme. This is the European version.

If you don't want to bother with the oven, just cut the peppers up and stew it all stovetop instead. (Pic18+19) That also makes a pretty good spaghetti sauce.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 6 servings:

6 large bell peppers
1 lb. ground meat, mixed beef + pork
or Italian sausage meat
2 cups white rice
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup colored bell peppers mix
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped parsley
S&P, your preferred spices
hot pepper sauce or powder

Pic1: stuffed bell peppers with tomato sauce

Directions

Pic2: boil the bell peppers
Pic3: make a dry stuffing
Pic4: fill the peppers

Prepare the bell peppers:
- Cut through the peppers around the stem and remove the lid.
  Remove and discard the seeds and veins.
- In a large pot of boiling water, parboil the peppers until just tender, 3-5 minutes. (Pic2)
- Remove with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.
Cook the rice
- in 1 cup tomato sauce and 2 cups of water.
- Add S&P to taste.
Pre-cook the meat mixture:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Brown the meat and keep cooking it until it feels dry. Set aside.
- Brown the onions. Add the colored bell peppers and simmer until soft.
- Add the ground meat, garlic, parsley.
- Add S&P and hot pepper sauce to taste.
- Add the rice and tomato sauce and stir well.
- Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Oven-baking:
- Preheat the oven to 350 ºF.
- Pour some water into a baking dish, enough to just cover the bottom.
- Stuff the bell peppers with the rice and meat mixture and place in the baking dish.
- Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed peppers.
- Bake until the peppers are very tender and the filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven.
- Rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Stovetop stew:
- Cut the peppers small.
- Add the chopped peppers and tomato sauce to the meat mixture.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.

How Not to do it

Sometimes there's a difference between a goal and its final reality...

Pic5+6: a soggy start ... gives a soggy ending
Pic7: s-oops ready

Make sure your ingredients are fully cooked AND dry before you try this. My ingredients were correct; my method not so much. I made this with fresh tomatoes but I did not stew them down first. (Pic5)
That was a big mistake, because this came out rather soupy. (Pic6) I should have reduced the tomatoes into a thick sauce first. But I ate it anyway, and leftovers went in the freezer for future soup enjoyment. (Pic7)
I could have drained excess liquid and simmered down the tomatoes, but I ate it as a soup instead.
I present to you my baked bell pepper soup recipe. :-)

b. stuffed bell peppers Alfredo

2019-12-24

Red and green for the holly days. This is the same process as above, with a different sauce.

All ingredients were cooked separately to reduce the oven time as much as possible. Bake 20 minutes @ 350 ºF.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for 2 large servings:

2 large bell peppers 1 red and 1 green
½ lb. onion / bell pepper mix
1 ½ lbs. ground beef
S&P
2-3 cups Alfredo sauce
or make it tomato sauce if you prefer.

optional:

1/2 cup rice, cooked
extra cheese

Pic8: stuffed bell peppers Alfredo

Directions

Pic9-11

Sauté onions, red & green bell peppers until nearly dry. (Pic9)
Add ground meat. Cook throughout. (Pic10)
Red & green bell peppers. Cut off the top. boil 3-5 minutes. (Pic11)

Pic12-14

Place the bell peppers in an ovenproof dish. (Pic12)
DDrain any remaining liquid from the meat mixture. Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture. (Pic1)
Spread any leftover meat on the sides. Sauce it. (Pic14)

Pic15-17

Add extra sauce + put the hats back on. Add extra cheese on top. (Pic15)
Bake 20 minutes @ 350 ºF. (Pic16)
Serve and enjoy. (Pic8, Pic17, Pic20)

Pic18: cutting up the leftovers for easier reheating
Pic19: reheating
Pic20: a red pepper, served whole

Next day, cut up leftovers for reheating. (Pic18)
I added a bit too much milk, but that doesn't much affect the flavor. (Pic19)

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org