Stuffed Peppers (Need I say more?) 

Hi there Friends!
I need to be more consistent with my posting to say the very least. This next recipe is for some good friends of mine who have asked maybe twenty times for the recipe of these stuffed peppers which I have been holding hostage wayyyy too long. So no picture comes since they were enjoyed with these very friends over a few months ago and I haven't made them since but they deserve a blog spot even though they seem like less of a summer food they are pure comfort so maybe save them for a cooler, rainy day. They can be baked or put in a cock pot. Even baked briefly the evening before and put in the cock during the day if you are working or out and want to come home to a hot meal... 

Ingredients:

6 green& red (mixed is best) bell peppers

1 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes or four juicy fresh :) diced 

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

3 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or chuck

1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice - 

(Note:I use white rice this works best, but you can certainly substitute Quinoa or a short grain brown rice)

shredded Parm cheese, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, optional

Directions: 

Cut tops off peppers; remove seeds and membranes. Put burner on high and place peppers (one at a time on burner to char and heat all sides- giving them a quick blistering. Put aside. 

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Sauté chopped pepper (from tops), chopped onion, and chopped celery for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.Add uncooked rice. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine egg with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Gently stir to blend; add ground beef, cumin, smoked paprika and 1 cup of the tomato mixture. Mix well. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place in a glass 9x13 or dutch oven baking dish. Pour remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers. Bake at 350° for 55 to 75 minutes. If desired, top stuffed peppers with a little shredded Parm cheese (for extra zest and salt just before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.
Recipe for stuffed peppers serves 6. Bon Appetit