COOKED BELL PEPPERS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl combine ground beef, cooked rice, minced pepper, minced onion, minced garlic, Italian seasonings, beaten egg, breadcrumbs and salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• Use your hands to mix ingredients well.
• Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup - measure out a 1/2 cup meat mixture for each halved pepper and fill.
• *At this point, if you are using this recipe for OAMC you can wrap your peppers in saranwrap, then place them in a zip-lock bag and store them in the freezer for later use.*.
• Place peppers in a baking dish and cover with your favorite jarred or homemade spaghetti sauce (about 1 cup per pepper half).
• Cover and allow to cook 90 minutes (Please note that I have only ever made 4 halves at one time - so the cooking time could be longer if making 6 or more at the same time.).
• After 90 minutes, check to see how far along the peppers are cooked; if they are nearly done uncover and baste with some of the spaghetti sauce from the baking dish (as mentioned above, if baking many peppers all at one time there is the possibility that they will not be as far along at this point - please continue to bake covered an additional 30 to 45 minutes and then proceed with the following instructions.).
• Bake an additional 20 minutes then top each pepper half with shredded cheese and continue baking another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Serve along side freshly baked bread and a salad, enjoy!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the tops; set aside. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membrane as you can. Place the peppers cut-side up in a baking dish just large enough to hold them upright.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the lumps, until the meat is cooked through and just beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of the fat.
• Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions and chopped peppers and cook until beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and zucchini and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and a pinch or 2 of red pepper flakes. Cook until everything is heated through, then stir in the beef and rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese.
• Fill the peppers with the rice mixture and top each with a sprinkle of the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle the peppers with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers are soft and the cheese is melted and lightly browned, another 15 to 20 minutes.