Got a great deal on green bell peppers yesterday, so I bought several and
decided to make stuffed peppers. Something I haven't made in awhile, but was
having a few people over for Sunday dinner and I thought this would be
different and well-received. It was!

here's what I did:

Stuffed Peppers

3 large bell peppers
2 cups cooked white rice (I made extra yesterday knowing I was making this
today)
3/4 pound ground beef (no reason not to use turkey)
1 medium onion
1 jar Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded "Italian 6 Cheese Blend"
2 cloves garlic, minced
basil, oregano
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 egg, well beaten

Wash and halve the peppers lengthwise, removing the core and all membranes.
Set aside.

Mince the onion and garlic. In a large skillet, heat the oil, reduce to
medium heat and saute the onion until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and
ground beef, and stir often, breaking the meat into small pieces. Season to
taste with salt and pepper.

Get a baking pan large enough for the six pepper halves. Pour half the jar
of sauce through a strainer, letting the thin sauce land in the baking pan.
Take the chunks of tomatoes out of the strainer and add to the skillet. Stir
well. Stir in the rice and the herbs, and mix well. Remove from heat.

Stir in half a cup of the shredded cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if
necessary.

Add more sauce to the pan if desired. Refrigerate leftover sauce for future
use.

Spoon the stuffing mixture into the pepper halves, mounding slightly.
Arrange the pepper halves in the baking dish with the sauce. Add half a cup
of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45
minutes at 400 degrees, until the peppers begin to soften.

Remove the foil, top each pepper with the remaining half a cup of cheese,
and let bake for 15 minutes more, until the cheese melts and is bubbly.

Serves 6.

I served this with a nice romaine, pear, orange, onion and toasted walnut
salad, as a first course, which I have made before to rave reviews with a
simple thin vinaigrette of walnut oil, white wine vinegar and orange juice
which I made with my hand blender. That was seasoned with just salt and lots
of cracked black pepper. I layered the romaine on a platter, arranged the
fruit and onions on top of the bed of lettuce, and topped with the walnuts.
The dressing was served on the side. My guests had never eaten a salad like
that and they enjoyed it a lot!

For dessert, we had cookies and brownies which my guests brought, and I had
a fruit salad of cut up cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes which i served
with the sweets. i also put out the bottle of Ubet Chocolate Syrup, which we
dipped the strawberries in. I opened a bottle of Riff Pinot Grigio with
dinner, which is one of my new favorites.

All in all, my dinner was a big hit! Everyone was full, people tried new
things they didn't know they liked, and the company was great! Oh, and I
have a new recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers! Next time, I might forego the
meat entirely and just add mushrooms and maybe some diced carrots and corn.

In article >,
says...
> Got a great deal on green bell peppers yesterday, so I bought several and
> decided to make stuffed peppers. Something I haven't made in awhile, but was
> having a few people over for Sunday dinner and I thought this would be
> different and well-received. It was!
>
> here's what I did:
>
> Stuffed Peppers
>
> 3 large bell peppers

If I might add something here. Green peppers work but stuffed peppers
are phenomenal with red Bell peppers.

And the other things, lots of people have trouble digesting the skin on
the peppers. Using the old blowtorch, char the skin then drop into a
paper bag and seal, leave for five minutes.

Take em' out, peel em and you get all the flavor and none of the bad
effects.

"Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
...

<snip>
> 2 cups cooked white rice (I made extra yesterday knowing I was making this
> today)
>
<snip>

Do you think one could use raw rice instead of cooked? The rice would then
cook while being baked and absorb some of the tomato flavour without getting
too mushy. Or maybe the liquid portion won't be enough to cook the rice?

rona

--
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and they will
**** upon your computer."
--Bruce Graham

I just posted another topic concerning stuffed bell peppers then saw this
recipe. Sheryl, do you think it is possible to make this several days ahead
of time then put it in the freezer, or would this adversely affect the bell
peppers. I'm thinking tryiing this because I cook for two, and would like
to do the whole recipe, it's for 4, and save two for another day, or the
wife could take one to work for lunch later in the week.

What do you think.

Jim

"Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
...
> Got a great deal on green bell peppers yesterday, so I bought several and
> decided to make stuffed peppers. Something I haven't made in awhile, but
was
> having a few people over for Sunday dinner and I thought this would be
> different and well-received. It was!
>
> here's what I did:
>
> Stuffed Peppers
>
> 3 large bell peppers
> 2 cups cooked white rice (I made extra yesterday knowing I was making this
> today)
> 3/4 pound ground beef (no reason not to use turkey)
> 1 medium onion
> 1 jar Bertolli Olive Oil and Garlic spaghetti sauce
> 1 cup shredded "Italian 6 Cheese Blend"
> 2 cloves garlic, minced
> basil, oregano
> 1 teaspoon olive oil
> 1 egg, well beaten
>
> Wash and halve the peppers lengthwise, removing the core and all
membranes.
> Set aside.
>
> Mince the onion and garlic. In a large skillet, heat the oil, reduce to
> medium heat and saute the onion until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic
and
> ground beef, and stir often, breaking the meat into small pieces. Season
to
> taste with salt and pepper.
>
> Get a baking pan large enough for the six pepper halves. Pour half the
jar
> of sauce through a strainer, letting the thin sauce land in the baking
pan.
> Take the chunks of tomatoes out of the strainer and add to the skillet.
Stir
> well. Stir in the rice and the herbs, and mix well. Remove from heat.
>
> Stir in half a cup of the shredded cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings if
> necessary.
>
> Add more sauce to the pan if desired. Refrigerate leftover sauce for
future
> use.
>
> Spoon the stuffing mixture into the pepper halves, mounding slightly.
> Arrange the pepper halves in the baking dish with the sauce. Add half a
cup
> of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake for
45
> minutes at 400 degrees, until the peppers begin to soften.
>
> Remove the foil, top each pepper with the remaining half a cup of cheese,
> and let bake for 15 minutes more, until the cheese melts and is bubbly.
>
> Serves 6.
>
> I served this with a nice romaine, pear, orange, onion and toasted walnut
> salad, as a first course, which I have made before to rave reviews with a
> simple thin vinaigrette of walnut oil, white wine vinegar and orange juice
> which I made with my hand blender. That was seasoned with just salt and
lots
> of cracked black pepper. I layered the romaine on a platter, arranged the
> fruit and onions on top of the bed of lettuce, and topped with the
walnuts.
> The dressing was served on the side. My guests had never eaten a salad
like
> that and they enjoyed it a lot!
>
> For dessert, we had cookies and brownies which my guests brought, and I
had
> a fruit salad of cut up cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes which i served
> with the sweets. i also put out the bottle of Ubet Chocolate Syrup, which
we
> dipped the strawberries in. I opened a bottle of Riff Pinot Grigio with
> dinner, which is one of my new favorites.
>
> All in all, my dinner was a big hit! Everyone was full, people tried new
> things they didn't know they liked, and the company was great! Oh, and I
> have a new recipe for Stuffed Bell Peppers! Next time, I might forego the
> meat entirely and just add mushrooms and maybe some diced carrots and
corn.
>

in article gigjc.43622$_L6.2748849@attbi_s53, Jim a at
wrote on 4/26/04 6:45 PM:

> I just posted another topic concerning stuffed bell peppers then saw this
> recipe. Sheryl, do you think it is possible to make this several days ahead
> of time then put it in the freezer, or would this adversely affect the bell
> peppers. I'm thinking tryiing this because I cook for two, and would like
> to do the whole recipe, it's for 4, and save two for another day, or the
> wife could take one to work for lunch later in the week.
>
> What do you think.
>
> Jim

Don't even bother to freeze them. Just cover them tightly in the fridge and
serve for lunch a day or two later.
They'll be fine in the fridge for about 3-4 days.
good luck!

in article , Rona
Yuthasastrakosol at wrote on 4/26/04 5:51 PM:

>
>
> "Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> <snip>
>> 2 cups cooked white rice (I made extra yesterday knowing I was making this
>> today)
>>
> <snip>
>
> Do you think one could use raw rice instead of cooked? The rice would then
> cook while being baked and absorb some of the tomato flavour without getting
> too mushy. Or maybe the liquid portion won't be enough to cook the rice?
>
> rona
>

Oh..i wouldn't advise that! Unless it's instant.

I remember watching my mom making stuffed peppers and stuffed cabbage with
raw rice when I was growing up.

When I was in college, I attempted to make stuffed cabbage.
I used raw rice, "just like Mom used to".
Bzzzzzz wrong!

Mom used instant rice. I didn't realize that. I used regular long grain,
"25 cents a pound if you buy store-brand" rice. They came out awful!
Half-cooked rice, surrounded by ground beef. Called Mom, asked what I did
wrong. She told me to pre-cook the rice, most of the way, anyway, if I was
gonna use regular rice, or to use Instant.

The rice didn't get too mushy last night in the stuffed peppers because it
dried out some in the fridge overnight, plus there wasn't a lot of liquid in
the mixture, so it didn't absorb much more. You could compensate if you
wanted to by cooking the rice until just "al dente".

I have experimented with different ways of making stuffed peppers and
stuffed cabbage. I prefer pre-cooking the meat and rice for peppers. For
cabbage, I like to use raw meat, mixed with partially cooked rice, eggs and
spices. Someone I knew made stuffed cabbage with pre-browned ground beef
and it didn't taste right at all. Maybe there wasn't enough rice, I'm not
sure. She wasn't a very good cook, though.

I have found with stuffed veggies like cabbage and peppers, I prefer more
rice than meat. Mom always used about 2/3 meat 1/3 rice when I was little.
But as I've experimented over the years, I've decided I like it more when
it's at least 50/50. 60/40 in favor of rice is ok, too.

"Rona Yuthasastrakosol" > wrote in
:

>
>
> "Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
> ...
>
> <snip>
>> 2 cups cooked white rice (I made extra yesterday knowing I was making
>> this today)
>>
> <snip>
>
> Do you think one could use raw rice instead of cooked? The rice would
> then cook while being baked and absorb some of the tomato flavour
> without getting too mushy. Or maybe the liquid portion won't be
> enough to cook the rice?
>
> rona
>
> --
> "Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and they
> will **** upon your computer."
> --Bruce Graham
>
>

I don't think raw rice would work, because of the expansion of the rice. It
would be hard to guesstimate if too little or too much rice and/or liquid
was in each pepper half. Perhaps if you mixed the rice in the skillet with
the beef/turkey mixture before adding to the peppers. And cooked it there
in tomato juice.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

In article >, hahabogus
> wrote:

> I don't think raw rice would work, because of the expansion of the
> rice. It would be hard to guesstimate if too little or too much rice
> and/or liquid was in each pepper half. Perhaps if you mixed the rice
> in the skillet with the beef/turkey mixture before adding to the
> peppers. And cooked it there in tomato juice.

If you use raw meat and raw rice it works.

Regards,
Ranee

--
Remove do not and spam to e-mail me.

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of
heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man." Acts 17:24

"Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
...
>
> Oh..i wouldn't advise that! Unless it's instant.
>

Instant! A pox on your tongue! Never suggest using instant rice to any
self-respecting Asian rice eater! Instant!? Bah! Ptooey!

<snip>
>
> Mom used instant rice. I didn't realize that. I used regular long grain,
> "25 cents a pound if you buy store-brand" rice. They came out awful!
> Half-cooked rice, surrounded by ground beef. Called Mom, asked what I did
> wrong. She told me to pre-cook the rice, most of the way, anyway, if I was
> gonna use regular rice, or to use Instant.
>

But it provides texture~! :-) Partially cooking the rice seems like a good
idea, but it adds yet another step. If I only partially cook the rice, then
I would have to make it just for the peppers. May as well use fully cooked
rice since I almost always have leftovers, anyway. I see...(said the blind
man to the deaf dog who wasn't listening, anyway).

> The rice didn't get too mushy last night in the stuffed peppers because it
> dried out some in the fridge overnight, plus there wasn't a lot of liquid
in
> the mixture, so it didn't absorb much more. You could compensate if you
> wanted to by cooking the rice until just "al dente".
>
> I have experimented with different ways of making stuffed peppers and
> stuffed cabbage. I prefer pre-cooking the meat and rice for peppers.

That makes sense, now that I think about it. By pre-cooking the meat and
rice, you protect against overcooking the peppers. Using raw meat and rice,
you'd have to cook it longer and then the peppers would get soggy and lose
their colour. I hate overcooked bell peppers.

<snip>

> I have found with stuffed veggies like cabbage and peppers, I prefer more
> rice than meat. Mom always used about 2/3 meat 1/3 rice when I was
little.
> But as I've experimented over the years, I've decided I like it more when
> it's at least 50/50. 60/40 in favor of rice is ok, too.
>

I like more meat in my stuffing (hee, hee ;-)).

rona

--
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and they will
**** upon your computer."
--Bruce Graham

in article , Rona
Yuthasastrakosol at wrote on 4/27/04 6:46 AM:

>
>
> "Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Oh..i wouldn't advise that! Unless it's instant.
>>
>
> Instant! A pox on your tongue! Never suggest using instant rice to any
> self-respecting Asian rice eater! Instant!? Bah! Ptooey!
>

I don't use instant rice. I pre-cook the rice.

My mother used instant. I never really liked rice much growing up when my
mom made it, and I found out it was because she used instant. When I
discovered "regular" rice, I discovered I loved rice. I never understood why
the rice from the chinese restaurant always tasted better than the stuff Mom
made. When I went to college, I found out. <shrug> My mother, rest her
soul, was a very good cook, but she used shortcuts.

I do not care for raw long-cooking rice in stuffed cabbage or peppers, so I
don't advise that. I prefer using either partially cooked rice or just plain
old leftover rice in the meat mixture. Your mileage may vary, of course. I
find the results using raw (long cooking) rice mixed into the raw meat too
haphazard. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'm not a gambler and
can't afford to waste ingredients if it comes out inedible. I'd rather just
do what I know works every time, at least from a "technical" aspect. If I
season something incorrectly, that's different, it's still edible. Might not
be tasty, but I'd eat it, rather than waste food.
But raw rice or over-cooked cabbage or peppers? No thanks, not if I can help
it.

And I can help it. Precooked rice always works. So does Instant. I recommend
either, but prefer to use pre-cooked.

Sorry if I offended anyone with the suggestion of instant rice.

"Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
...
> in article , Rona
> Yuthasastrakosol at wrote on 4/27/04 6:46 AM:
> >
> > "Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>
> >> Oh..i wouldn't advise that! Unless it's instant.
> >>
> >
> > Instant! A pox on your tongue! Never suggest using instant rice to any
> > self-respecting Asian rice eater! Instant!? Bah! Ptooey!
> >
>
> I don't use instant rice. I pre-cook the rice.
>

I got that.

<snip>

> Sorry if I offended anyone with the suggestion of instant rice.
>

I wasn't offended. I was actually being facetious, and I kinda thought the
"pox on your tongue" thing was funny. The "ptooey" part was especially fun
for me to write. I rarely get to write 'ptooey', but I like the way it
sounds so I try to use it whenever I get the chance. Shoulda used some
smileys, I guess, but I have found that I've been using too many smileys
recently. It makes me feel like one of those vapid teenaged girls who put
little hearts instead of dots above their 'i's. I hate those little hearts.
Even those little circles are preferable to hearts.

rona
---
"Do not meddle in the affairs of cats, for they are subtle and they will
**** upon your computer."
--Bruce Graham