I’ve been eating Stuffed Peppers most of my life and that in of itself makes it pretty comforting. But add in some savory deliciousness and a bunch of cheese and you really have a comfort food winner that is really easy and straightforward to prepare. I didn’t get many cooking recipes from my mother as she is a good cook, but hates to do it. This is, however, my mother’s recipe for Stuffed Peppers. Enjoy!

Recipe

Yield: 7 servings | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes

7 medium green peppers
2 c cooked rice
3 cups of spaghetti sauce
1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 c sharp cheddar
½ c grated parmesan
1 t oregano
1 t pepper sauce
salt + pepper to taste
4 T Italian breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Cook the rice according to the directions on the package.

3. Parboiling the peppers: the peppers will never soften completely in their brief time in the oven, so you need to parboil them before you stuff ‘em. To do this you should remove the top, what I call “lid area,” of the pepper. Pull out the seeds and the white rib area too. Fill a really big pot with water and submerge the peppers. Set the pot on high heat. The peppers will soften and turn a duller shade of green before the water begins to boil much (probably around 10 minutes). Remove the peppers CAREFULLY (they will be so, so, so hot) and drain on paper towels.

4. While the peppers are parboiling, sauté the onion in a little bit of oil. Remove to a large bowl when it is softened. Next brown the ground beef in the pan you used to sauté the onions. Remove that to the same bowl.

5. Making the filling: the filling is so simple to prepare. Just toss everything else on the list (except for the breadcrumbs) into the bowl with the onions and beef. Mix thoroughly and because everything is cooked in the mixture, I suggest tasting for seasoning. It should be rich, zesty and totally delicious.

6. Fill the cooled peppers generously and arrange them upright in a casserole or baking dish. Top them with the breadcrumbs and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until they are bubbling and golden brown. Eat as a comforting and indulgent main course.