Easy Stuffed Peppers

This recipe is great for using lots of vegetables from the garden.   You could certainly include carrots, kohlrabi, finely diced cabbage, swiss chard, kale and more in the stuffing.

4-6 Sweet Peppers, cut in half, seeded

1 lb BBF Ground Meat – Breakfast Sausage, Ground Pork, Italian Sausage or Ground Beef

1 medium onion, finely diced

Zucchini, finely diced, about 1.5 cups

Garlic, finely diced or smashed into paste

Tomato, finely diced, about 1.5 cups

Balsamic Vinegar

Fresh Herbs – flat leaf parsley, oregano, thyme, basil or some combination

Rice, cooked, about 2 cups

Cheese – Feta, Parmesan or other favorite

Place peppers on roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and rub peppers to coat well.   Sprinkle with salt and pepper.   Place in 400 degree oven and roast for 15-20 minutes.  The peppers will become incredibly sweet and delicious after roasting!

In large skillet, saute ground meat of your choice breaking it up as it cooks so you have a fine crumble.   Once almost cooked through, add diced onion and zucchini.   Saute until veggies are tender and beginning to brown.  Add garlic and saute for a minute or two.   Add diced tomatoes and cook until tomatoes break down a little bit.  Add a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and salt/pepper, if needed.   Sausage will add some salt to your dish so be sure to sample before adding salt.   Add any fresh herbs at this point – chopped flat leaf parsley, oregano, thyme and basil work well.

Add cooked rice and stir well.

Peppers will be roasted and waiting to be stuffed at this point.  Spoon mixture into peppers and pop back into the oven for 10 minutes.   Remove and top with your favorite cheese.  We’ve used Feta, our favorite McCluskey flavor –Moinear Cais and Parmesan – just about anything works.

Serve with a few slices of sweet summer tomatoes and a green salad.