Who doesn’t love Stuffed Peppers! When peppers are plentiful in the garden, try this version, a perfect mixture with lots of veggies, ground beef and spices, then all topped with creamy Fontina and crumbled bacon!
Ingredients:
Serves 6
• 6 bell peppers, any color
• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbs of celery, finely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz) of whole tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp of oregano
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbs of bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup of fontina, mozzarella or any cheese you prefer, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup of cooked bacon, crumbled
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°
Cut tops off of the bell peppers; remove seeds and membranes. Cut a little off the bottom so they will sit evenly.
Rinse peppers under cold water. Place peppers in a large pot; cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until hot. Cook ground beef for about 5 minutes until it starts to brown, turn heat to medium, add onion, garlic and celery, cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often until veggies are tender.
Add tomatoes and their liquid (squish them up with a wooden spoon) tomato sauce, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and cool down.
In a small bowl, combine the egg with the Worcestershire sauce, then add it to the ground beef and tomato mixture along with the bread crumbs and parsley, mix well.
Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture and place in a baking dish. Bake for 55 – 60 minutes.
A few minutes before peppers are done, add a little cheese to each pepper and melt. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon. Let cool a few minutes before serving. These are delicious with mashed potatoes!
