Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 tsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped fairly small
• 1 T Italian Herb Blend
• 2 large green bell peppers, stems and seeds removed and chopped into pieces about 5/8 inch across
• 8 oz. brown Crimini mushrooms, washed if needed and then cut in half or fourths
• 3 links hot turkey Italian sausage
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 cans crushed tomatoes + 2 cans water
• 3 cans beef broth
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese for serving, optional but good

Directions

1. Cook the long-grain white rice according to the package directions, ending with 2 cups cooked rice.
2. Pour 2 tsp. oil into a large frying pan and warm it over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until the edges are just starting to brown.
3. Stir in the Italian Herb Blend and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Scrape the onion mixture into an 8 quart soup pot.
5. Using the same frying pan, cook the chopped green pepper until the pieces are lightly charred around the edges.
6. Transfer the peppers to the soup pot.
7. Add the mushrooms to that same pan and cook them until they give off their liquid and pick up a little browning.
8. Put the mushrooms into the soup pot.
9. Add the remaining 2 tsp. olive oil to the pan, then add the ground beef and the sausage after squeezing the sausage out of its casing.
10. Cook the meat until it is well browned, turning it several times and crumbling it with the back of the turner as it cooks.
11. Move the browned meat into the soup pot. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and 2 cans water, then add 3 cans beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup.
12. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then keep it on low for about 30 minutes.
13. Stir in the rice and cook for 15 minutes more, adding a little extra water if the soup seems to need it.
14. Taste and season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. Serve hot, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese to add at the table if you like.