Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup long grain white rice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 bell peppers, any color, medium-large size
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped, 1 cup
• 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 Tbsp
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the rice as directed on the package.
2. While the rice cooks, cut about 1/4-inch off the top of each bell pepper, then pull out the stems, ribs and seeds. Add about 1/2-inch of water to a baking dish that is large enough to hold the peppers. Set the peppers cut-side down in the water, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring now and then, for 3 – 4 minutes. Push the onion over to one far side of the pan. Add the beef in pieces, season it with salt and pepper, and leave it alone long enough to brown underneath, about 3 minutes.
4. Crumble the beef, mix it with the onions, and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and keep cooking until the beef is done, about 1 minute longer. Take the skillet off the heat and spoon off any extra fat.
5. Add the tomatoes, half of the tomato sauce, about 1/2 cup, the cooked rice, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the filling is evenly combined.
6. Lower the oven temperature to 350. Flip the peppers so they are standing upright, season the insides lightly with salt, and spoon in the beef mixture. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the peppers. Cover the dish with foil again and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Take the dish out of the oven, scatter the cheese over the peppers, and return it to the oven. Bake until the peppers are as tender as you like, about 10 – 20 minutes longer. Finish with parsley and serve warm.