Hot Stuffed Bell Peppers

This recipe is a nice change from the typical stuffed peppers with rice. I found it years ago in my mothers' wonderful recipe collection. Great fall fare when the peppers are so fresh.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  large green peppers or 4  large  red peppers
• 2  medium onions, chopped
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1  cup  beef stock
• 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 1 -2  garlic clove, crushed
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano
• 2  bay leaves
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 3  tablespoons ketchup

• Sauce

• 1  cup cream cheese
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 cup half-and-half cream

Directions

1. Remove tops and seeds from peppers and blanch for 5-7 minutes.
2. Heat vegetable oil in skillet.
3. Add onions, garlic, some chopped pepper from tops and fry until soft.
4. Add the meat, oregano, salt, bay leaves and Tabasco sauce and fry until meat is cooked.
5. Stir in flour, stock, ketchup and bring to boil.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Preheat oven to 350.
8. Discard bay leaves from mixture, spoon into peppers and place in a greased baking dish.
9. Bake for 40 minutes.
10. While peppers are baking make the sauce.
11. Put cream cheese, cream, salt and cayenne into a pan and simmer until mixture is smooth, stirring constantly.
12. Do not boil.
13. Pour the hot sauce over the peppers and cook until sauce is bubbling and starting to brown, about 15 minutes.
14. Serve immediately.