Stuffed Peppers

A really tasty recipe. Learned how to make these from three Italian ladies that are wonderful cooks. Peppers are sauted first. Recipe can be scaled down, and/or changed to suite your taste. I like to use red and yellow peppers for a change. Guessing at prep time, as everyone will have their own shortcuts. Recipe posted by request for a zaar friend.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 10 Peppers

Ingredients

• 10  bell peppers, cored and seeded, wash and let drain
• 1  lb  ground meat (I use ground round)
• 1  cup  uncle ben's converted original long grain rice (not fast cooking)
• 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, diced and save reserved liquid
• 1  tablespoon  chopped basil
• 1  tablespoon  chopped parsley
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  grated romano cheese
• 1  cup  fine shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 1⁄2-2  cups  bread cubes
• 6  ounces tomato paste
• 3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
•  olive oil

Directions

1. Saute Peppers.
2. Add about 1 or 2 tbsp.'s olive oil to skillet big enough to hold number of peppers you are making.
3. Over medium heat, saute each side of peppers until all sides are blistered.
4. (Peppers should be soft, not burnt).
5. Make tomato sauce.
6. Pour small amount of olive oil in sauce pan and heat. (About a tsp.) Add tomato paste,.
7. heat and stir for a few minutes over low heat. Add liquid from diced roma tomatoes. Add 1/2 teaspoons sugar and salt to taste. Stir and simmer on low heat.
8. Add diced roma tomatoes to a large mixing bowl.
9. Cook rice according to directions on box. Add to mixing bowl.
10. Make stuffing.
11. Saute ground meat until no longer pink. Pour off excess liquid. Add to mixing bowl.
12. Add romano cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsely, basil, and bread cubes. Mix to combine. If mixture is dry, add some of the tomato sauce to moisten.
13. Fill peppers with meat mixture, and place in lasagna pan or pan large enough to hold peppers securely. (I use two bread pans, as I only make 6, and they hold perfect) Pour tomato sauce over and around peppers.
14. Bake at 325 degrees, for about 45 minutes to an hour.
15. **NOTE** (Peppers can be frozen before baking. Place in containers, and pour sauce around tomatoes, and over peppers).
16. Enjoy.