Stuffed Peppers With Ground Beef and Rice

By KodiakDavis

Ingredients

• 6 green peppers, or use a combination of green and red bell peppers or other colors
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon ​​extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (at least 85%)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice
• shredded mild Cheddar cheese, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, optional

Details

Servings 6
Preparation time 25mins
Cooking time 110mins
Adapted from southernfood.about.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and rinse them under cold water; remove seeds and cut away the membranes, which might be bitter.
Chop the edible part of tops and set aside.  
Place peppers in a large pot and cover with salted water.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil is hot and the butter is foamy.
Sauté the chopped bell pepper (from the tops), chopped onion, and chopped celery for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add the (undrained) canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
Gently stir to blend.
Add ground beef, cooked rice, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture.
Mix well.
Heat the oven to 350° F. 
Stuff the peppers loosely with the meat mixture and place in a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan.
Pour the remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers.
Bake the peppers for about 45 minutes, or until the meat mixture is thoroughly cooked.
To check the internal temperature, use an instant-read thermometer.
The temperature should be at least 160° F for ground beef, pork or lamb, or 165° F for ground turkey or chicken.