Crock pot stuffed bell peppers

By Betty2534

Ingredients

• 4 medium green bell peppers, or use multicolored
• 1 pound ground beef, lean
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or a Creole seasoning blend
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large jar spaghetti sauce or marinara (about 32 ounces)
• Substitute 1 cup of uncooked white or brown Minute Rice for the cooked rice.
• Instead of ground beef, use ground turkey in the filling.
• Substitute a package (8.8 ounces) of Uncle Ben's Ready Rice for the cooked rice.
• Substitute 1 can (14.5 ounces) of diced tomatoes and 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup for the spaghetti sauce. Combine the two in a bowl and pour over the peppers.
• Chop the tops of the peppers finely and add them to the filling or to the sauce mixture.
• Instead of plain white rice, add cooked Mexican or Spanish rice to the beef mixture. Use Uncle Ben's Ready Rice or Rice-a-Roni brand.
• For Tex-Mex or Mexican flavors, substitute 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) of chili style or Mexican style tomatoes for the spaghetti sauce.

Preparation

Step 1

In a bowl, combine the ground beef, finely chopped onion, cooked rice, and seasonings until well blended.

Cut the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and fibers.

Stuff the peppers with equal portions of the ground beef and rice mixture.

Place the stuffed peppers in Crock Pot, cover with the spaghetti sauce.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Or until the ground beef is thoroughly cooked and the peppers are tender.

To check for doneness, insert an instant-read food thermometer into the center of the filling. It should read at least 160° F (71° C) or 165° F (74° C) for ground turkey.