Normally I don’t write much about “quick and easy” meals – I figure everyone has watched a few requisite Rachel Ray episodes and has at least two or three of these recipes up his or her sleeve. I don’t really need to add to this conversation. But today I was so pleased to be able to throw together these stuffed peppers in literally five minutes (thanks to some leftovers and standard pantry items), I had to share.
These can be made with or without meat, but I started with about 10 ounces of leftover ground sirloin. Then I grabbed a bag of pre-cooked brown rice (something that’s always good to have on hand), a jar of tomato sauce (ditto), some mixed Italian cheese (Asiago, Fontina, and Parmesan, all in one pre-mixed bag), and three green bell peppers. After rinsing them clean and cutting the top off the peppers I removed the core and ribs, leaving three clean green bowls ready for stuffing. Then I mixed together the beef, rice, and about 1/3 of the tomato sauce, giving the filling a nice rosy hue. I tossed in a handful of cheese, gave a final stir, and packed the filling into the peppers.
After they were stuffed I placed them in an oven-safe dish (I wound up using a soufflé dish, which was nice because it supported the sides of the peppers) and poured over the remaining 2/3 of the tomato sauce. A little water went into the bottom of the dish (just enough to keep the tomato sauce from scorching) and then I covered it with aluminum foil and placed it in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. The peppers basically steam in there while the filling gets warmed to hot, gooey perfection.
This would be just as good without the beef, using brown rice and cheese while maybe adding some other veggies – corn, or chopped carrots or onions. Either way, it’s a quick and tasty weekend lunch. Enjoy!
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