Grain Stuffed Peppers Food

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH COUSCOUS OR HARVEST GRAIN BLEND

Steps:

• Cut bell peppers in half long way (stem end to stem end) and remove all inside seeds, etc.
• Place in a pot of boiling water for about 3-4 minutes to soften. Drain in a colander and run cold water over them. Set aside.
• Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil with the bay leaf. Add the couscous or harvest grain blend, turn to low and cover. See the directions for cook time depending on which product you go with.
• In a skillet, brown and crumble the pork sausage. Drain on paper towels.
• Pour off drippings and add olive oil. Cook onion and celery until softened (about 5-7 minutes over medium heat). Add garlic for about 20 seconds (do not burn, will be bitter). Add can of crushed tomatoes, remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth, oregano, basil, mint, and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes. (I usually have this going while waiting on couscous or harvest grain blend to finish).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and let's assemble!
• In a large bowl, combine the sausage, couscous or harvest grain blend, can of diced tomatoes, salt and pepper, and a good drizzle of olive oil. Mix until everything is blended.
• Spoon almost all of the sauce into the bottom of a rectangular baking pan. Keep about 1 cup aside for the tops of peppers after stuffed.
• Spoon mixture into each half of the peppers and place on top of the sauce in the baking pan. Sometimes it's easier to fill them while they are sitting in the pan so the mixture doesn't fall out on to the counter! Spoon a little of the red sauce on to each one. Do not "over sauce'- it will make them mushy.
• Bake covered with foil (loosely) for about 30 minutes. Uncover for another 10. Sometimes I top each one with a slice of pepper jack or provolone cheese at this point. Use it if you happen to have it!
• Serve and enjoy!

THE BEST STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• If your peppers don't sit upright on your cutting board, trim about 1/8-inch off the bottoms to even them out so they can stand without falling over. Cut the top off each pepper about 1/2-inch down. Remove and discard the stems, then finely chop the remaining flesh from the tops. Scoop out the seeds and as much of the membranes as you can. Place the peppers in a large microwave-safe bowl with 1/2 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high power for 12 minutes. Carefully uncover and let them sit until ready to assemble.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spread the beef in an even layer and cook undisturbed until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, breaking up any clumps with the back of a spoon and scraping up any browned bits from the pan until the meat is lightly browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the browned meat to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and add the reserved chopped peppers, onions, garlic, thyme, 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until falling apart and much of the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly until brick red colored, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until the mixture is reduced, very thick and no smell of alcohol remains, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Transfer to the bowl with the beef. Stir in the rice until completely combined. (The mixture will be wet.) Season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Place the peppers cut-side up in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Spoon the filling into the peppers, gently pressing it in with the back of a spoon. Be careful not to overstuff and split the sides of the peppers. Bake for 15 minutes. Then top with the cheese and continue baking until the filling is heated through and the cheese is browned in spots, 10 to 12 minutes.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly browned.
• Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)
• In a bowl, mix the browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.
• Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook green bell peppers in the boiling water until soft, 5 to 8 minutes; drain.
• Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces with a spatula as it cooks, until completely browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard excess grease. Transfer beef to a large bowl.
• Stir rice, celery, onion, and about half the tomato sauce with the ground beef; season with salt and pepper. Stuff cooked green peppers with the ground beef mixture.
• Arrange stuffed peppers in a baking dish. Pour enough water into the baking dish to about 1-inch deep. Pour remainder of tomato sauce over the peppers.
• Bake in preheated oven until heated through, about 30 minutes.

MY FAVORITE STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

Steps:

• Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drizzle olive oil in a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
• Fill a separate saucepan with water and bring to a boil; add green bell peppers and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer peppers to a bowl of ice water until peppers are cooled. Arrange peppers in the prepared casserole dish.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Return skillet to heat; mix onion and cooked rice into ground beef. Pour tomato sauce into ground beef mixture and stir to combine.
• Mix garlic, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper into ground beef mixture. Simmer until flavors have combined, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons ground beef mixture into each bell pepper half. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over each filled pepper. Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue to bake until cheese is bubbling and melted, about 15 more minutes.