Italian Style Stuffed Bell Peppers Food

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.

ITALIAN STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix together the cooked rice and the raw ground beef.
• Add the egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your taste, and mix very well.(I find it's best to mix it with your hands like meatloaf.).
• Prepare the peppers by cutting them in half from top to bottom like an apple, so you have two identical halves. Take off the stem and remove the seeds.
• Fill the pepper halves equally with the rice mixture. Set them down in a 13x9" baking pan that you have put a little of the sauce on the bottom of first.
• Generously spoon sauce over the stuffed top of each pepper and then pour the remaining sauce around the peppers in the pan.
• Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Bake at 350°F until the peppers are very soft and tender when tested with a knife.(depending on your oven maybe an hour or so; mine takes longer because my oven is ancient:).
• Spoon the sauce over the peppers at least three or four times while they are cooking. The sauce will thicken slightly as you bake the peppers and get delicious and rich.
• Enjoy!

ITALIAN STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• WASH bell peppers; REMOVE 1- 1 1/2 inch off pepper tops levelly using a knife (reserve tops); REMOVE seeds and ribs from peppers with a tea spoon; PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
• PREPARE your favorite recipe for quick-cooking rice, to yield 2 cups rice; BROWN 1 pound bulk Italian sausage in a skillet and drain fat.
• INTO a large pot (with an accompanying vegetable steamer basket set aside) combine 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; INSERT steamer basket into pot; PLACE peppers cut-side down, along with pepper tops, into steamer insert in pot; COVER; BRING to boiling; BOIL for one minute; REDUCE heat to medium high. STEAM until tender yet firm (about 10 minutes).
• CAREFULLY remove peppers and tops from steamer basket using tongs and place onto onto paper towels to drain.
• DICE pepper tops around the stems (discard stems); STIR in the diced peppers and cooked sausage to cooked rice, along with 2 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese, and 3 tablespoons sliced black olives.
• POUR desired amount of marinara sauce into the rice/meat mixture to moisten; SEASON rice/meat mixture to taste with a little Italian seasoning and/or salt and pepper, if desired; BLEND.
• POUR enough marinara sauce into an 8 x 8 x 2 square baking dish, just to cover bottom; ARRANGE the steamed peppers upright in baking dish.
• STUFF peppers upright, mounding slightly, with the rice/meat mixture; POUR remaining marinara sauce over stuffed peppers.
• DIVIDE and distribute shredded mozzarella cheese over prepared peppers; SPRINKLE peppers with remaining parmesan cheese; TOP center of peppers with a whole black olive (or olive slice).
• BAKE peppers upright in a baking dish until heated through, about 10 minutes; SERVE and enjoy!

ORZO STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pour the tomatoes into a large bowl and break apart using a pair of kitchen shears or your finger tips. Add the zucchini, mint, cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the orzo and cook for 4 minutes. The orzo should be only partially cooked. Use a fine mesh sieve to transfer the orzo to the large bowl with the other vegetables. Stir the orzo into the vegetable mix to combine. Transfer the warm chicken broth to a 3-quart baking dish.
• Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all ribs and seeds. Cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up.
• Place the peppers in the baking dish with the warm chicken broth. Spoon the orzo mixture into the peppers. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the top of each pepper with cheese and continue baking until the cheese is golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully transfer the orzo stuffed pepper to a serving plate.

STUFFED PEPPERS ITALIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place peppers in a greased baking dish; set aside. Place crumbled bread in a large bowl, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup water; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over low heat. Saute onion until translucent, then stir in garlic. Let garlic cook for 2 minutes, then stir into bread. Add anchovies, olives, olive oil, black pepper and red pepper. Mix until well blended. Mound pepper halves with stuffing. Surround peppers with tomato sauce and a small amount of water. Cover with foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until peppers are tender. Uncover for the last 15 minutes of baking, and baste occasionally with sauce.

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a roasting pan (large enough to accommodate 8 pepper halves in a single layer) with cooking spray.
• Combine the ground sirloin, Italian sausage, brown rice, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, garlic, Parmesan cheese, egg, and 1/2 cup Classico® Tomato & Basil sauce in a large bowl. Mix until combined.
• Divide meat mixture evenly among the green pepper halves; press to compress slightly. Arrange halves in prepared pan. Spoon the remaining Classico® Tomato & Basil sauce onto the tops of the meat and peppers. Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake until the peppers are soft and internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove from oven. Remove foil and top each pepper with shredded cheese.
• Turn oven to broil. Place peppers, uncovered under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.