Mamaws Stuffed 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.

MOM'S STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut the top section of the peppers off and discard.
• Remove seeds and rinse the inside of peppers.
• Parboil peppers until slightly tender.
• Saute onions in butter until tender.
• Combine ground beef, cooked rice, egg, salt, pepper and half of the sauteed onions.
• Stuff each pepper with the ground beef mixture.
• Place stuffed peppers in a stock pot or dutch oven.
• Combine crushed tomatoes and tomato soup and pour on top of the peppers.
• Sprinkle the remaining sauteed onions on top of peppers.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.
• Stir GENTLY occasionally.
• Simmer for about 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.

MAMMA'S STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cup top of peppers out and clean out the spines. Blanch for 10 minutes in boiling water. Set aside to cool.
• In sauce pan, saute 1 cup onion in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine rice ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper and remaining onion and salt. Add beef and sausage; mix well trying not to "squeeze" the meat. Pour half of the tomato sauce mixture into a baking dish large enough to house all the peppers. Stuff the peppers with meat mixture and place into the baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over the peppers.
• Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for approximately 45 minutes (cooking times can vary greatly depending on the size of the peppers!). You'll want to check them often towards the end to be certain they don't burn. The tops should be crisp but not burnt. Sometimes I pull them out and top them with a slice of Meunster cheese each. These are really great served with rye/pumpernickle striped bread. Enjoy!

MOM'S STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut tops off bell peppers, making a bell pepper "bowl".
• Remove seeds and membrane, rinsing well under cold water.
• Par-boil peppers for approximately 5 minutes.
• Remove peppers from boiling water and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
• Brown ground beef and drain any excess fat.
• Add chopped onion to ground beef, stirring every few minutes.
• Meanwhile, make rice by boiling the cup of water and butter, adding rice and simmering until rice is cooked, as you would normally make steamed rice.
• While rice is cooking, mix tomato sauce, sugar and basil together in a seperate bowl.
• When rice is done, add to meat and onion mixture.
• Add half of the sauce and half of the cheddar cheese to meat mixture, stirring all together.
• Spoon meat mixture into each bell pepper; if you have any left over you can spoon some around the peppers as well.
• Spoon remaining sauce mixture over each bell pepper and top with remaining cheese.
• Bake at 350 for approx 20 minutes.
• NOTE: Although this sounds like a lot of steps to go through, this is one of those recipes where you can be doing more than one thing at a time.
• I usually start my water to boil for the par-boiling of the peppers at the same time I'm browing the ground beef and chopping my onion, and cleaning the bell peppers.
• I am also guilty of making more sauce than needed, and adding more cheese than necessary. I really don't think you can screw this up -- it's just a matter of personal taste, so feel free to play with the amounts.

MAMA'S STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Slices peppers and cut out seeds and center.
• Mix all other ingredients together and stuff in peppers.
• Bake at 350 degrees until done.
• Sprinkle cheese on top of peppers.

MOM'S TOP-OF-THE-STOVE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Divide peppers lengthwise and remove seeds. Cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water and let cool.
• Combine hamburger, bread crumbs, egg and a little less than a 1/2 can of tomato soup. (Don't use too much or the filling will be too loose) Add some chopped onion or onion powder to taste. (I use about 1/2 teaspoons onion powder).
• Fill each pepper half with meat mixture.
• Brown the peppers, meat side down, over medium high heat for approximately 6 minutes. Turn them over and cook about 5 more minutes. Then spoon the rest of the condensed tomato soup over the peppers.
• Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, turning them over occasionally and spooning the sauce over the top a couple times.
• Serve over cooked white rice.
• Note: If someone doesn't want the peppers, you can make a few patties of the meat mixture and cook them a long with the stuffed peppers.

MAMA D'S STUFFED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in skillet, should take about 5-7 minutes. Drain fat. Place in soup pot.
• Add tomato juice, diced tomatoes, peppers, onion and garlic to soup pot.
• Season with Italian seasoning, fennel seed, sugar, salt, fresh ground pepper and cayenne pepper. Heat to boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer for approximately an hour or until peppers reach desired doneness.
• Add cooked rice and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy.