Thursday, September 24, 2009

Stuffed Green Peppers

Ever wonder what to do with the white rice that comes with your meal at the Chinese restaurant that most people ignore? I don't like wasting food so we bring it home, and I'm typically the one who eats, just reheated with a pat of melted butter. Ole Sweetie-Pi doesn't care for rice; to him it just has no flavor and looks like lice eggs.

However, with a little doctoring, even Ole Sweetie-Pi will eat rice, and one of our old time favorites is stuffed peppers. This is just a basic recipe, something that my mother made from time to time and it's still as good now as it was then. I think you could add additional spices and it would be even tastier.

Stuffed Green Peppers
from the Betty Crocker Cookbook

6 large green peppers
5 cups boiling, salted water

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic
1 cup cooked rice
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350F.

Find a pot large enough to hold all the peppers and heat the water with salt added.

Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each pepper. Remove all seeds and membranes. Wash inside and out. Add peppers to the boiling water and boil for five minutes. Remove peppers from pot and drain.

In a saute pan, cook and stir ground beef and onion until onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in salt, garlic, rice and one cup of tomato sauce. Heat through.

Lightly spoon each pepper with about 1/2 cup of the meat-rice mixture. Stand peppers upright in an ungreased baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers. Cover; bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes longer. I personally add a little sprinkle of cheese.

The next night, with my leftovers, I make my version of Spanish rice, depending what I have on hand. I start off by scooping the rice out of the cooked green peppers and chop them up. I'll likely add more green peppers, add more onion, maybe some celery. Cook through add the leftover rice. And here I'll add my spices: paprika, black pepper, chili powder, a little cumin. If I have it and if I think it needs it, I might add more tomato sauce or even some salsa.

So good!

32 comments:

  1. I haven't eaten stuffed peppers in a a long time. They look delicious! That's a great way to use leftover rice, especially the ones from Chinese restaurants, as I find they get incredibly dry the next day.

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  2. Yum, stuffed peppers are so good...but another thing I almost never eat!! And there is no such thing as left-over rice in this house, so I'd have to make it special. But, I think it'd be totally worth it :)

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  3. I still am looking for a stuffed pepper recipe that my family will eat...this one looks like a great one to try!

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  4. This is basically how I make my stuffed peppers. Simple and delicious! Now I am hungry for them.

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  5. We love stuffed peppers and make it often, sometimes with rice, other times with orzo. Yours look very tasty!!!

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  6. Katy stuffed green peppers are one of my favorite comfort meals, it's right up there with cabbage rolls! Lice eggs....ewwwwww!!!! LOL!!!

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  7. I used to make something like this a long time ago. I'm going to have to dig out that recipe!

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  8. This is a great traditional way to make stuff peppers. This looks really good!

    By the way, very cool about saving the leftover rice from the Chinese restaurant to use in these peppers.

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  9. these look great great use for left over rice

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  10. Lice eggs! Too funny!!

    The first time I had stuffed peppers, I looooved them. A friend's mom made them for us and they were wonderful. I tried making them a few times and never had any luck...but yours sound wonderful! I'll have to use this recipe the next time I brave making stuffed peppers :)

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  11. I've been going to make stuffed peppers all week, just like my mom's, which is similar to yours Katy! Your peppers look delicious and I love your idea for using take out rice!

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  12. This is one of those comfort foods that just makes me smile!! One question though.........how does Ole Sweetie Pi know what lice eggs look like? Eeeeeuuuuwwww!!

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  13. This looks good and the recipe is so easy to follow.

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  14. I love stuffed peppers, either green, yellow or red etc..., yours looks delicious, thanks for the recipe Katy and have a great day darling.

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  15. Katy, stuffed peppers are one of my very favorite meals. I just love them and make them every few months. Yours look great. Have you ever noticed that they are rarely on menus in restaurants. I wonder why this is since they are so good!

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  16. Yummy..stuffed peppers:) I have quite a few peppers still sitting (or is that hanging)in my garden.
    We love stuffed peppers.
    Thanks for the tip on using 'take out' rice.

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  17. Lice eggs, hahaha!!! This is such a good idea! I have a whole bunch of rice leftovers sitting in my fridge right now. Looks so delicious and comforting for a cool fall night!

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  18. What a nice autumn meal for my hubby! He would love these.

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  19. Your peppers look wonderful. It is hard to beat some of the old-fashioned recipes that have been passed on to us. This is a case in point. Have a wonderful day.

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  20. When we get take-out, we get brown rice and I always find a way to use it. Had not thought of using for stuffed peppers. This is a great and tasty idea. Thanks, Katy.

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  21. I do it the lazy way - cut the bell peppers in half from top to bottom, and put cut side down in microwave, and microwave on hi until they get soft, then stuff. I think it's important to make a fairly spicy rice, or the taste of the bell pepper will overpower it. I also like to put italian sausage in with the rice.

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  22. i make my peppers the same way, and they are to die for. your picture is making my mouth water for them, beautiful!

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  23. I too keep my stuffed peppers nice and simple. The green pepper taste can be diminished by too much savoury in the stuffing and these do look so good. I am glad you posted them dear Katy....I have just enough leftover rice to make one for myself RIGHT now. Thx.

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  24. Hm, this is the second blog I've seen in a week that has posted stuff peppers recently. While I'm not certain about them for myself I do think that the kids would enjoy them.

    My babygirl doesn't like white rice. A few year ago the sitter tricked her and added some yellow food dye into it so she would eat some. She did and no complaints! :)
    ~ingrid

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  25. What a great post with lovely pictures!! I just had these for dinner the other night and they were tasty!! Very autumny-fall!! xo

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  26. I loe stuffed peppers and your version sounds lovely.

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  27. Your peppers came out wonderful. My husband loves it them with a rice dressing. This is one dish I don't fix often enough.

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  28. I make this and it is oft appreciated and mighty fine. Just needed a little reminder. Delicious!

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  29. Yum! What a great use for leftover rice.

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  30. I haven't had stuffed peppers since I was a little girl but I LOVE them! I need to make these for my kids, they are perfect for fall!

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  31. I love LOVE stuffed peppers...to make them a little different, trying making a spanish rice, then stuff them and top with monteray jack cheese..YUM!

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