Rita's Version of the FoodNetwork's Rockin' Awesome Stuffed Peppers...

 While at the grocery store last week, I saw the FoodNetwork Magazine cover and was immediately taken by what I saw...Mouth watering cheese dripping down the side of beautiful summer peppers. After the snow, rain and cold here in Alabama, the sun was finally shinning. It was a bright, sweet photo of inspiration for me. I said to Madison, "Let's go see how much the peppers are, Girlfriend," and off we went. Fortunately, I had most of the ingredients in the pantry at home...The results later that evening...so glad you asked lol...

YUMMMYYYYY!!!!

I did play with the original recipe a bit because there just wasn't enough flavor for us.

So, here is what I did...

 1 1/2 cups of white instant rice, cooked and drained

6 bell peppers, tops cut off and cored (any color)

2 sweet onions, diced

2 Gala apples, peeled, cored, diced

6 fresh mushrooms, chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 lb of lean ground beef, cooked and drained

1 lb of ground turkey, cooked and drained

2 cups of Kraft fat-free cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup of Kraft fat-free mozzarella cheese, shredded

3 tablespoons Worstershire Sauce

2 teaspoons of soy sauce

3 tablespoons parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon of ground dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

For Sauce:

1/4 cup of above mixture

1 15oz can of petite diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil

1 teaspoon of Splenda brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon grown cinnamon (more if desired)

Prepare the rice per the package instructions. Hint: I make mine in the microwave using a glass covered bowl with equal part of water and rice for 5 minutes, but length of time depends on the watts of your microwave. I Prepare your ground beef and ground turkey. Hint: if you have this done ahead of time, in the freezer, then thaw and who-la, you are ready for this recipe. However, you can also use the Tupperware StackCooker to prepare these meats in 10 minutes in the microwave and tenderize the onions and mushrooms too all at the same time! 

If the pepper aren't standing up straight, you can cut off the bottom slightly, but don't cut through to the inside. You can also wrap the bottom in a tad of foil but it won't sink into the delicious peppers as much of the sauce and bath in it as I love for them to do. Now let's get cookin'...

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray. Mix all the ingredients together minus the cheese reserving 1/4 cup of the mix for the sauce. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place each on in the backing dish with the lids of the peppers on top. Mix the sauce together and pour into the bottom of the dish surrounding the peppers. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the tops off the peppers. Divide the shredded cheese among the peppers and top each pepper...it will be a lot and fun!!! Re-top the peppers and place back in the oven for 20 more minutes. When done, I spooned some of the sauce on the plate and set the pepper on top. Served apple sauteed spinach with these and it was fabulous. 

Did I mention I also made mine in about half the time the original recipe called for?!

Guess I better not share that too much...lol...

Btw, try the Kraft fat-free cheese and let me know what you think.

They melt too! Imagine that...I look forward to make my own on our farm...

Enjoy!!!

Hugs, Rita