Stuffed Red Peppers

I am a huge fan of Paula Deen and all of her cookbooks. I just got her second cookbook for my birthday - The Lady and Sons, Too! I have been marking nearly every other page as a recipe I want to try. She has the absolute best southern recipes. I gain weight just by reading her recipes, so I can't imagine what making and eating all of these are going to do to my hips!

The stuffed red peppers came out so great. Not only were they delicious, they look gorgeous too! Very nice presentation if you're entertaining. The recipe was very easy to make... I just hated having to wait so long for them while they baked. Next time I may make a little extra of the inside stuffing to have on the side.




Stuffed Red Peppers

4 large red bell peppers, preferably with stems
3/4 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup jarred Old El Paso Cheese and Salsa (or similar brand)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup hot water

1. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact and halving them also. Remove the seeds and ribs.

2. Saute the beef and pork, the onion, garlic, 1 tsp. of the bouillon granules, the salt and the pepper, scrambling well, until the onion is transparent. Drain off the fat. Add the rice, cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, green onion tops, and soy sauce. Mix well. Stuff this mixture into the peppers.

3. Mix the hot water and the remaining 1 tsp. bouillon granules. Pour this into a shallow casserole dish large enough to hold all the peppers. Place the stuffed peppers into the dish. (The water in the dish allows the peppers to steam while retaining some of their crispness.) Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove the foil and spoon a little juice over the peppers; bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Serves 6-8