Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Stuffed Bell Peppers

Growing up, my mom would make stuffed peppers from time to time. That dish along with pork chops, pot roast, pork roast, Americanized goulash, pork cutlets, and filet mignon on the grill (yes, that's right--my dad was a meat cutter, so we got it at cost) are emblematic of my childhood.

So I made stuffed peppers last night since some enormous ones were on on sale at the grocery. That dish coupled with my sudden, strange urge to drink RC cola took the Nasty household on a trip down memory lane last night.

Here are the ingredients:

4-5 bell peppers

1 lb. ground beef

1 half red onion, chopped finely

1 large shallot, chopped finely

2 cups cooked rice

2 eggs beaten well

1 cup of crushed tomatoes

large smidge of dried thyme

small smidge of dried basil

large smidge of red pepper flakes

2 cloves of garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Sharp cheddar cheese for topping

I used three large bell peppers but needed one more since I had leftover filling. Regardless, cut the tops off the peppers, pull out the insides, and blanch them in boiling water for approximately three minutes. Pull them out and let them drain while you cook the filling.

In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the red onion, half of the shallot, and some of the thyme. Once the beef is fully cooked, take the skillet off the heat and add the rice, eggs, tomatoes, the other half of the shallot, garlic, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Stuff the bell peppers with the filling and place them in some sort of baking dish with high sides for support (I used two loaf pans that worked rather well). Place the peppers in your oven at 375 degrees and bake for roughly 25-30 minutes, with topping the peppers with sharp cheddar during the last five minutes of cook time.