Stuffed peppers is a classic dish with many variations

My mother was the baker in our household, whereas my dad did many of the cooking.

Nevertheless, she did make a number of superb dishes, together with stuffed peppers.

I keep in mind introducing my youngsters to stuffed peppers once they have been little on a kind of days that I wished one thing that jogged my memory of dwelling. I discovered that day that almost all of my youngsters didn’t like peppers of any type.

Fortunately, youngsters’ style buds change. Meals that was once banned on the dinner desk or eaten solely by me, are coming again to the desk. Some are secret meals shared between a number of of us.

As an grownup, I’ve discovered some ways to benefit from the stuffed-pepper taste with out having to cope with the precise technique of stuffing peppers. Beneath are a number of recipes from the Betty Crocker Kitchens my household enjoys.

SLOW-COOKER STUFFED PEPPER SOUP

Components
2 lb. lean (at the least 80 p.c) floor beef
2 inexperienced bell peppers, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 small onion, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 carton (32 oz.) beef-flavored broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
4 cups cooked rice
Shredded cheese, if desired

Instructions
■ Spray 6-quart sluggish cooker with cooking spray. In 12-inch skillet, cook dinner beef over medium-high warmth 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, till completely cooked; drain. Place beef in sluggish cooker.
■ Stir in all remaining elements besides rice and cheese.
■ Cowl; cook dinner on Low warmth setting 7 to eight hours.
■ When about half-hour are left in cooking time, gently stir in cooked rice. Cowl; cook dinner about half-hour longer.
■ Serve soup topped with cheese.

STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE

Components
1 lb floor beef (at the least 90% lean)
2 cups diced bell peppers
½ cup diced yellow onion
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups beef-flavored broth (from 32-oz. carton)
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup raw white basmati rice
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese or cheddar cheese mix (6 oz.)

Instructions
■ In 5-quart Dutch oven, cook dinner beef, bell peppers, onion, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper over medium-high warmth 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, till beef is brown and greens soften.
■ Add garlic. Prepare dinner and stir 1 minute longer.
■ Cut back warmth to medium; add broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Stir till properly mixed. Warmth to boiling.
■ Add raw rice. Return to boiling; scale back warmth to low. Cowl and simmer about 25 minutes or till rice is tender.
■ Take away from warmth; stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cowl; let stand 3 to five minutes or till cheese melts.

SLOW-COOKER STUFFED PEPPERS

Components
6 massive bell peppers
1 lb. floor beef (at the least 80 p.c lean)
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 ½ cups cooked white rice
1 can (15 oz.) natural tomato sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (8 oz.)

Instructions
■ Spray 6-quart oval sluggish cooker with cooking spray. Trim tops off bell peppers; take away ribs and seeds. Put aside.
■ In 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high warmth, cook dinner beef, onions, salt and pepper 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, till beef is cooked by means of and onion softens. Add garlic; cook dinner 15 seconds. Drain.
■ Stir rice and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce into beef combination in skillet; combine to mix. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Stuff peppers with beef combination; prepare in sluggish cooker. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers.
■ Cowl; cook dinner on Low warmth setting 4 1/2 to five 1/2 hours or till peppers are delicate. Prime peppers with remaining 1 cup cheese. Cowl; cook dinner 3 to eight minutes longer or till cheese is melted.
■ Use slotted spoon to elevate peppers from sluggish cooker.

MEDITERRANEAN STUFFED PEPPERS

Components
4 massive purple or yellow bell peppers (about 1/2 lb. every)
1 lb. lean (at the least 93 p.c) floor turkey
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup pasta sauce (from 25.5-oz. jar)
¾ cup chick peas, drained, rinsed (from 15-oz. can)
1 jar (6 oz.) artichoke hearts, marinated, drained, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz.)
1 package deal (4 oz.) feta cheese crumbles (3/4 cup)
2 cups chopped plum (Roma) tomatoes (4 medium)
1/3 cup chopped recent basil leaves

Instructions
■ Warmth oven to 425°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking parchment paper. Minimize every bell pepper in half vertically, leaving stem intact; take away seeds and membranes. In 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, warmth 3 quarts water to boiling. Add bell peppers to boiling water, ensuring water covers peppers. Prepare dinner 2 minutes; drain. Place peppers lower aspect up in pan.
■ In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook dinner turkey, garlic, Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Prepare dinner over medium-high warmth 5 to 7 minutes, breaking apart turkey, till turkey is not pink; drain.
■ Switch turkey combination to medium bowl; stir in pasta sauce, chick peas and artichoke hearts. Stir in mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the feta cheese.
■ Divide turkey combination evenly amongst bell peppers in pan (peppers shall be full). Spray one aspect of foil with cooking spray; cowl with foil, sprayed aspect down. Bake 32 to 37 minutes or till bell peppers are tender and filling is sizzling.
■ In small bowl, combine tomatoes, basil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Prime cooked bell peppers with tomato combination and remaining 1/4 cup feta cheese earlier than serving.