Stuffed Peppers and Failed Rice

Stuffed Peppers and Failed Rice

• 3.26.2012

I'm not sure what made me think of attempting stuffed peppers .... but I'm pretty sure the giant mound of them at the market had something to do with it.

When we were growing up I remember how much I really loved the Stouffer's Stuffed Peppers that we would dominate as a family. I'm pretty sure just one was considered a serving and I always wanted more.

I wasn't sure exactly what I was envisioning for these babies but a quick search on Punchfork yielded a big variety of options. Ok, big might be an exaggeration but there were options. 

I decided to go with a "Mediterranean" flavor for these peppers and thankfully I already had a bunch of the ingredients in my fridge. Win! I mean these really couldn't have been easier. Well, they could be if I knew how to actually make rice. I'm terrible at making grains.

I actually made these on Sunday January 8th and froze them as a meal for theoretically the next week. If you are doing the math... that is 2 months back. So, if you decide to cook them fresh - or from the fridge - I'd estimate you'd set the oven to 400F for maybe 25-30 minutes. Since I was heating from the freezer, I cooked mine for 35 minutes. All of the ingredients are already cooked so you are pretty much just reheating.

Tips on freezing: If you want to freeze them (or put them in the fridge for a day or so), the GladWare tall entree container is perfect for 2 half peppers stacked up. I simply folded a piece of tinfoil for a layer ... which I then used to line the pan for cooking. Win and win.

So, this is how it all comes together. Ready? Set? Break.

(1) Rice is going to take the longest (if you know how to make it). So, make the rice. You need about 1/2 cup of uncooked rice for 4 pepper halves. So do your own math and make your own rice. 

(2) Now. Make your mixings. Saute those onions right up, toss in the ground beef, season with some garlic powder, salt and pepper. Tastes good right? No. You aren't done yet.

(3) Here comes the faux Mediterranean flavors. I diced up some baby tomatoes and calamata olives. Toss it on it. Better right? Now..... add a dash of red wine. I really mean a dash. Like a little more than a sip. Swoosh that business around. Toss in as much feta cheese as you want. I'm not judging.

(4) Cut the peppers in half from top to bottom. Not horizontally. Clean those babes right out and add a spoon full of rice to the bottom. Then add in the ground beef mixture and pack it in. Like, I really mean pack it in. Use that spoon to fill those crevices. 

Shopping List
1/2 cup of rice

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut as small as you want (at least in quarters)
1 tsp-ish garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup chopped calamata (or black) olives
2 T of red wine
Feta Cheese
1/3 lb lean ground beef