Paula’s Stuffed Peppers

These peppers have a bit of a southwestern flair with the addition of corn and a touch of cayenne pepper!

 

1/2 cup Japonica Rice
1/2 cup Brown Rice
3 cups water
6 Bell Peppers (red, yellow, orange)
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Onion, cut into medium dice
3 Gloves Garlic, minced
1 lb Lean or Extra Lean Ground Beef
1 Jar Newman’s Own Sockaroni Sauce
1 Cup Frozen Sweet Corn
Salt and pepper to Taste
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper (option)
1 cup finely shredded Mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large dutch oven or pot, place enough water to fill pot to 2/3 full and bring to a boil. While you are waiting for the water, prepre the rice.

2. In a small sauce pan, add Japonica rice and 1.5 cups of water. Bring to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook rice until done.

3. In a seperate small pan, add brown rice and the other 1.5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook rice until done.

NOTE: If you don’t mind the Japonica rice coloring the brown rice, you can save yourself a pot and cook both rices together. I liked the look cooking the rices seperately gave to the dish.

While the rice cooks:

5.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, place oil oil and heat until the oil just begins to shimmer. Add onions and garlic to the skillet. When onions starting to turn translucent, add ground beef to skillet and brown.

6. Trim the tops off the peppers, remove the seeds and core, then parboil them for 2-3 minutes.

Peppers should be softer than when they went into the pot, but not soft enough that they lose their shape. Place peppers upside down on paper toweling so they can drain.

7. Once the ground beef has browned, add jar of Sockarooni sauce. Take a little bit water and swish it around inside the jar to get all the sauce. Bring up to a simmer.

8.  Place rice into a large mixing bowl. Add sweet corn and lightly toss.

Stir in meat sauce. Add salt and pepper. And if you want a little bit of heat add the 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.

9. Place peppers in baking dish and fill with rice, corn and meat mixture.

Cover the peppers with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

10. After 45 minutes, pull peppers out of the oven and remove aluminum foil. Sprinkle with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven and cook until tops are nicely melted and browned.

10. Sprinkle a bit more parmesan on and you are ready to dig in!!!