Stuffed Pepper

I know I know...."Eric where have you been?!" I am sorry, my blogging absence has been inexcusable! But, there has been a lot of new, life milestones happening lately...like...ohh....you know...BUYING A HOUSE!! Holy cow, talk about stressful! Not only was it the normal stress' of buying a house, but being a commissioned salesman takes it to a whole new level when they only accept 28.5% of your annual salary. But, it's in the rear view mirror now, we are moved in, and now just trying to make it feel like home. 

Stuffed Peppers has been a staple in my family for years, my mom makes them all the time. Quite honestly I was never a big fan of stuffed peppers, not because they weren't good...I just didn't have a taste for them. So it kind of surprised me when they sounded really really good to me the other day. This is a fantastic summer recipe, because bell peppers are awesome this time of year and it's just a dish that is easy, doesn't cost a lot, and is a dish that can be enjoyed with family and friends out on the patio. I also feel this recipe would be fantastic on the grill....over indirect heat (I'll try this whenever I get a grill). Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
2 cups water
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 pound hot Italian pork sausage, casing removed
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
4 large red bell peppers, tops removed and seeded
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 Cup mozzarella, shredded

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the cooked rice aside.
3. Cook onion and olive oil over medium heat until onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Stir tomato sauce, beef broth, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes into the skillet; cook and stir for 1 minute.
5. Pour tomato sauce mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
6. Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, diced tomatoes, Italian parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into bowl with reserved onions; mix well. Stir in cooked rice and Parmigiano Reggiano. Stuff red bell peppers with beef and sausage mixture.
7. Place stuffed red bell peppers in the baking dish over tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
8. Remove aluminum foil and top each pepper with mozzarella cheese. Bake until the meat is no longer pink, the red peppers are tender and the cheese is browned on top, an addition 20 to 25 minutes.

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