Best Stuffed Peppers of Your Life

I love anything that can be left to cook in a pot for hours. I love the smells that fill the house from slow cooking this way. Just smelling it is such a comfort. Takes me back to the days I lived at home and being cooked for by mommy or grandma. This is a good meal that tastes like its been cooked all day but really it'll take you about a little over an hour. I have experimented with several different kinds of stuffed peppers, but this one takes the gold! I did pair my peppers with large couscous in pesto, with sweet peas and shaved parmesan... Perfection! 

Servings: 6
Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground sausage (I used sweet Italian... If it comes in casings, simply just cut the casings out and dispose. I have also used spicy chicken sausage, YUM!)
1/2 lb ground sirloin (I like to keep it lean but I wouldn't go extra lean)
6 peppers (any color, I used yellow)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped 
1 cup cooked rice (I used Jasmine)
1 can mild or original Rotel (I used original but if you don't like spicy then use mild)

2 cups shredded cheddar (or your favorite cheese)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup dry red wine
Salt & pepper
*Optional- Pinch or 2 of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Olive oil

Directions:

• Set the oven to preheat at 375 degrees. 
  
• Cook the rice per the instructions on the package and set aside... I usually take the rice off before its fully cooked as it will continue cooking in the meat sauce while in the oven. 
  
• Take a large skillet and drizzle some olive oil while setting it to medium high. 
  
• Add the onion and allow to saute for about 2 minutes then add the garlic (best smells in the world when sautéing).
  
• Toss those a few times to let the flavors release and then add the sausage and beef.Season with salt and pepper and the crushed red pepper which is optional, I absolutely LOVE the kick of spice. 
  
• With a wooden spoon, break apart all of the meat while in the pan and get it browned up!
  
• Add Rotel and wine 
  
• Allow everything to simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes. 
• Add chopped parsley and cooked rice. 
  
• Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. 
  
• Season with salt and pepper. 
  
• Cut the tops off the peppers and pull out the seeds and pulp and place in a oven-safe dish carefully so that they won't fall over (you can help the peppers stand by slicing off the rounded bottom pieces slightly, careful not to create any holes)and stuff them with the beefy goodness. 
  
• Drizzle olive oil all over the peppers. 
  
• Cover the whole dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. 
  
• Remove foil- top the peppers with remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
  

You will probably, no, you will most definitely have leftovers.... but thats the best part! I love how flavors like these taste the day after when they have had a chance to marry well into each other. If you have leftover filling, you can freeze it for a future meal, how about stuffing some acorn squash?! 

If you want to make smaller portions and double the servings, just cut each pepper in half before stuffing. Again, you can pair this with anything or you can leave it as a perfect little well-rounded meal. I know I have a lot of carbs in this dish, but I wanted a comfort meal and carbs are my security blanket. I wanted all my favorite things and this is what I came up with. Cheesy, meaty goodness with couscous in fresh pesto... yes yes yes yes. But definitely, don't plan to go out in your itty bitty dress the night you make this. Prepare the sweat pants. xoxo