Stuffed Green Peppers

[alexcat.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Green, Red, Orange and Yellow Bell Peppers in anything!

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Stuffed Green Peppers

6 large green peppers or 8 medium, tops removed, seeded (Save the tops to add to stuffing)
1 pound lean ground beef (You could use ground turkey, too)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (I used the minced garlic that comes in a jar)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 (4 ounce) can green chilis, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drain and save the juice
1/2 cup minute rice (can use regular rice but need to cook it first if you do)
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce, Optional
Cheese for tops of peppers, about 1/2 cup shredded

In a large pot of boiling water, after you have removed the seeds and stems, boil the peppers for five minutes to soften them up. Remove from water and drain on paper towels. Brown the hamburger, onion, chopped pepper tops and drain if needed. Add the oregano, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, salt, garlic, basil, green chilis, drained diced tomatoes and minute rice. Simmer until rice is tender or about 5 minutes. Fill your peppers with the hamburger mixture. (If you are using the tomato sauce pour it over the filled peppers. Some people like a lot of tomato taste and use the sauce) Pour the drained tomato juice that you saved from the diced tomatoes into the bottom of your casserole dish. Bake peppers in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove and add shredded cheese to top of each pepper. Return to oven for five more minutes until cheese melts. This recipe makes 6 to 8 stuffed peppers. I would cut in half if only making four. Enjoy!