Cut the peppers in half and remove the ribs, stemp and seeds. Chop any edible tops of the peppers, set aside.
BLANCH THE PEPPERS
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil – add the pepper, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain peppers and set aside.
MAKE THE FILLING
Brown the ground beef, drain fat and remove beef to a plate.
Heat olive oil and butter in the same skillet, then cook the peppers (from tops) and onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, worcestershire, garlic, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl combine the egg, cooked ground beef, cooked rice, and 1 cup of the tomato mixture.
ASSEMBLY
Set the peppers in a baking dish. Stuff each pepper with the rice and meat mixture.
Pour remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers.
COOKING
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes – top with cheese during the last 5 minutes, and bake until cheese is melted.
Notes
DO YOU HAVE TO BOIL PEPPERS BEFORE STUFFING THEM?No, you don’t HAVE to – but I think blanching them is the best way to get the max flavor.
DO YOU HAVE TO COOK MEAT BEFORE STUFFING PEPPERS?You don’t have to, but I do to have the ability to drain the fat off the meat! If you choose not to precook, don’t worry -the meat will cook right in the peppers in the oven. As long as you don’t stuff them too tightly, it cooks pretty quickly. Increase the time by 20 minutes to 55 minutes.
WHAT COLOR PEPPERS SHOULD I USE?I like to mix it up and use as many different ones I can find, but if I have to choose one color, I’d choose red bell peppers for their sweetness!
CAN YOU MAKE STUFFED PEPPERS IN A SLOW COOKER?You sure can. Just cut the bell peppers in half the “other” way – and stand them up in the slow cooker. Cook on high for about 3 hours. Then add the cheese, pop the lid on until the cheese if fully melted.