Stuffed Tex-Peppers

So for Canada Day, I decided to make Stuffed Bell Peppers based on a recipe a co-worker had given me a while back, then mixed it up with some past experience and came up with the following recipe. They turned out great, much better than any other’s I’ve tried. I added a bit of a kick and some rice, and it really made these peppers stand out from the other stuffed pepper recipes I’ve made. Read on to see the pictures and full recipe for what I now call The Stuffed Tex-Peppers.

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 3 bell peppers, red, yellow, or green
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 2 small fresh tomatoes
• 5 fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon of beef bouillon
• 3 tablespoons Tex-Mix (dried onion, garlic powder, chili flakes, dried red/green bell peppers)
• 1 teaspoon salt (if desired)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup cooked long-grain rice (I used white rice though)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup of pickled jalapeños
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• about 1/2 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese, or fresh shredded Parmesan, or if you’re adventurous… both.

Brown and then strain any fat off of the ground beef from pan. Add the tomato paste, chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, soy sauce, hoisin, garlic, Tex-Mix, beef bouillon, salt, and pepper into the pan with the beef for approx 10 minutes or until the tomatoes become limp. In a separate bowl mix the cooked rice with one egg and the beef mix along with chopped jalapeños. In an oven safe casserole dish spread the olive oil along the bottom in preparation to place the peppers in. Cut the bell peppers in half, long way, and remove any seeds or stems. Stuff the peppers with the beef mix and top with assorted cheese. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes covered with tin foil, and an additional 30 minutes without the tin foil. Broil for an additional 5 minutes if desired to brown the cheese. If served with veggies, or other sides, this should be enough for 6 servings.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!