Stuffed Green Peppers

I've been really busy with schoolwork and research this week, so I didn't get a chance to post about the dinner I made Sunday night! I made a set of stuffed green peppers (only requiring half the recipe) and it turned out to be quite the filling meal. In the process of preparing the food, I learned that I should not try to chop green peppers and onions in the food processor at the same time. Why you might ask? Because a green pepper is full of water and onions are not, so when you combine them, you get more of a mushy consistency as opposed to the chopped sensation you were going for. This is only a problem when you are trying to saute the onions, because you can't tell how it's going since they are more much then onion.

Overall, this recipe was fairly simple, especially since you might typically have most of the ingredients on hand with the exception of the peppers themselves. It's very filling, and while it takes a little longer to cook because it requires work on the stovetop and in the oven, it's worth it at the end. Don't bother making a side dish, because this will be filling enough due to the rice and other ingredients!!

Cooking Notes: I left out the fennel and halved the recipe for just two people.

Stuffed Green Peppers (adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen; serves 2)
2 large green bell peppers (cap cut off, seeds removed, bottom trimmed)
1/2 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp + 1/2 tsp olive oil
4 oz. Italian (or other) sausage
1/4 tsp Greek or Italian oregano
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Cook rice according to package directions.

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Trim the bottom of the bell peppers so they can stand flat. Cut off a generous amount of stem and then remove seeds, placing hollowed pepper on baking dish sprayed with non-stick. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet, then saute diced onion for 3-4 minutes until soft, but not brown. Remove from skillet, add 1/2 tsp more olive oil, then squeeze sausage out of casing and cook until it's lightly browned, breaking apart with spoon. Return onions to pan with sausage, add dried spices and saute 2-3 minutes to blend flavors. Then add cooked rice and Parmesan cheese, seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste, and cook long enough to warm, about 1-2 minutes.

Stuff the filling mixture into the hollowed-out peppers, using a spoon to press the mixture down so it's tightly packed. Bake peppers for 30 minutes, then remove from oven and put a generous pinch of grated mozzarella on top of each. Put peppers back in oven and bake for about 10-15 minutes more until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Recipe: Kalyn's Kitchen: Stuffed Green Peppers