Stuffed Peppers with Heat

Stuffed Peppers with Heat

Difficulty level: Medium 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef 
• 6 bell peppers, tops & cores removed
• 1/2 cup uncooked white or brown rice 
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes 
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Kosher salt & finely ground black pepper 
• 1 cup Sweet Grass Dairy Heat Cheese, shredded 
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and cook the rice according to package directions. 
2. While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until it becomes soft and translucent, which takes about 7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for about 1 minute. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook it, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until it is browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat from the skillet. 
3. Mix the cooked rice and diced tomatoes into the beef mixture. Season generously with dried oregano, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer and thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. 
4. Prepare a 13"x9" baking dish by arranging the bell peppers cut side up. Drizzle them with a bit of olive oil. Fill each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, packing it in tightly. Sprinkle the shredded Heat cheese over the tops. Cover with aluminum foil. 
5. Bake the stuffed peppers in the oven for roughly 35 minutes, until the peppers are tender. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. 
6. Before serving, garnish the peppers with chopped fresh parsley for a burst of color and flavor. Serve warm.