Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

Ingredients

6 Red Bell Peppers

½ Cup Rice

1 Cup Water

2 Tbl Oil (Olive Oil preferred)

1 Onion, Medium (or 1.5 Cups)

4 Cloves Garlic (Minced)

2 Tbl Salsa

1 Lb Ground Beef

1 ¾ Cups (14 oz.) Diced Tomatoes

      (About 3 Medium-sized tomatoes)

1 Tbl Parsley (Fresh or Dried)

1 Tbl Oregano (Fresh or Dried)

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Black Pepper (Ground)

1 Cup Cheese (Monterey Jack or Cheddar)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut tops off Red Bell Peppers, place in baking pan.

3. Cook Rice. Bring 1 Cup of water to a boil. Ad ½ Cup Rice, reduce heat to low, cover. Cook for about 20 minutes). Or cook to specific package instructions.

4. Add Oil and Onions to a skillet, cook 5 minutes (or until onions are translucent).

5. Add Garlic and Salsa and cook for one minute.

6. Add ground beef to skillet, cook until there is no pink on the beef.  Drain the fat and oil that remains.

7. Return ground beef to skillet, add cooked rice and diced tomatoes. Add parlsey, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.

8. Drizzle previously cut peppers with oil, spoon in ground beef mixture until filled. Cover with cheese.

9. Cover pan and peppers with foil. Bake for 35 minutes.

10. Uncover peppers, and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the cheese and make bubbly (optional).