CREOLE-STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 8 Servings

Ingredients:
4 green bell peppers
1½ pounds lean ground beef (look for 93/7 or 95/5 on the package)
1 cup brown rice
1 small yellow onion, chopped
½ tsp Creole seasoning
2­–3 dashes hot sauce
6 slices processed, American cheese (2% Milk)
2 (15-ounce) cans crushed or diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese (2% Milk)

Method:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Cook rice according to package directions. Set aside. Wash each bell pepper; be sure to remove any stickers that may be attached. Slice each pepper down the middle so that the tops and bottoms remain intact. Remove the seeds and stem. In a large skillet, cook the onion and ground beef over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon to stir, cook until each grain of meat is separated. Continue cooking until all meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Add Creole seasoning and hot sauce. Add the American cheese slices to the meat mixture. Blend until cheese is melted thoroughly. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice. Pour tomatoes into a 9” x 13” baking dish. Stuff each bell pepper half with an equal amount of meat and rice mixture then place in baking dish directly in the crushed tomatoes. Top each bell pepper with equal amounts of the shredded Cheddar cheese. Cover baking dish loosely with aluminum foil. If the foil touches the cheese, the cheese may stick. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove dish and turn each pepper so that the portion facing outside of the dish is now facing inside. Return covered baking dish to the oven to bake 20–30 additional minutes or until peppers are tender and meat is slightly browning on the top. Baking time may vary. Serve each bell pepper with a bit of the tomatoes on the side along with a mixed green vegetable salad, corn on the cob, whole wheat roll and a glass of milk.