Barefoot's Stuffed Peppers

·         6 green bell peppers or multi colored-your preference (blanched)
·         1/2 tablespoon olive oil
·         1/2 cup chopped onion
·         1 /2 cup mushrooms (optional-but I love them and usually use more like a cup)
·         1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes (make sure it is not the no salt kind or be prepared to add some sea salt or something to combat the TANG)
·         1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce (next time I will used the Hunts Brand that has seasonings in it)-if you like more sauce you can add another can-which I Do!
·         1 clove garlic, crushed ( I will double this as well as I like more of a garlic flavor)
·         1 teaspoon oregano
·         1 teaspoon basil
·         1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
·         1/2 teaspoon onion power
·         2 teaspoons salt
·         1 teaspoon ground black pepper
·         1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
·         1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
·         1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice or quinoa
·         shredded mild Cheddar cheese, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, optional (It is best if you shred your own so you don’t get any of those nasties they use in the pre-shredded cheeses)

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cut tops off peppers then remove the insides. You can chop up the usable parts of the tops to use. Rinse peppers in cold water and place in a large pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain peppers and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté chopped onion, chopped of pepper tops, and chopped mushrooms for about 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, crushed garlic, oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce, ground beef, cooked rice, and 1-2 cups of the tomato mixture. Mix well. Stuff peppers with meat mixture and place in a baking dish. Pour remaining tomato mixture over the stuffed peppers. 

Bake at 350° for 1 hour.  Top stuffed peppers with a little Cheddar cheese right before peppers are done; bake until cheese is melted.

Tip: Sometimes you might want to baste the peppers with the sauce every 15 minutes or so, until they are tender.