Summer is the season of potlucks, backyard barbecues and get-togethers. Here’s a crowd-pleasing menu item that you can easily cook up and will be a hit with the guests – Stuffed Bell Peppers!

As fancy and pretty as they look, they’re actually pretty easy to make – it just takes a bit of time. The best part about it is that you can make a big batch at once, and refrigerate them for the next day to have for lunch or dinner.

Serving size: 9
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Lean Ground Beef (you can substitute ground chicken or turkey)
Bell Peppers – 1 per person, pitted (keep the top)
1 Onion, chopped
1 can of Diced Tomatoes (large)
3 cups of cooked rice
3 cups of cheese
4-5 cloves Garlic, finely minced
Olive oil
Oregano
Salt & pepper

Direction: 
1. Wash the peppers & slice the top off. Leave enough skin at the top for it to be a cover over the stuffing.

2. In boiling water, drop in a few peppers at a time. Take them out when they start to soften (should be about 2 minutes each).  Flip them upside-down to rid of excess water & leave them to dry.

3. In a large pan, adjust heat to medium and add olive oil and garlic. Add the onions after a few minutes as the pan heats up.

At the same time, preheat your oven to 350°F.

4. Then, add the ground beef and sauté.

5. When the meat browns, add the diced tomatoes, cooked rice and oregano.

6. Add the cheese and salt & pepper to taste once the meat is cooked. Finally, mix in the cheese!

7. You don’t have to wait until the cheese is melted as that will happen in the oven.  Stuff each pepper with mixture all the way to the brim and sprinkle with more cheese (duh).

8. Pop them into the oven and bake them for 20 minutes.

They’re ready to eat alone or as an accompaniment. Enjoy!