Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers
From Julia Axtell…don’t know where she got it! I’ve made a few alterations and notes, many of them based on Julia’s advice

- 6-7 bell peppers of various colors, 1 3/4 to 2 pounds (I went ALL RED. They’re the best in my book.)
- 2-4 Tablespoons olive oil (I was out of olive oil – quel horreur! but canola oil worked like a charm)
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound sweet or hot italian sausage, casings removed
- 3 cups cooked rice (Julia used basic white rice and it was fabulous. I used a rice blend of Texmati, brown and wild rice and it was soooo yummy.)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut tops from peppers and remove seeds and ribs. If your peppers don’t want to stand up nicely, cut off part of the bottom as well to level the base of the pepper. Try not to cut through to the inside, but if you do it’s not the end of the world. Brush outside of peppers with olive oil.

In a medium frying pan, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2-4 minutes, or until softened. Crumble sausage meat into pan and cook, stirring to break up lumps, until it begins to lose its pinkness, 5-7 minutes. Drain the fat (use a slotted spoon or pat with papertowels).

Slightly beat egg in a large-ish mixing bowl. Add rice, parsley, cheese, salt, pepper and sausage/onion mixture. Mix well.

Stuff the bell peppers with rice filling, mounding top slightly. Place peppers in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Mix tomato sauce with water and pour into dish around peppers. Bake 45 minutes.