I always know when fall has officially arrived because bell peppers go on sale. And because I am who I am, I simply can’t pass by these big beauties without taking a couple four home with me. And although I like stuffed red, yellow, and orange peppers, my favorite is still stuffed green bell peppers. Blame my parents if blame must be assigned. Because they always stuffed green peppers. Of course, there were no red, orange, or yellow bell peppers to be had when I was a kid. Or at least in my childhood grocery shopping memory, there were not an array of colored bell peppers from which to choose. If you wanted a bell pepper, it was green. Period!

But from the first time I can remember stuffed peppers, I liked them. But then, I preferred green onions to ice cream when I was barely walking. (Or so I was told!) So, as the saying goes, there is no accounting for taste.

But as an adult, I still adore stuffed peppers. And often times, what I stuff them with is what I happen to have on hand. In this case, I can attribute this recipe to us bringing home all the non-perishables from our trailer before we take it in for winterization. I had exactly ¼ cup of a rice mixture left in one of our trailer storage containers. (Why I didn’t use that last ¼ cup in the trailer when last I made rice, I will never fathom. But then, there are lots of things about myself that I have yet to understand. So, why should a simple thing like a quarter cup of unused rice be any different? But I digress…….)

Anyway, the rice along with a half-pound of bulk Italian sausage that was languishing in our freezer, and a lone home-grown tomato that desperately needed to be eaten, all contributed to this thrown together recipe. But somehow, it worked. Also, you will notice from the picture that I used 2 red bell peppers. That’s what I had on hand. And they tasted fine. But, next time, I will make this recipe with green bell peppers. I simply like the bite from green bell peppers better. But it’s all a matter of taste, so don’t let me dictate which bell peppers you should use. Use whichever you prefer. Just make the darn things. They are easy to prepare, quite economical, and taste divine. And bake potatoes to go along with the peppers. Add a simple salad or steamed veggie and dinner is on the table. Very little fuss required. And fairly healthy too. And isn’t that we are all after these days.

So, for today, my work here is done. I’ve given you a recipe for a simple, healthy entrée. The ball is now in your court.

Peace and love to all.  

¼ c. rice (I used a rice mixture)

½ c. chicken broth

2 green bell peppers (or red, orange, or yellow if you must)

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ lb. bulk Italian sausage

¼ yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

½ c. diced tomato, fresh or canned

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. fennel seeds

¼ tsp. dried oregano

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1 c. grated cheese (Mozzarella, Jack, cheddar, etc.), divided   

Place the rice and broth in a covered saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, leave covered, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender but still has some bite. (Most of the broth will be absorbed at this point.) Remove from heat and let sit uncovered until needed.

Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise. Discard the ribs and seeds. Place in a lightly greased shallow baking pan, preferably one with a lid. (If you don’t have a pan with a lid, you can cover the pan with aluminum foil after you have placed the peppers into the pan.)

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan. And the sausage and crumble as it cooks until it’s nicely browned. Add the onion and cook until the onion is starting to soften. Add the garlic. Cook for one minute. 

Add the diced tomato. Cook until no liquid remains.

Add the salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, and cooked rice. Stir to blend all the ingredients.

Remove from heat and stir in half of the cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stuff the half peppers with sausage mixture, dividing equally and gently packing the mixture down.

Bake covered in a preheated 375-degree oven for 60 minutes or until the peppers are tender. Remove from oven, remove lid, and add the remaining cheese on top of the peppers. Return the pan uncovered to the oven. Bake for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Serve hot out of the oven.