Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients

• 4 bell peppers (assorted colors), stemmed and seeded
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 2 strips bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• Hot sauce, to taste

Procedure

1. Combine cheese, bacon, butter, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Place into a piping bag without a tip and pipe into each pepper.
2. Place on an ungreased half-sheet pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven about 35 minutes, or until browned and bubbly on top. Serve immediately.

(German Version)

Ingredients

• 3 bell peppers
• 500g (1/2 pound) ground beef or beef and pork mixed
• 0.5 litres (1 16oz can) tomato sauce
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) uncooked rice, any type
• salt and pepper

Procedure

1. wash peppers, then carefully, using a thin knife, cut around the stem end about a 5cm (2in) circle to open the pepper. Save this piece. Using a spoon or knife cut inside to remove remaining seeds and white membrane. Rinse well inside and out, put aside.
2. start rice cooking with 1 cup water, boil for 15 minutes and set aside
3. cook meat until brown draining fat with a spoon
4. mix rice, meat, and 1 tablespoon sauce together in bowl when all is cooled down
5. using your fingers, stuff peppers with this mixture until full, cover with pepper top which was cut off.
6. place in pot sized so they cannot tip over, pour in remaining sauce and any leftover rice-meat mixture.
7. add water as needed to keep at least 2/3s covered during cooking and cook with a cover.
8. cook under medium to high heat (watch so it does not boil over) for about 25 minutes or until peppers seem soft (all ingredients are already cooked so it is a matter of taste, soft and squishy or al dente peppers!
9. remove and plate with sauce from pot.