Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers

These Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers are loaded with protein, veggies and grains. They are my family’s new favorite dish and they don’t take much time to make. Last couple times I’ve made these, I cooked them in one of my favorite sauces, which makes the dish more flavorful and delicious. One of the reasons I enjoy doing stuffed bell peppers is because my daughters can participate. While we are stuffing the peppers together, we have the time for deeper, more open conversations, which brings us closer. Makes me super happy when my girls are excited to help me in the kitchen.

You can also freeze uncooked stuffed bell peppers in a ziplock bag. When ready to cook, place them in bake dish, prep the sauce, and bake.

Stuffed bell peppers have been on my bucket list for few month already, and I’m so glad to finally cross it off my list.

Ingredients:

Peppers:

3lb Mini bell peppers

3 cups cooked rice (basmati rice is my every time favorite)

1lb ground pork

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup extra light olive oil

salt and pepper

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

Sauce:

2 cups half and half

1/2 cup heavy whip cream (optional), if you want your sauce to be more creamy

2 cups water

2 tbsp chicken “Better Than Bouillon”

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup shredded carrots

1 big tomato (blended)

1/2 cup Italian parsley

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper

Sour cream and green onions for serving.

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees F.                                                                            
2. Clean the bell peppers, remove the seeds.
3. Cook rice seasoned with salt + pepper + extra light olive oil.                                   
4. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chopped onions and shredded carrots into a heated pan. Cook for about 4 minutes. The veggies suppose to be slightly cooked. Mix rice + meat + veggies evenly. Stuff mini peppers with the mixture. Place your stuffed mini bell peppers into a large stove pot.                
5. Time for the sauce: In the same skillet, cook chopped onions and carrots for 4 minutes. Pour half and half + water + salt + pepper + bouillon. P.S. Add heavy whip if you would like your sauce to have more creamy texture. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 2 minutes and add blended tomato and chopped Italian parsley . Pour the sauce over bell peppers and add a bay leaf on a top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes (approximately). TURN OFF the oven and let your stuffed bell peppers stay in the oven for hour or more. That way the peppers will cook perfectly. Don’t over cook them. If your oven is strong then 30 minutes might be enough. Just take one bell pepper out and taste it :). Don’t forget that while they are staying in the hot stove pot, they are still cooking. If you are planning to serve them immediately, then give them 10 more minutes to stay in the oven (40 min all together). I usually make them for Sundays , so I am stuffing them the night before and do the sauce in the morning. Baking them for 30 minutes and letting them stay in the oven till we are back from church. That way they are still hot and in a perfect condition.
7. Serve Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers  with sour cream and green onions or any other fresh herbs.