Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers

Name: Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers
Yield: 6 servings of 1 pepper
Ingredients: 1/2 cup uncooked instant white rice; 3/4 cup finely diced onion; 2 garlic cloves, pressed; 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning Mix; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper; 1 1/4 cups spaghetti or marinara sauce, divided; 2 links hot Italian sausage (8 oz), casings removed; 12 oz 90% lean ground beef; 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided; 6 medium green bell peppers

Ingredients

1/2 cup uncooked instant white rice
3/4 cup finely diced onion
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning Mix
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups spaghetti or marinara sauce, divided
2 links hot Italian sausage (8 oz), casings removed
12 oz 90% lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
6 medium green bell peppers

Directions

Combine rice with ½ cup boiling water in Classic Batter Bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add onion, pressed garlic, seasoning mix, salt, black pepper and ¾ cup of the spaghetti sauce to batter bowl; mix well. Break sausage into small pieces into batter bowl. Add beef and 1 cup of the cheese; mix gently but thoroughly.
Cut tops off of bell peppers; remove stems and seeds. Pierce bottoms of peppers several times with tip of Utility Knife. Place peppers cut-side up in Deep Covered Baker. Divide meat mixture evenly into peppers. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 15-18 minutes or until internal temperature of meat mixture in each pepper registers 160ºF.
Carefully remove baker from microwave. Divide remaining sauce evenly over tops of peppers. Cover; microwave 1-2 minutes or until sauce is hot. Top with remaining cheese. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove peppers from baker using Chef’s Tongs, allowing excess liquid to drain from peppers.

Yield:

6 servings of 1 pepper

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 360, Total Fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Cholesterol 65 mg, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 25 g, Sodium 940 mg, Fiber 4 g

U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving:

1½ starch, 1 vegetable, 3 medium-fat meat (1½ carb)

Cook's Tips:

To bake in a conventional oven, preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare recipe as directed, spooning remaining sauce over peppers before baking. Bake, covered, 1 hour or until internal temperature of meat mixture in each pepper registers 160°F. Proceed as recipe directs.