Stuffed Peppers

Years ago, I asked my boyfriend what his favorite meal was he said Stuffed Peppers.  I'd actually never had them, so I looked through many recipes and tried many different versions.  After trying many recipes, this is the recipe I have created.  It's made with passata and an unusual spice blend that works together in a delicious way you wouldn't believe!

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. avocado oil
• 24 oz. passata
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig cilantro, + more for garnish
• 2 cups chicken broth
• salt, to taste

• Peppers

• 4 bell peppers, sliced in half lengthwise and seeded
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 cup rice
• 2 cups water
• 8 slices Munenster cheese
• salt & pepper to taste
• sour cream and sliced avocado, for serving

Serves 4 - 6
Cook Time: 45 minutes
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Preheat oven to 400.
Bring water to a boil over high heat; salt and add rice.  Cook according to package directions.
Heat a deep skillet over medium heat and saute onion in avocado oil until softened, add garlic and cook for one more minute.  Add passata and cook for about 5 minutes on low.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet brown beef over medium-high heat; salt & pepper to taste.  
Once passata has deglazed the sauce pan add remaining sauce ingredients and cook for about 15 minutes to meld flavors together.  Remove one cup sauce to save for serving.  Once beef has cooked through, pour sauce into beef pan (the deep pan) and add rice.  Allow sauce, beef, and rice to cook together for a few minutes until beef droppings have deglazed and the mixture is homogenous.
Pour 1/4 cup reserved sauce into a greased 2 quart dish and add peppers, cut side up (it sometimes helps to trim a little off the back side of the pepper so they lay flat).  Fill peppers with beef mixture and top with a slice of Munenster.  Cook in oven for 30 minutes to allow those peppers to soften.
Serve with sour cream and a garnish of cilantro.