Stuffed Peppers

I LOOOOVE stuffed peppers!! Jason isn't a huge fan of the pepper part but he loves the inside so when peppers are on sale, these are ALWAYS on my list!  :)

Ingredients
6 large red or green bell peppers
2½ cups long-grain white rice (or rice of your choice, I use Instant ::gasp::)
2 lbs lean ground beef
½ medium-size sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (Or jarred minced is fine)
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 10-oz can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 4 cups--You can use ANY cheese)
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut the bell peppers in half, top to bottom. Remove the seeds and the ribs. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, cook the rice according to package directions. In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Drain the meat. In a medium saucepan, bring the tomatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, tomatoes, pepper, and salt and mix until blended.

3. In a 9×13×2-inch pan, place the bell peppers skin side down. Evenly divide the beef mixture among the pepper halves. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. (cook time really depends on how soft you want the peppers)
Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese on the top. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.

TIP: Before using, wilt the pepper halves in boiling water for about 5 minutes. This will reduce the cooking time from 40 minutes to 15. Serves 6.

Enjoy!!  Dani :)