Recipe: Beef-Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

sussie,wy (3:03:31 PM) :

Beef-Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
Recipe By : Jo Anne Merrill
Serving Size : 6

6 tomatoes
1/2 pound ground beef -- * see note
1/2 cup onions -- chopped
1/2 cup green peppers -- diced
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon basil -- or 2 tsp fresh
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup bread stuffing cubes, seasoned
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim milk -- shredded

* Leave ground beef out for a meatless dish, or substitute part ground beef, part mild Italian sausage.
1. Cut slice off top of tomato and scoop out pulp. Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon for ease of removing pulp. Chop pulp and tops then drain and set aside.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat and brown beef, onion and green peppers; about 5-7 minutes. Drain off excess fat that accumulates.
3. Add chopped tomato tops and pulp, corn syrup, worcestershire sauce, basil, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes until thick and bubbling. Remove from heat, add stuffing
mix and Parmesan cheese.
4. Spoon carefully into tomato shells. Place tomatoes into an 11 x 7 x 2-inch pan or baking dish that will hold all tomatoes without crowding. Top each tomato with 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
Yield: 6 servings. For best taste try to get vine-ripened tomatoes.