Recipe(tried): Stuffed Peppers (with freeze ahead instructions)

STUFFED PEPPERS

This was my favorite as a child. Now a family favorite. My husband is a trucker on the road all week. He wants these every weekend. They freeze well before baking*.

3 cups uncooked rice (or if using Minute Rice enough for 6 servings)
4 large sweet peppers (red or yellow sweet peppers are good too and less bitter)
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage, out of casings (hot or sweet or a combination of both depending on preference)
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 large can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup grated parmesan/Romano cheese
1 (8 oz) pkg. mozzarella cheese, shredded

RICE:
Begin by cooking rice while preparing filling. If using long cooking rice, prepare according to directions using 3 cups of uncooked rice. If using the 'Minute Rice' type of rice prepare according to directions for 6 servings.

PEPPER CUPS:
Meanwhile, slice about 1/2 inch off the top of each pepper and clean out ribs and seeds. Set aside the pepper cups. Use the tops to chop finely along with the onion and garlic and set aside.

Fill a large pot with enough hot water to just cover the 4 pepper cups. Bring to boil on high and then turn heat down, place the pepper cups in the pan, and let simmer about 10 minutes. This should just par- boil them. They will finish cooking in the oven. Drain cups upside down on paper towels.

SAUCE:
Chop the ground beef and the sausage up in a large skillet as you brown it on medium heat being careful to not over brown it.

When there is enough fat in the pan from the meat juices, add the garlic, onion and chopped pepper tops, let saute for about 10 minutes stirring until onions are transparent.

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes and stir well. Turn up heat to medium and let come to just bubbling slowly. Turn down to simmer and simmer, stirring often so as not to scorch, until sauce is no longer watery and flavored through (about 30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove about 1 cup of the sauce and set aside. Mix the cooked rice in with remaining sauce.

In a baking dish just large enough to hold the peppers, spread a thin bed of rice mixture on the bottom. Stand the peppers upright in the bed of rice. Fill each pepper with rice mixture till over flowing. Sprinkle each with some of the Parmesan/Romano cheese, a bit of the reserved sauce and a handful of mozzarella. Pack the remaining rice around the peppers and use any remaining cheeses, sauce etc. on it*.

Bake in a preheated oven about 30 minutes until peppers are very soft and cheese is golden and bubbly**.

MAKE AHEAD:
I make these up ahead for nights when I am not going to be home. I do the same with many meals. Cook double and freeze the second meal in single portions. It's just like the ones at the grocery store only it tastes better and costs a whole lot less. My husband takes some on the road with him. He likes to share and show of my cooking skills. The only problem with that is he runs out of food too soon.

*TO FREEZE BEFORE BAKING:
Wrap the pepper-filled baking dish and freeze. To bake frozen peppers, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking 20 minutes more.

**TO FREEZE AFTER BAKING:
Cool baked peppers and freeze individually wrapped portions to microwave later.