Dad's Stuffed Bell Peppers

1 . Stage

Cook the rice (if needed): If you are starting with raw rice, you'll need to cook it first. Cook the rice following the directions on the rice package.

2 . Stage

Steam the bell peppers: Cut the tops off of the bell peppers about 1/2 inch to 1 inch from the stem end and remove the seeds. (Save the extra bits of bell pepper for another dish such as Ground Turkey and Peppers .) Place a steaming rack in a large pot and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan by an inch. Place the bell peppers on the rack, cut side up, and bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot and let the peppers steam for 5 to 10 minutes until they start to soften. Note that you can skip the steaming if you want, but this step will help ensure that the peppers cook through thoroughly when they are stuffed and baked.

3 . Stage

Sauté onions and garlic: Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

4 . Stage

Make filling: Add the meat, cooked rice, cooked onions, tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Mix everything together with your hands or a wooden spoon, just enough so that the ingredients are all well distributed. Do not over-mix.

5 . Stage

Stuff the peppers: Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil inside the peppers. Arrange the cut side of the peppers up in a baking dish, then stuff peppers with filling. Combine ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl, then spoon over filling.

6 . Stage

Bake: Add 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish. Place in 350°F oven and bake for 40-50 minutes (or longer, depending on how big the peppers are that you are stuffing), until the internal temperature of the stuffed peppers is 150-160°F.