Italian Stuffed Peppers

My youngest loves stuffed peppers. I've botched them so many times but she's my youngest so....one more try.

This time was a huge smash hit. Moist. Fluffy. Creamy even. Flavorful through and through. No rubbery tasteless peppers or biting flavor. Had to share.

Now that I think about it, meatloaf, meatballs, stuffed peppers, all about the same thing.  Nobody wants dry any of that, so if you have a good meatball recipe try using it for your meatloaf!  In fact, meatloaf in Italian is "Polpettone"...Giant Meatball. This recipe is a LOT like my mother-in-law's meatballs.  Nuff said.

Preheat oven to 350.
4 medium size green peppers. I buy the cheap ones that are starting to turn yellow or red. They're better anyway.

Bowl A: Mix all together.
1 c cooked brown or white rice
1 lb ground beef, hopefully grass fed
2 eggs
1 chopped onion
1/2 c Italian breadcrumbs (or add a tsp Italian seasoning to regular crumbs)
1/2 c Parmesan
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp each salt and pepper

Bowl B: Mix all together
4 c tomato sauce, purée or passato
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
Pinch cayenne
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Italian seasoning

Extra Parmesan
Opt: mozzarella or provolone

Halve peppers through the stem, removing stem seeds and ribs. Blanche in boiling water for 2 min. Drain and set aside.

Salt and pepper the inside of the green pepper boats.
Pack the peppers with meat from Bowl A and place in a casserole dish. They shouldn't leave much space. Pour sauce from Bowl B over peppers, coating the whole pepper. Sauce will come up the sides. You'll want all the sauce.

Mound some parmesan on top of each stuffed pepper and bake for 1 hour 15 min.

Toss a loaf of bread in the oven the last 10 min to get crusty.

Remove from oven. Afterward I like to throw some bits of  shredded mozzarella or provolone on top to melt while it cools enough to eat. Serve with extra sauce.
Should serve 4-6 but make extra. Tried to take a picture but bowls were cleaned before I knew it!