Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers

Instructions

1. Prepare the Peppers and Oven

1. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Prep Peppers: Wash the peppers. Slice them in half lengthwise and scoop out all the seeds and membranes.
3. Base Sauce: Pour about $1/2$ cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the pepper halves cut-side up in the dish.

2. Cook the Filling

1. Brown Meat: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it is fully browned. Drain off any excess grease.
2. Aromatics: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the onion is soft.
3. Season: Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, the rest of the tomato sauce (about $1/2$ cup), Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add Rice: Stir in the cooked rice. Remove the filling from the heat.

3. Stuff and Bake

1. Stuff: Using a spoon, scoop the meat and rice mixture generously into each pepper half. Press down gently to ensure the filling is packed well and slightly mounded.
2. Initial Bake (Covered): Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. This allows the peppers to steam and soften without burning the filling.
3. Add Cheese: Remove the foil. Evenly sprinkle the shredded Mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper.
4. Final Bake (Uncovered): Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden brown, as shown in the photo.

4. Serve

• Serve the stuffed peppers hot, spooning a bit of the sauce from the bottom of the dish over the