I made six stuffed pepper halves around 6:30 AM on Wednesday morning. First I opened the front and back doors and put on the fans. It is quite cool this time of day so all the cooking and baking does not heat up the house. As an added plus I am a morning person and at my energy peak first thing in the AM. It’s all downhill from then on. The idea of merely heating my pre-made dinner in the microwave at dinner time is very appealing to me.

For the peppers I used red bell peppers. They are more easily digestible although more expensive than green ones. My stuffing consisted of sautéed ground beef seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. After skimming the grease out of the pan, I sautéed some chopped onions and then added tomato paste. A little wine deglazed the pan. I added a large can of crushed tomatoes and enough cooked rice to thicken the sauce.

The red bell pepper shells got a head start cooking with four minutes in the microwave. Then I put the filling into the shells, added a little of the leftover crushed tomatoes, and baked them in a 350F oven for 30 minutes. After baking I let them cool off and then put them in the refrigerator until it was time for dinner.

I like a dinner that incorporates meat, vegetables, and a starch all in one. Stuffed peppers checks all those boxes.