Food Blogging Friday: Pepe Rosso (That’s Italian for Red Pepper; work with me, will you?)

Today, because I am more than a baby-making factory (thank you very much), I am rolling out a new feature on this blog:  Food Blogging Friday!

One day, a few years back, my mouth started to water when I was thinking about the stuffed peppers of my youth.  So, I called the two ladies from whose kitchens these comfort food favorites were served, my Nan and my Aunt Donna.  I asked each one how to make stuffed peppers.  I took notes.  The two recipes had some similarities; rice, ground beef, cheese.  They had some distinct and mouthwatering differences as well.  So, I combined what I thought were the most delicious qualities of each recipe.  The result is a marriage of sorts.  It’s a fusion of ingredients, techniques, and family traditions.  Together, they have lived happily ever after.

To make this comfort food plate of goodness.  Follow these easy steps.

Start with five red peppers (we prefer red because it’s just who we are.  Green or yellow peppers will work just fine.)

Take a big knife and hack the tops off of them and then hollow them, rinsing out any seeds.

Then, take your five hallowed peppers, and put them into your large, oval crockpot insert.  Is there another name for this thing?

Then, chop up two small red potatoes.  I am guessing that most chefs would not approve of using a Pampered Chef food chopper.  I will not apologize.

Do the same with a small onion.  I love my food chopper.

Throw the potatoes and onions together in a large mixing bowl.

Add a pound of lean ground beef and your favorite seasonings to the mixing bowl.  Don’t be afraid to use the seasoning salt.  If you do not season your food with the proper amount of salt, your food will taste like the dinner special in the cafeteria of a retirement home.  Believe it.  This time, my seasonings of choice were basil and Goya Adobo (I love this stuff!)

Mix it all together, and don’t be afraid of the seasoning salt. I’m just sayin’.

Because I love my red Kitchenaid mixer (and because I designed my kitchen around this bad boy), I let it do all of the work.

Take the mixture, and stuff your peppers with it.  Put the peppers back into the crockpot insert.

Cover the peppers with 2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce.

Put it into the crockpot and set it on low.  Let the crockpot do all of the work, all day long.

When the time is right (6-8 hours later), serve it with some crusty bread and shredded sharp cheddar.  Enjoy!

The pepper gets nice and soft, it melts in your mouth!  We had this the following evening as well and we added a side of capellini (sort of like angel hair) noodles and replaced the cheddar with parmesan, heavenly!

The recipe:

5 peppers (red, yellow or green will do)

2 small red potatos

1 small onion

1 cup of instant rice (optional)

1 pound of lean ground beef

The seasonings of your choice (I used seasoning salt and basil.)

2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Classico’s Spicy Tomato Basil.)

Shredded sharp cheddar (You should shred your own.  It tastes better.  It’s the right thing to do.)

Hollow the peppers and rinse out any seeds.  Dice the potatoes and onion and place them in a large mixing bowl.  Add the rice if you are using it.  Add the ground beef and seasonings.  Mix it together and stuff the peppers with the mixture.  Place the peppers into a large, oval crockpot.  Cover with 2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Serve with cheese and crusty bread.