Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 bell peppers any color

1 TB extra virgin olive oil

1

/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

3 garlic cloves minced

1 lb ground beef

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 TB Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 cup cooked rice

3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Wash the peppers and slice off the tops. Discard the seeds and membranes. Level the bottoms if necessary to stand up in your baking dish. Alternatively, you can prepare the peppers as pictured, by slicing the peppers in half and discarding the seeds and membranes.

Place the peppers in a baking dish with a lid (or use foil when the lid is needed). Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Add olive oil to a large skillet. When hot, saute the onion and garlic until softened and translucent.

Brown the ground beef, draining the extra fat if necessary. I brown the ground beef in the same skillet as the onion and garlic.

Add the tomato sauce and all the seasonings to a bowl, and mix well to combine.

When the beef is cooked through, stir in the sauce and cooked rice to coat all the ingredients (including the onions and garlic).

Evenly stuff the peppers, packing the filling in if necessary.

Cover and bake the peppers for 30-35 minutes, until the peppers are cooked to your desired texture, testing with a knife inserted in the side.

Sprinkle cheese over the stuffed peppers and return to the oven, uncovered, for five minutes to melt the cheese.