Mom's Stuffed Green Peppers

Stuffed green, red and Anaheim peppers

As an adult the first recipe I asked my mother for was her delicious stuffed green peppers.  Served with mashed potatoes and thickened sauce this was an inexpensive family staple.  When my sons were little, they'd strip off the pepper, and mash the potatoes and stuffing along with the gravy into a sad looking but tasty concoction.  I remembered doing the same thing as a kid so we always just smiled when they'd mash their entree into a pinkish gruel.  Occasionally, I'd try to improve Mom's recipe but the kids always complained that I had ruined the dish.  As adults they appreciate my version, but I've included the original in case they ever want to recreate Grandma's recipe. 

Stuffed Green Peppers As Shown

 1 14.5 oz. can Hunts Petite Diced Tomatoes

13 oz. Trader Joes Marinara Sauce (1/2 Jar)

4 finely chopped garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. Italian herbs

1 short squirt Srirachi sauce

6 oz. can of Hunts tomato sauce

5 large green peppers

1 red pepper

2 Anaheim peppers

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

2/3 cup rice

1 lightly beaten egg

1 medium onion very finely chopped

3 squirts catsup

salt and pepper

Add the first 6 ingredients to a large stockpot, mix well and gently bring to a simmer.   Add the ground beef, rice, egg, chopped onion, catsup, salt, pepper to a large mixing bowl and mix well.  Wash the peppers, cut off the pepper tops, use a spoon to remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers.  Spoon the stuffing into the peppers, leaving room for expansion.  Gently lower the stuffed peppers into the sauce and ladle some sauce over the stuffed peppers.  Bring pot to a gentle boil, lower heat to a simmer and cover.  Cook for two hours.  Remove peppers and thicken sauce, serve with mashed potatoes.  

Mom's Stuffed Green Peppers

2 cans Campbells Condensed Tomato Soup

6 large green peppers

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef

2/3 cup rice

1 lightly beaten egg

1 medium onion very finely chopped

3 squirts catsup

salt and pepper

Add the two cans of Campbells Condensed Tomato Soup to a large 8 quart stock pot.  Add two cups of water mix well and gently bring to a simmer.  Add the ground beef, rice, egg, chopped onion, catsup, salt, pepper to a large mixing bowl and mix well.  Wash the peppers, cut off the pepper tops, use a spoon to remove the seeds and membrane from the peppers.  Spoon the stuffing into the peppers, leaving room for expansion.  Gently lower the stuffed peppers into the sauce and ladle some sauce over the stuffed peppers.  We'd firm up any leftover meat/rice into a meatball and cook those along with the peppers.  Return to a boil, cover and then lower heat to a gentle simmer.  Simmer for two hours, remove peppers and meatballs, thicken sauce (usually just takes a couple minutes boiling and stirring) and serve with mashed potatoes.