| Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pepper and 1/3 cup sauce)
 Ingredients
 
 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
 4 medium red bell peppers
 3/4 pound ground sirloin
 1 cup chopped onion
 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
 1 teaspoon paprika
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
 2 cups bottled tomato-and-basil pasta sauce (such as Classico), divided
 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
 1/2 cup dry red wine
 Cooking spray
 
 Preparation
 
 Preheat oven to 450°.
 
 Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Set aside.
 
 While rice cooks, cut tops off bell peppers; reserve tops. Discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers, cut sides down, in an 8-inch square baking dish; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Cool.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and the next 5 ingredients (beef through allspice); cook 4 minutes or until beef is lightly browned, stirring to crumble. Remove from heat. Add rice, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and cheese to beef mixture, stirring to combine.
 
 While beef cooks, combine 1 1/2 cups pasta sauce and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
Spoon about 3/4 cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place peppers in a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; add wine mixture to pan. Cover with foil.
 
 Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake an additional 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve peppers with sauce. Garnish with pepper tops.
 
 Photo and recipe from Cooking Light
 |