Planned Leftovers

Have you been to your local farmer's market lately? Or, even better, have any bell peppers from your own garden that are ready to be picked?

Try this recipe for dinner one night, double it and make stuffed peppers the next night. Or, even better, triple it and make two batches of stuffed peppers, one for night #2 and one for the freezer - they turn out great this way.

I got the basic recipe on Hillbilly Housewife, which I happen to love. I've added and subtracted and basically throw whatever I have in to it but here's how I do it most of the time:

Taco Rice

(this recipe serves 8)

2 cups long grain brown rice

1 pound of hamburger

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon each oregano & cumin & garlic powder

1 chopped onion (I often add sliced celery, carrots and peppers if I have them)

16 oz can chopped tomatoes

4 cups water

Using a dutch oven, brown the hamburger with the onion and other veggies if you are using them over medium heat. Add the rice and seasonings when the hamburger is almost done, until the rice is toasty and slightly opaque. Add the tomatoes and water. Stir it up and bring it to a boil. When it starts to boil, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to very low. Cook for 45 minutes. My family really loves it when I shredded a little cheddar cheese over the each individual bowl.



To make stuffed peppers: (makes 6-8 peppers)

Double the above recipe

Add 1 can of tomato paste to the leftover rice mix

core and stuff 6 large or 8 small peppers, place the peppers in a 9x13 pan

bake at 350 for 35 minutes


Yum!