Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers

Step 1

Peel the eggplant and cube. You can soak the eggplant in salty water for 30 minutes to remove the bitterness. Set rice to cook.

Step 2

In medium saucepan add oil and brown the ground beef. Drain and remove from heat.

Step 3

In the same saucepan, add the onion, bell pepper, celery and sauté. Add the eggplant to the mixture and cook until the eggplant softens.

Step 4

Add the ground beef to the mixture and continue cooking until the eggplant is completely cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I like to add onion powder and garlic powder for extra taste but this is optional. Add rice to the mixture to the desired consistency wanted; the dish will look very similar to rice dressing.

Step 5

In a larger saucepan filled with water, parboil the bell peppers. Or you could shortcut the process by using your microwave. Works great.

Step 6

After the peppers have been parboiled, fill the peppers with the rice mixture. Place in a baking pan that has about 1/8 inch of water and cover with foil.

Step 7

With oven set at 300, bake 15 minutes, uncover and sprinkle seasoned breadcrumbs on the peppers. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve with green salad for a complete meal.