Stuffed Sweet Bell Peppers

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 Large bell peppers, assorted 
2/3 Cups rice, long grain white  (if doing brown, this will take much longer to cook)
2 Pounds beef, ground chuck
1/2 Tbls Silver Service Chef's California Steak Rub
2 Tbls worcestershire sauce 
2/3 Cups onion, yellow chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 Ounce(wt)s mushrooms, canned**
1 to taste salt and pepper 
1 Tbls oil, olive 
2 Cups cheese, cheddar medium shredded
16 Ounce(wt)s sauce, tomato 
6 Ounce(wt)s tomato paste 
1/2 Cup water 
1/3 Cup wine, dry red 


Tools Needed:
12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover
Pyrex Grip-Rite 2-Quart Oblong Baking Dish, Clear
Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press
Rosle Can Opener 


Chef's Note:
My mother always did this with canned mushrooms. The thought kind of turns me to stone, but to each his own. If you are like me, then slice 8 ounces of fresh creminis and saute them in a little butter.  This means to melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat and add the mushrooms and top with a little salt then leave them ALONE.  Every 5 minutes, you can stir them around and then walk away again.  Just make sure they don't burn, but if you keep moving them around, they will get watery.  Trust me.

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut off tops of peppers, chop and reserve. Remove seeds and membrane from the peppers and slice each in half, lengthwise. 

Brown meat in oil, remove and drain off fat. Saute onions and garlic with the chopped pepper tops until soft.  Add canned mushrooms and heat through. Remove veggies.  Add rice and steak rub.  Toast in pan for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, wine, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Add Veggies back to pan.  Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. 

Add half of the cheese. Place peppers on bottom of casserole. Pour meat/rice mixture over peppers. Cover with remaining grated cheddar. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is golden.