Anticipation and Beef and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers with Rice Pilaf...

Today was a day that I had anticipated in many ways, good and bad. Sometimes you can know too much and hit the nail on the head with your "diagnosis," so to speak. Well, today was one of those days. Remind me later to fill you in on all the details! 

Oh! I also have a little secret for you... for $1.xx these little beauties save me so much time and from my hands stinking like onions for days and days on end. At my grocery store, they are in the freezer section with the french fries and stuff.

Now, on to the recipe for tonight's supper! Oh! I will also tell you that this recipe is much more time consuming then what I typically make. While it was delicious, it does take some time to get it all ready and put together. Also, I left out the spinach tonight. I had forgotten to thaw some out. The yummy rice pilaf is Schwan's 5 Grain Rice Pilaf and Oh My, God! It is delicious!


Beef and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

6 large green bell peppers, tops removed and peppers seeded 
1 lb ground beef 
8 oz package fresh mushrooms, chopped

1⁄2 cup chopped green bell pepper, from the cut tops 
1⁄2 onion, chopped 
1 cup packed chopped fresh spinach (I skipped this)

141⁄2 oz can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings, drained 
1 tablespoon tomato paste 
1⁄2 teaspoon salt 
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap 6 bell peppers individually in aluminum foil; place in a baking dish coated with cooking spray, and bake 25 minutes. Cook ground beef, mushrooms, chopped bell pepper and onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until beef browned and crumbly; drain beef mixture, and return to skillet. Stir in spinach, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Unwrap peppers; spoon beef mixture evenly into peppers. Place peppers upright in baking dish, and bake 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Note: When selecting the bell peppers for stuffing, select ones that are fairly even on bottom so they don't tilt over.