Ingredients:
4 medium sweet peppers (mixed colors)
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cooked rice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for heat)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
14 ounces tomato sauce
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Cut the tops off the peppers and remove seeds and membranes. Reserve the tops; chop enough to yield about 1/2 cup of chopped pepper.
In a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef with the chopped pepper tops, onion, carrot, and minced garlic. Stir and break up the meat until it is no longer pink and the vegetables are softened.
If there is excess fat, drain it from the skillet. Return the skillet to low heat and stir in the cooked rice, chili powder, cinnamon, red pepper flakes if using, salt, and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce. Combine until evenly mixed and heated through.
Spoon the beef and rice mixture evenly into each prepared pepper, packing gently but not overfilling.
Place the stuffed peppers upright in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour the remaining tomato sauce around the peppers in the dish.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the peppers are tender-crisp and the filling is hot throughout.
Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.
Servings: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total time: 70 minutes