Verna's Stuffed Green Peppers

As I mentioned on the last posting, I picked up all of these peppers. 7 for 79 cents. What a deal!!!!
Besides roasting a bunch of the red peppers, I decided to stuff a bunch of them, which I froze most of them.

Verna's Stuffed Green Peppers

Makes 4-6 stuffed peppers, depending on the size of the peppers.

1/2 cup onions, chopped
3-4 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped fine
1/4 cup red wine-optional
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup portabella mushrooms, chopped to look like hamburger
3/4-1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon allspice
fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups wild rice- cooked according to directions on bag
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, run through the food processor
spaghetti sauce of choice. I get the low sodium and add more oregano, basil, garlic and onion powder to it.

Directions:
1-Saute onions, add garlic, continue sauteing for about 2 minutes, than add carrots, celery, saute another 4-5 minutes.
2-Add the portabella mushrooms, continue cooking until the peppers are tender.
3-Add the raisins, chili powder, allspice, black pepper, roasted red peppers and, oh yes and the red wine, continue cooking 2-3 minutes.
4-Add the wild rice. Mix in really well.
5-Cut the tops off of the peppers, clean out seeds and veins with a spoon. Fill with the stuffing, and place in a glass pan.
6-Pour spaghetti sauce over the top of peppers. I like to use enough that the bottom of the pan is covered also.
7-Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered.


Comments from Verna's test kitchen:
1- You can use brown rice if you prefer, or mix brown rice with the wild rice.
2-Remember the portabella mushrooms will give the dish a meaty texture.
3-If you are using the wine, you want it to be drinking quality, or don't use it.
4- When I cook rice, I usually use my broth that was frozen in the freezer, in place of the water. Gives tons of flavor to your recipe. (That is why it's important to save all vegetable scraps in the broth bag)
5-I made the stuffing the day before I wanted to use it and stuffed the peppers
just before baking.
6-How about putting in a slow cooker, I bet it would work really well.
Enjoy !!!!

Have a super, wonderful day!!!!