Stuffed Bell Peppers With Mac Cheese Recipes

Steps:

• 1. NOTE: Make your favorite mac & cheese recipe. There are so many versions I did not feel the need to write one down. I like to play with my mac & cheese and try new things. Adding Pico de Gallo would be good. Today I used Pico Queso Cheese and added some Smokehouse Maple seasoning by McCormick. Adding cooked, crumbled bacon on top would be delicious as well.
• 2. Use mini pasta such as mini shells or elbow. Any type of small shaped pasta will work. If using regular size bell peppers you could use a larger pasta.
• 3. I found some mini bell peppers, but you could use regular sized ones, or small regular ones. You could cut it in half after cooking to make two servings. The ones I bought were single serving size. Slice off the top of the pepper and remove veins and seeds.
• 4. Once you have your mac & cheese ready to eat, gently stuff it inside your pepper. Place the top back on peppers and grill for 20-30 min. Time will depend on the heat of your grill. Use a wire rack or grilling pan.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Cut the tops off the peppers and reserve. Remove the seeds and membranes. Put the peppers and the tops in the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Plunge the peppers into the ice bath. Once cool, remove them and use a sharp knife to carve a jack-o-lantern face into one side of each pepper.
• Return the water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain (don't rinse the pasta).
• Heat the half-and-half in a large saucepan over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Continue simmering until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Whisk in the Cheddar until all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
• Off the heat, add the macaroni to the saucepan and stir to combine. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season with salt if needed. Let sit for 10 minutes, then divide the mac and cheese among the peppers and cap each with a pepper top.

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add peppers and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly softened 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, ketchup, parsley, black pepper, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Allow to cool slightly. Mix in feta cheese and parsley.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Fill blanched peppers with feta mixture and place on a baking sheet. Brush stuffed peppers with olive oil.
• Broil peppers under the preheated broiler, turning frequently, about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Wash the peppers thoroughly. Make a circular incision around the stem to remove it. Once stem has been removed, remove seeds, and rinse the inside of the pepper. Discard seeds and stems and set peppers aside.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute onion until translucent.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the onion and butter mixture with the ground beef and mix well by hand. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Slowly pour in the rice, while mixing by hand. Mix thoroughly.
• Stuff the meat and rice mixture into the peppers. Coat the bottom of 1 or 2 large pots with oil. Place the stuffed peppers into the pot(s) leaving a 2 inch space at the top of the pot. Pour in tomato juice until peppers are covered. If there is leftover meat mixture, form into balls and add to the tomato juice.
• Heat on low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir every 20 to 45 minutes. Juice will reduce to a thick sauce. You can tell that the peppers are done when they are splitting at the sides.

Steps:

• Cut off portion of tops of bell pepper, and remove seeds, and membranes.
• Place in roaster with salted water and boil.
• Cook 10 minutes so they will be only partially done.
• Drain and set aside to cool.
• In a large skillet,, brown ground beef and onion and drain. Add rice,egg, 1 can tomatoes, worcestershire and seasonings, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add 1 cup cheese and mix well.
• Stuff peppers with mixture and set upright in buttered, round baking dish(you may have to trim little slivers off bottoms of peppers so they will sit upright.).
• Pour remaining can of tomatoes over top and around peppers.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on top and return to oven for 10 minutes.