Italian Stuffed Peppers for 4

This recipe creates the most delicious Stuffed Peppers. Adjust any ingredients to suit your tastes. The outcome is entirely up to you.

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers color of choice
1 tablespoon Garlic Infused Olive Oil
1 lb ground protein of choice (my favorite is chicken)
1 clove diced garlic
1 diced onion
2 teaspoons Naples Classic Seasoning
1 teaspoon Roasted Garlic Pepper Seasoning
½ teaspoon salt
Red Pepper Flakes if desired
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon Tomato Basil Balsamic Vinegar
1 ½ cups cooked rice (brown, white, quinoa, cauliflower, etc)
1 cup shredded Mozzarella
½ cup Parmesan divided
Chopped fresh basil for garnish if desired

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°f.

Heat the Garlic Olive Oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, onion, garlic, Tuscan seasoning, garlic pepper seasoning, salt, and if using, the red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking apart the meat, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess liquid, then pour in the can of diced tomatoes and their juices and the Tomato Basil Balsamic Vinegar. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the rice (or?) and ½ cup of the Mozzarella and ¼ cup of the parmesan and cook until the rice is warmed through.

Cut the tops off of the peppers to stuff the whole thing or If you prefer smaller portions, cut the peppers in half and serve open faced. Remove the seeds and membrane. I pre-cook my peppers to save time by adding them to a microwave safe baking dish, sprinkling the interior of the peppers with a bit of kosher salt, then adding ¼ cup water to the bottom of the dish. Cover the peppers and give them a 5-minute blast in the microwave to pre-cook and soften them. 

Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish and fill the peppers with the hot meat and rice mixture. Sprinkle the tops with cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is browned. Add fresh basil, or for even more flavor, a dash more of the balsamic vinegar on top!