Recipe: Italian Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers rock my world. This is one of my preferred recipes from my hands-down favorite cookbook, Practical Paleo-it's easy, delicious, and every time I make it, I appreciate the gorgeous presentation. It's also good to bring to parties as it's pretty, easy to transport, and you only have to throw it in the oven for about 20 min to heat it back up once you're there. I also bring leftovers to work and eat them cold, no biggie, still just as yummy. My grandmother used to make them for my pops when he was growing up so it feels good to perpetuate a little family tradition, too.

Drool

*Italian Stuffed Peppers*

Ingredients:

*2 bell peppers, halved and cleaned

*1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil

*1 onion, diced. If you have a particularly large onion, use half

*Sea salt and black pepper to taste

*4 cloves garlic, chopped

*1/2 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned

*1 lb ground beef, bison, turkey, or chicken

*6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

*Extra basil leaves for garnish

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F
• Place bell pepper halves in a roasting dish face down for 10-15 minutes. If you want the peppers extra firm, skip this step.
• While bell peppers cook, heat the coconut oil or butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the onions, adding sea salt and black pepper to taste, until onions are translucent and slightly browned on the edges. Add the tomoatoes and garlic to the onions, and simmer for about two minutes. I reduce the heat pretty significantly when I first add the garlic, or else it will burn. 
• Add the meat and cook until fully done. Taste, and add more sea salt/black pepper to your liking. Mix in the chopped basil. 
• Remove peppers from oven and flip them over. They should be slightly softened. Spoon the meat mixture into each one. At this point they're ready to go--if you want the flavors to mix a little more you can put them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Garnish with basil, and serve!

Hope you try this and enjoy! It looks kinda fancy but truly, surprisingly simple and easy to throw together. I'd love to hear how it works out for you.