Cheesy Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

2 large green bell peppers

1 (15 ounce) can Spanish rice with bell peppers and onions

8 ounces vegetarian ‘beef’ crumbles (can substitute regular ground beef or ground turkey-no need to brown first)

½ cup Monterey jack or mozzarella cheese, diced in ¼ inch pieces (shredded works ok, too)

1 (15 ounce) can plain tomato sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

¼ cup water

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Cut bell peppers vertically (right through the stem) and remove seeds and veins. Place pepper halves in a 8 by 8 baking dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the rice, crumbles and cheese. Stuff the mixture into the bell pepper halves, packing it down as you go and mounding the stuffing high. Pour the tomato sauce over the top and add the water to the bottom of the pan, being careful not to disturb the peppers. Sprinkle the sugar and pepper over the tops of the peppers.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Test for doneness by sliding the tip of a paring knife into one of the green peppers. If it pulls out easily, they are done.

Note: you may have a little stuffing and/or tomato sauce left, but I always plan for a little more rather than not having enough. I like to serve this with hunks of bread to sop up the juices.