Stuffed Bell Peppers or Squash or Zucchini

Initial Preparation

Hollow whichever vegetable you are stuffing, saving all usable vegetable removed (i.e. save inside of squash and tops of peppers). Finely chop removed vegetable pieces. Use approximately 6 bell peppers, 5 zucchini, or 7 medium sized yellow squash. Remove top of peppers to stuff. Cut off neck of squash and hollow bulb to stuff. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and hollow into "boats" to stuff.

Stuffing Ingredients

1 large onion, diced fine

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

2 tblsp minced garlic

1 cup rice

Salt and pepper

1 small can tomato sauce (optional - recommended if making stuffed zucchini)

Chopped vegetables (from above preparation)

Preparation

Lightly brown ground beef with garlic. Parboil rice til not fully cooked, but mostly. DO NOT DRAIN RICE. Add onion and chopped vegetable to hot rice (and liquid). Salt and pepper, to taste. Add ground beef and stir. If tomato sauce is desired, add and stir, reserving a small amount for topping.

Place hollowed vegetables in baking dish (zucchini) or stock pot (peppers or yellow squash). Fill with rice and beef stuffing. Top with tomato sauce, if desired. Add water to baking dish around stuffed vegetables so that there is at least 1/2" of water below zucchini or 1 1/2" water surrounding peppers or squash. Bake zucchini, covered, in 350" oven until zucchini is tender, about 45 minutes. Cover pepper/squash and cook on stovetop at medium heat until vegetables are tender, but still firm, about 1 hour.