Stuffed Bell Peppers

Serves 6

6 fresh bell peppers (red, green, yellow and/or orange)

Stuffing:
2 1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
1/4 cup white raisins
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecan halves, roasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh green onions
1/3 cup minced sweet onion
1/3 cup snipped fresh parsley
8 ounces lean ground turkey
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 cups shredded fresh mozzarella cheese
2 cloves minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Sauce:
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Neatly cut tops off peppers and set them aside. Remove the seeds and white membrane and discard. Rinse off the tops and peppers and turn upside down to drain.

Combine rice, raisins, lemon pepper, salt, pecans, green onions, onions, parsley, turkey, 1/2 the mozzarella cheese, 1/2 the feta cheese, garlic, lemon juice, lemon juice, black pepper. Clean your hands well and mash all together with your hands. Divide the mixture evenly and gently fill each of the peppers with the mixture. Be careful not to break the peppers when pressing the mixture into the centers. Place the tops back on each pepper. Set the stuffed peppers in the pot with the tomato sauce (see directions below). The pot should be deep (just big around enough for all six to fit). Bring the sauce, with the peppers in it, to a boil. Place lid on pan. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and let cook for an hour.

To make the sauce, puree the tomatoes and paste in a blender. Add the water, brown sugar, oil, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper. Whisk together in the deep sauce pan and then place the stuffed peppers on top of and in the sauce. 

After the peppers have cooked for an hour, carefully remove from the sauce and gently place on a baking dish. Preheat broiler. Take the tops off. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and feta cheeses on top of peppers. Place under broiler. When melted, remove from broiler and place tops back on. Serve a little of the sauce in a shallow bowl with pepper in it - or - I like to serve a little of the sauce (that they cooked in) on the side for dipping. 

This is an unusual combination of flavors with a hint of "sweet". If you want to simplify the recipe and give it an Italian taste instead of sweet, use spaghetti sauce instead of this recipe and don't add the raisins to the stuffing. It's really good and very attractive to serve to your family or friends.

This recipe is shared with listeners the week of: 
January 21-25, 2013
on NEWStalk 94.3 FM, AM 570 WKYX, AM 1560 WPAD,
AM 1450 WDXR, and AM 1320 WNGO.
Ro's recipes are sponsored by SuperValu Foods
on Lone Oak Road in Paducah, KY.
Check out more recipes online at: www.supervalupaducah.com.