SLOW COOKER STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE




This meal can feed a crowd for sure!  I had to use two dishes, as you can see.






This is a very meaty, saucy and cheesy dish that would be great served with cauli mash or cauli rice.






SLOW COOKER STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE

So much easier than making individual stuffed peppers. Very tasty supper casserole for any week night. This recipe will feed a crowd.  If you would like to spice this up a bit, you can change out 1 lb of the ground beef for ground sausage meat or use some hot sauce or red pepper flakes.  In fact, I highly recommend adding some red pepper flakes; you can then reduce the black pepper by 1 tsp.  If you would like a thicker meat sauce, use only 1 cup (250 mL) water.



3 lbs lean ground beef (1.4 kg)
24 oz large bell peppers, chopped (0.68 kg)
11/cups water, divided (400 mL)
14 oz fresh plum tomatoes, (396 g)
  chopped, OR 1 can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp crushed garlic (15 mL)
1 tbsp Montreal Steak Spice (15 mL)
2 tsp salt (10 mL)
2 tsp black pepper (10 mL)
1 tsp dried oregano (5 mL)
1 tsp dried basil (5 mL)
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese, OR (750 mL)
  more, to taste

In large frying pan, over medium heat, brown ground beef, breaking it up real small with the spatula.  Set bell peppers aside after chopping.

In blender, combine 1 cup (250 mL) water, tomatoes, garlic, Montreal Steak Spice, salt, black pepper, oregano and basil; blend.  Pour over meat and continue to cook for a while.  Pour carefully into large slow cooker.  Place peppers on top and stir to combine.  Stir in the remaining 1/cup (150 mL) water. 

Cook on high 4 to 5 hours or on low for 6 to 7 hours.  If necessary, stir about 1 tsp (5 mL) cornstarch into the meat and vegetables at the end to thicken the sauce a bit. 

Fill a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) casserole dish and an 8-inch (20 cm) square dish with the meat and vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and place in 350°F (180°C) oven 20 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, if desired.  This would be good with cauli-mash on the side or cauli-rice mixed with some cooked quinoa (a seed, not a grain and useful in pre-maintenance stages of Atkins).

Yield:  12 servings
1 serving
389.0 calories
29.5 g protein
27.2 g fat
1.3 g fiber
4.7 g net carbs


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