Unstuffed Green Pepper Casserole

Nana Lee's Note:

Found this on About.com under Southern foods. I changed the peppers from being stuffed to lining the casserole dish. Sort of a Lazy Stuffed Peppers. I changed the recipe from stuffed pappers to unstuffed. I love the filling for stuffed peppers and the taste the peppers give the filling but not too keen on chomping on the peppers themselves.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 large green bell peppers
• 1 -1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chopped onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (seasoned salt can be used)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (12 -14 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked rice
• 4 slices of raw bacon (or more)
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce (SEE NOTE)

Directions:

1. NOTE:.
2. You can use any combo of the following to suit your tastes = sauce, paste and diced(undrained) tomatoes,.
3. Cut tops off peppers; remove seeds and membranes, and cut each pepper into 4 to 8 pieces.
4. Cook peppers in simmering water to cover for 5 minutes.
5. Brown ground beef and onions; pour off excess grease.
6. Add seasonings, rice, and corn(if used) and tomato sauce.
7. Heat until hot and bubbly.
8. Lay the pepper pieces across the bottom of the casserole dish and pile filling on top.
9. Place cut off tops on top of filling.
10. Add strips of raw bacon on top of that and pour tomato(combo) sauce over.
11. Bake stuffed peppers at 350° for 30 minutes.

Reviews

[tothaj]

This is delicious! Couldn't taste the difference from the stuffed peppers. Omitted the bacon, corn and used a jar of spagetti sauce mixed in plus 1/2 a jar on top before putting the pepper tops on instead of the tomato sauce. Plus, I cooked at 300 degrees for 1 hour.

[Donna in Michigan]

This was so tasty and easier to make. Will definitely save and make in the future.