Pats Stuffed Bell Peppers

Pats Stuffed Bell Peppers dinner tonight

Pats Stuffed Bell Peppers

preheat oven to 350 degrees
10 bell peppers, larger ones if available
2 pounds Italian sausage ( I use half mild and half hot)
1 cup chopped spinach, fresh or frozen
4 cups shredded mozzarella

Start a large pot of water to boil.
First cut around the  stem of the pepper, some people like to just cut the top off. I like to cut just inside the curve of the pepper so I can stuff the little hats back on once they are filled.
Trim most of the white part off the cap on the inside and remove the seeds from it. Then tear the white seed sections out of the pepper its self.

Now gently put the pepper into the boiling water, do it on their side so they fill with water.  you do not need to blanch the tops, they will be discarded after cooking. Let them boil for 5 minutes. Do it in batches till they are all blanched for 5 minutes, remove from pot emptying water.
As you remove them from the boiling water turn them upside down on a plate so the rest of the water will all drain out.

While the peppers are boiling, brown your sausage, fresh or store bought any will do ( if you have the kind in casings remove them first. Just brown like you would ground beef.
Once the sausage is browned add in the chopped spinach and cook till it is wilted.

Place all the cooked peppers in a cake pan or lasagne pan if you need more space, or you could use 2 cakes pans if needed.

Now spoon 2 tablespoons of the sausage mixture into each pepper. then put 2 tablespoons of cheese into each pepper.
Repeat those 2 steps, then put your little stem caps on and press them into the pepper just a bit (helps to contain all the yummy juices).

now put them into the oven uncovered for 1 hour. After you remove them from the oven let them stand about 5 minutes to cool just a bit.
Remove and discard the stem caps and serve and enjoy. This recipe did 10 peppers. They are nice large peppers in my store right now.
The recipe could make more peppers if you have smaller peppers.
You can reheat these and they make a great lunch the next day.