Stuffed Bell Peppers

If you're looking for a recipe that allows you to prep ahead of time with a great presentation for guests, I've got a recipe for you! Whenever bell peppers are in season I enjoy making some stuffed peppers. You'll want to pick out a pepper with the most uniform bottom you can find, and it's up to you which color you want to get, but I prefer the green bells for this recipe. Filled with tasty rice, cooked ground turkey, pine nuts and herbs, my husband loves the filling so much he'd eat it alone for days.

For 6 Peppers:
2 cups cooked white rice, or left over rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped zucchini
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 lb ground turkey or beef
1/4 cup spaghetti sauce or half can of chopped tomatoes
6 large red or green bell peppers
2 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

For 3 Peppers:
1 cup rice
1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup zucchinis
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 lb ground turkey (half a flat purchased from store)
1 small can diced tomato
3 large red or green bell peppers
1 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2.Grease a medium-sized roasting pan with oil. If you have to cook the rice, place it in a saucepan with plenty of boiling water and cook for 12-15 minutes until al dente, or firm to bite. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onion and garlic over low heat.
4. Add the ground meat and cook for a further 10 minutes until the meat is browned and cooked through. (Cooked leftover ground meat may be used in place of raw meat, but should be cooked for only 1-2 minutes.)
5. Add the tomato and herbs and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the cooked rice and stir well to ensure it absorbs the cooking juices.
7. Mix in the pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine all the ingredients, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
8. Cut the top of the peppers off and remove all the seeds and pith.
9. Spoon the stuffing into the peppers, pressing it in well to ensure all the crevices are filled.
10. Place the filled peppers into the roasting pan, ensuring they do not topple over, and cover with foil.
11. Can be made and stored in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
12. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
13. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for a further 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.