For dinner, Michael’s mom made the family stuffed green peppers.
Believe it or not, this was the first time ever having stuffed peppers! They’ve always been something I’ve wanted to try but never have since they usually contain meat.
We used Boca Meatless Crumbles in place of the ground beef in this recipe to make them vegetarian. They turned out fantastic!
Easy Stuffed Green Peppers (from allrecipes.com)
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (or 1 package Boca Meatless Crumbles)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup uncooked instant rice
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 large green bell peppers
- 1 (14 ounce) jar Classico® Tomato and Basil Sauce
- In a large skillet or medium stock pot, brown the beef and onion over medium heat. Drain fat. Add rice, water, diced tomatoes, and stewed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until rice is tender. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Cut the tops off the bell peppers and clean out the seeds and membrane. (Note: You may have to slightly slice the bottom of the peppers to make them stand up.) Fill peppers with meat mixture.
- Place in a casserole dish and bake in a preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until peppers are as tender as you like. Served topped with pasta sauce.
I can’t believe how easy these were to prepare, too. And they were filling!
Of course, there’s always room for dessert. 
Buckeyes! These things are addictive. Only taking four is considered serious self control! 
The boys are playing Xbox right now so just to pass the time, I found this fun Christmas survey!
1. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Midnight Mass. It’s a whole other experience from regular mass. Everyone’s so festive, we’re tired but anxious for the next morning..it’s nice.
Plus when I was younger, I’d always look out the window and swear I saw Santa flying past the window!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He wraps and signs them.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both! Michael and I have white lights on the tree and colored outside while my parent’s have colored on the tree and white & colored outside.
4. When do you put up the tree?
Usually right after Thanksgiving but, with real, we’re waiting until about a week before.
5. When do you take the tree down?
Ha! I’ve left mine up until March before!
6. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Few days before. I wait until a few days before so they’re guaranteed not to have bought it. Thank goodness for online shopping!
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:
One Christmas, our power went out due to an ice storm. I remember sitting in the library with my family around the heater and Christmas tree while the snow came falling down outside.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Whathcu talking ‘bout Willis? 
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
I used to beg to open one until my parent’s cracked. Now we wait until morning.
10. Hardest person to buy for?
Mmmm..probably my dad.
11. Easiest person to buy for?
Michael
12. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love it! It gets bitterly cold in AL during winter but hardly ever snows. If it’s cold, I want snow.
13. Can you ice skate?
Sure can.
14. Do you remember your favorite gift?
A full riding set the first year I had CoCo. It was so special since I had waited so long to get a horse.
16. What tops your tree?
An angel.
17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving! I don’t like spending money but I do like shopping for other people (until actually having to buy). But really, it’s a thrill trying to figure out the perfect gift for them and then I get really excited for them to open it!
18. Can you name Santa’s reindeer?
Prancer, Dancer, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Dasher, Vixen. And Rudolph!!
19. Do you own a nativity set?
A few, actually. I would set them up weeks before Christmas. I loved them!
20. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
My family. This is the first year ever spending Christmas away from them and it’s a little strange. Not strange..but out of tradition. You know?
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
There’s nothing annoying about it and there’s no reason for it to be. Family can sometimes get on you’re nerves but they’re family. Shopping can get frustrating but it’s just shopping.
The holiday season is not the time to get annoyed. Sure, it can get easy to become overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle…but all it takes is stopping, taking a deep breath, and remembering what so special about this season to put things back into perspective.
**Your turn!
- Do you remember your favorite gift?
- When do you start shopping for Christmas?
- What is your favorite holiday tradition?
- Hardest/easiest person to buy for?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I haven’t had stuffed peppers in so long! These look fantastic and I love that you used the Boca crumbles.
I love stuffed peppers- often over here they are the veggie option as we would tend to stuff them with a rice/ veggie mixture and top with cheese. I have never heard of them being stuffed with meat.
I start shopping for Christmas in October- or really when I see gifts that people will like. I try to do a lot of shopping online as the shops get so busy and I do not like the annoying Christmas music :)
These look delish! Hmmm the hardest person to buy for would be my dad….he always says he doesn’t want anything!
I will be starting my Christmas shopping on monday! Haha I’ve been in finals and can’t even think about Christmas during them, but I’m headed home tomorrow and I’ll be able to pick up gifts for everyone then!
I love those stuffed green peppers. My brothers are the hardest to buy for!!!! Always. I still don’t have my shopping for them done!
Love stuffed peppers! And Santa always wraps his presents…. ;)