Frugal Friday: Chummy Recipe

port.man.teau \port-'MAN.-toe\: a word or morpheme whose form and meaning are derived from a blending of two or more distinct forms (as "chummy" from cheap and yummy)

Wow! I haven't posted a Chummy Recipe in a long time...way overdue, don't you think?

Remember on Monday when I mentioned our big announcement? The peppers? Our very first garden harvest? Oh YEAH...that's the post I'm referring to. Anyway...at my house, fresh green peppers immediately equals Stuffed Green Peppers.

Quite a few years ago, Mr. McFrug's grandmother started buying me the Taste of Home annual cookbooks for my birthday. In the 2003 edition, page 195 to be exact, is my very-bestest-most-favorite-raved-about recipe for Classic Stuffed Peppers. No really...it may look simple, but the end result comes out so flavorful and tender - everyone will love them.

Seriously.

I have altered it a tiny bit to suit our individual tastes. The recipe makes four large stuffed peppers, using 1/2 pepper each (a whole pepper, in my opinion, is just too.much.)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium/large green peppers
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c spaghetti sauce, divided
• 1/2 c. uncooked instant rice (I sometimes sub Parmesan cheese if I'm making them low-carb)
• 2 TB finely chopped onion
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• dash pepper
• 1 lb. uncooked lean ground beef
  

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350
(easy enough, right?)

Step 2: Cut tops off peppers and discard [right into your compost bin - you do have one I'm sure *wink*] Remove seeds. In a large saucepan, cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place on paper towel to drain while making filling.
(you're still with me?)

In a bowl, combine eggs, 1/2 c. spaghetti sauce, rice, onion, salt, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Crumble beef over the mixture and mix well
(just use your clean hands, it's easiest.)

Stuff the peppers, each with 1/4 of the mixture. Place in non-stick sprayed baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the peppers. Cover and bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160.

During the last 5 minutes or so of baking, I like to slice a little cheese over the top so it gets nice and ooey-gooey.

Even if you aren't a master in the kitchen, this recipe is for you.
I have faith. *wink*

How is this a Chummy Recipe?

• I paid $2.00 for the grain fed beef (at a local farm)
• The spaghetti sauce was bought on sale AND used a coupon
• Peppers are from our garden
• Coupon used on the eggs too

Do you have an abundance of peppers in YOUR garden this year? Make a HUGE batch and freeze them. It will be nice to be eating a little taste of summer in the middle of the cold winter.

More Frugal Friday at Life As Mom