Sausage-Stuffed Peppers

A nicely spiced mixture of Italian sausage and cheddar cheese is stuffed into bell peppers and baked.

Ingredients:

- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 lb ground sausage

- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt (salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup water

- 4 to 8 whole bell peppers, with tops, seeds, and ribs removed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan on medium heat, saute canola oil, onion, and celery until onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook until caramelized (about 1 minute), being careful not to burn.

Add sausage; break into smaller pieces. Heat until cooked through (about 3 minutes).

Add bread crumbs, rosemary, thyme, seasoned salt, black pepper, 1 cup cheese, and water. Reduce heat to low; stir until cheese is melted.

Spoon mixture into prepared peppers, filling each pepper to the top. Trim the bottoms of the peppers if they will not stand on their own.

Top each pepper with 1/4 cup cheese, packing the cheese into the stuffing mixture.

Place peppers, with tops off and cheese side up, in a shallow baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

If desired, serve peppers with the tops set on top.