Ingredients:

•  6 large peppers, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 1 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked according to package instructions substituting chicken stock for water
• 1 1/2 lbs Italian sausage, bulk or removed from casings (mild or hot, your choice)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 large pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• extra chicken stock for pans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare peppers and lie them cut side up in 2 13 x 9 pans.
2. Begin cooking rice according to package directions substituting chicken stock for water.  If you don’t have chicken stock just use water but this adds more flavor to the rice and the dish.
3. In a skillet over medium heat begin cooking the Italian sausage.  Break it up into small pieces as it is cooking with the side of your spoon.
4. Once sausage is fully cooked remove it from the skillet to clean paper towels using a slotted spoon leaving the grease in the pan.  Add onions, peppers, garlic and celery to the pan and cook until onions begin to turn translucent 5-7 minutes.  Stir well scrapping up the brown stuff on the bottom of the pan.
5. Once rice is cooked stir the sausage, onion and pepper mixture, can on tomatoes, salt and pepper into the rice.  Stir until all is well incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. Stuff peppers with heaping amounts of rice.  Pat it down to spread it out to fill the cups of the pepper.
7. Once all peppers are stuffed sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
8. Place about 1/8″ of chicken stock (or water) in the bottom of each pan before placing them in the oven.
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes until pepper shell has softened and rice is warmed through.