Stuffed Bell Peppers

• 3 lbs ground beef
• 4 large bell peppers
• 2 sm. cans tomato paste
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2 cups cracker crumbs
• 1 sm. jar sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup onion (chopped)
• 1/4 cup chopped celery (optional)
• 1/4 cup chopped carrots (optional)
• 2 eggs (Grade A Large)
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp. lemon and pepper seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. cayenne crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp. seasoned salt      (or your favorite meat seasoning)
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla flavoring (optional)

Wash bell peppers. Cut them into halves horizontally. Remove seeds and excess pulp. (You will now have eight pepper halves)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with vegetables, eggs, tomato paste, one can of tomato sauce, cream of mushroom soup, cracker crumbs, and seasonings. Stuff the beef mixture into the bell peppers.

Place into a casserole dish and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Pour remaining can of tomato sauce into a separate bowl. Add sugar and flavoring.

Remove peppers from the oven and coat top of the peppers with the tomato sauce mix. Place back into oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove. Serve.

• Yields: 8 servings
• Preparation Time: 1 hour