Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

I’m way into pretty summer foods right now. You know what I’m talking about. The eye candy factor of summer food totally trumps other seasons…and while I am desperately waiting for my favorite season (fall) to arrive, I am biding my time enjoying some nice color.

Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
Makes 6 peppers
Just the Tip / Inspired by (stolen from) How Sweet Eats

Here’s what I used:

• 6 bell peppers (mixed colors)
• 1 1/3 lb ground turkey breast
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 3/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1 29-ounce can of tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• salt and pepper

Here’s what I did:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Slice the tops off of the peppers and remove the ribs and seeds. Set aside the tops and the cleaned peppers aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp of olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Cook the onion for about 5 minutes until soft. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes. Add the ground turkey and season heavily with salt and black pepper. Allow the meat to cook through and lightly brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. While the turkey is cooking, add the remaining 1 tsp of oil to a small sauce pan and heat over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the tomato sauce and heavy cream and heat over low heat. Stir in the basil, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
4. Add the brown rice and 1/2 cup of parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce into the turkey mixture. Turn off the heat and divide the mixture evenly between the peppers, stuffing them to the top.
5. Place in a dish that allows the peppers to stand (I used a cast iron pan). Spoon a bit of tomato cream sauce over the tops, and pour the rest of the sauce into the bottom of the pan.
   
6. Set the tops gently back on the peppers and bake uncovered for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for 30 more minutes. Serve with more parmesan cheese with mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach on the side.