Heartland Beef & Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Slice the tops off the bell peppers about half an inch down. Remove the seeds and white membranes from inside each pepper, keeping the shells intact. Finely dice the usable flesh from the pepper tops and set aside for the filling.

Blanch the hollowed peppers in the boiling water for 3 minutes. This par-cooks them just enough to soften slightly without making them floppy. Remove with tongs and place cut-side down on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.

Add the diced onion and the reserved diced pepper tops to the skillet. Cook for 4 minutes until the onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, two-thirds of the tomato sauce (reserve the rest), Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Let the mixture simmer for 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Fold in the cooked rice and 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts into the filling and everything is well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour the reserved tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread it in an even layer. This creates a flavorful base that prevents the peppers from sticking and adds moisture during baking.

Season the inside of each blanched pepper with a small pinch of the remaining salt. Stand the peppers upright in the baking dish. Spoon the beef-and-rice filling into each pepper, packing it in firmly and mounding it slightly above the rim.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes until the peppers are tender when pierced with a knife.

Remove the foil. Top each pepper with the remaining cheddar and the mozzarella cheese. Return to the oven uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and beginning to turn golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with a spoonful of the tomato sauce from the bottom of the dish drizzled over each pepper.