Italian Stuffed Peppers

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease an 9x13" baking pan.
2. 2
   Cut the peppers in half from top to bottom and remove the seeds and white membranes.
3. 3
   Brush each bell pepper halve with 1 tablespoon of the oil (inside and outside), then pre-bake for 20-30 minutes or until slightly softened (it could take a bit longer depending on the size and thickness of your bell peppers).
4. 4
   While the bell peppers cook, prepare the filling.
5. 5
   Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
6. 6
   Add the onion and cook 3-5 minutes until softened.
7. 7
   Add the ground beef, breaking in to chunks with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink.
8. 8
   Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook 30 seconds longer.
9. 9
   Drain excess grease as necessary.
10. 10
    Add the marinara sauce, rice and parmesan cheese to the beef mixture, stirring well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
11. 11
    Divide the filling between each bell pepper (don't be afraid to overfill!), then top with the mozzarella cheese.
12. 12
    Bake for 10-15 minutes more until the cheese has melted and the pepper has reach the desired doneness.
13. 13
    Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh basil. Enjoy!