Freezer Food Friday...on Saturday!

Okay, I'm pretty lame, I know. I'll get this down yet! ;)

This week's meal is one I got from my mother-in-law but tweaked it a bit (used red peppers instead of green because I think red taste better cooked!). It sounds intimidating, but is really very easy. And you can quite easily do a ton all at once. I love this one because you don't have to wait for it to thaw before you pop it in the oven.

Stuffed Red Peppers

Pepper Shells

3 Large Red Peppers

5 cups boiling salted water

Meat Filling

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, chopped (about ¼ cup)

½ cup chopped celery

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup uncooked instant rice

½ cup water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each pepper lengthwise in half. Wash insides and outsides; remove seeds and membranes. Cook peppers in boiling salted water 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cook and stir meat, onion, and celery in large skillet until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Stir in half the tomato sauce and the remaining ingredients; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Place peppers cut sides up in ungreased baking pan, 9x9x2 or 8x8x2 inches. Spoon meat filling into peppers. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover; top with remaining tomato sauce and bake 5 minutes.

Makes 4-5 servings.

For freezer version, prepare as above except stir all the tomato sauce into the filling mixture, cover with aluminum foil but do not bake. Label; freeze no longer than 2 months. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then put them all in a gallon freezer bag.

To serve: Bake foil-covered pan of frozen peppers in 350 degree oven until hot, 1- 1 ¼ hours. Uncover; top peppers with cheddar cheese slices, catsup, or chili sauce and bake 5 minutes.