Simple Italian Cooking

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Baked Stuffed Italian Vegetables with Orzo

Ingredients
4 bell peppers or tomatoes (or other vegetables like eggplant - be creative)
1/2 cup orzo
1/3 pound ground beef or bison (use more if you think you need it)
4 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat large frying pan.

3. Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes

4. Add meat and cook.

5. Meanwhile start cooking the orzo in a sauce pan. Drain and set aside when finished.

6. When meat is fully cooked, add a pinch of salt and the parsley. Mix well.

7. Cut tops off vegetables and save to use as covers.

8. Stuff vegetables with mixture and place lids ontop.

9. Place vegetables in pregreased baking dish and place in oven.

10. Cook until vegetables are nice and soft. This can range from 25 - 40 minutes depending on the type and size of vegetables used.

11. When finished, serve warm.

TIP #1: This is a great recipe for presentation, but depending on the vegetables used, may take more or less time than expected. I had large red bell peppers and it takes about 40 minutes for them to get very soft. But... these were large hearty peppers so again, it can vary. Keep an eye on them.

TIP #2: Try adding some basil if using tomatoes or eggplant.

TIP #3: Remove seeds from tomatoes or eggplant because these can create a bitter taste.

Suggestions for Side Dishes
1. Salad
2. Bread