Thanksgiving Stuffing Peppers

Take the whole green bell peppers (for stuffing) and slice in half. I like to do this from top to bottom, or you could remove the tops (depending on how you want to stuff them) and clean out the seeds and other junk.

Simmer peppers in water for about 3 minutes, just to soften them some. You don’t want them going limp before stuffing (because they will be cooked more later.) Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Brown the sausage and ground beef with the seasonings (including the bay leaf) in a large skillet. Then add in onions, celery and the chopped green bell peppers (not the ones for stuffing). Cook for a few minutes, until tender, then drain out the fat in a paper towel-lined colander. Remove the bay leaf.

Beat the eggs and add to the dry stuffing mix; once combined, stir into the meat mixture.

At this point you can either freeze all the stuffing mixture for later use (in small portions so you can stuff a few peppers at a time) or stuff the peppers you simmered earlier, place on a cookie sheet in the freezer for several hours, then place all in a freezer ziplock bag. (Or stuff them and bake immediately!)

Once you are ready to enjoy these babies (make sure they’re thawed, if frozen), top with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs and a pat of butter. Bake at 375ºF for 25–30 minutes.