Sausage Stuffed Peppers

One of my favorite dinners this summer has been stuffed peppers. It's really quick and easy to throw together. I do mine on the grill but you could easily do it in the oven. I sometimes have a hard time finding recipes that are easy to adapt for two people. This one really let's you tweak it and can easily be made for one or two people or even a whole crowd; I actually served it to R.B.'s family the first night we were in our new home. This recipe made 3 peppers and some leftover stuffing which is perfect for us (one for me and two for R.B.).

Sausage Stuffed Peppers is a really versatile recipe and completely open to interpretation. I used Spicy Sausage and Jalapeno Jack Cheese for a Southwestern flavor. You could spice it up by adding a chopped jalapeno and a dash of hot sauce, or if you wanted to use more veggies, just add diced mushrooms, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, etc. I just used what I had on hand that day so I kept it simple. While most recipes that you google for "stuffed peppers" will have some form of rice or breadcrumbs, I created this recipe without them to be lower in carbs.

The extra sausage stuffing can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. I mixed the leftover sausage this week with eggs and made breakfast tacos for dinner one night. If you do have any leftover stuffed peppers, they reheat well in the microwave and are a great lunch the next day.

Sausage Stuffed Peppers

• 3 Bell Peppers, assorted colors
• 1 pound Hot Sausage
• 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 3/4 Cup Pepper Jack Cheese, grated
• 1/8 Cup Red Wine
• Olive Oil, for brushing

Preheat Grill to Medium Heat.

Slice the top 1/3 of the peppers off, keeping the lids. Finely dice the remaining pepper around the stems and put to the side. Scoop out any remaining seeds and lightly brush the olive oil on the tops and bottoms of the peppers. Place the peppers on the grill bottoms down for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned and then flip over and lightly brown the tops as well for about 6 minutes. The pepper should be somewhat tender but not falling apart or losing it's shape.

While the peppers are on the grill, in a large skillet, brown the sausage. Add the onions and stir until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and diced peppers and cook for about 3-5 minutes, until tender. Pour in the red wine and cook until it is reduced. Remove the skillet from the stove and stir in the cheese.

Pour the stuffing into the warm peppers.