Beef-Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 5 medium green peppers
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

Cut tops off green peppers, reserving the tops for another use. Remove seeds and veins from peppers. Cut thin slices off bottom of peppers, if neccessary so peppers stand up.

To create the sauce, place the chopped tomato in a dutch oven or kettle. Add the tomato juice, onion, celery, 2 teaspoons seasoned salt, garlic, parsley flakes, oregano and basil. Mix thoroughly. Bring the sauce to boiling, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, combine egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt. Mix in ground beef and rice. Fill peppers with meat mixture. Stand peppers in sauce while hot and return sauce to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 40 minutes or until meat mixture is done and peppers are tender. Carefully remove peppers. Place on a warm serving platter and keep warm.

Combine flour, sugar and water. Blend mixture till smooth. Stir into the hot sauce; cook and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. To serve, cut filled and cooked peppers in half (if desired) and spoon sauce over top.