Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Casserole adapted from Heartfelt Balance, Handmade Life
7 Bell Peppers, cut into 1" pieces--I used Green
28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes
3 Garlic Cloves--minced
1 lb. ground chicken
1 mild Italian Sausage--skin removed
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. dried Parsley
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp dried Basil
Dash of Black Pepper (or to taste)
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 Bag Steamfresh frozen Brown rice

Directions:  Take the skin off of the sausage and break apart to brown it in a skillet on the stove. Brown the ground chicken with it. Once it's browned, put all ingredients except the rice and parmesan cheese in the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add the frozen rice and parmesan and heat until rice is warmed. We were busy yesterday, so it actually stayed on warm for a couple hours after I added the rice and it was still good. The rice didn't get mushy.

Modifications:
-Instead of all of the herbs, I used a Zattarains Dirty Rice Mix.
-I used 2 cups of whole grain brown rice instead of a Steamfresh frozen bag.
-I used a turkey bratwurst instead of Italian Sausage.

Here's what you'll need:

Brown the ground beef.

Remove the casing from the sausage and add with the ground beef.

Mince up the garlic cloves and add to the meat.

Roughly chop up the peppers, I used 4.

While the meat was still cooking, put the peppers in the crockpot.

Put the meat on top of the peppers.

Add the can of crushed tomatoes.  I also filled the can of tomatoes with water and added it to the crockpot.

Add the seasonings

Add the rice.  I used 2 cups of whole grain brown rice.

Cover and cook for 4-6 hours or until rice is done.  Once done, add the Parmesan cheese.

Here's what you'll end up with:

Our Thoughts:

Scott loves stuffed bell peppers and normally I make them like THIS, which he absolutely loves.  Recently, though, we have really changed our eating habits and I didn't want to use the enriched white rice of the Zatarain's Dirty Rice mix so I used the brown rice.

When planning to make this I thought that the spice/herb mixture of the Zatarain's came separately from the rice.  When I opened the box, though, I realized that it was all mixed together.  We love the taste of that Dirty Rice and I had my heart set on that flavor so . . . I tried to strain the seasoning from the rice.  I did get some of it but not all so I ended up using some of the herbs listed in the actual recipe.

This is definitely an easy way to make this dish.  It took very little effort and had a great flavor.  The rice was cooked perfectly and not mushy at all.

Hope you enjoy!

April