Kickin' Stuffed Bell Peppers

This is a little bit of deliciousness I have worked on recently...YUM! I found the original idea on http://www.allrecipes.com/ and then added teaked it to our tastes. If you like super delicious food that's not very difficult to make, you should give this a try.

The Ingredients:

6 bell peppers (these bell peppers were HUGE so I only used 4 - typical peppers use 6)
1 lb sausage meat (we've been using the All Natural Jimmy Dean and then adding flavor)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 fair sized garlic cloves, diced
1 (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 medium can of chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon Worcester sauce
2 teaspoon cumin (split)
2 teaspoon cinnamon (split)
2 teaspoon dried basil (split)
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup water
1 cup shredded cheese
2 cans condensed tomato soup
salt & pepper

The Recipe:
Cut the tops off bell peppers and de-seed. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place prepared peppers in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the water and sprinkle the peppers with salt and pepper (inside). Set aside.

Cook sausage with onions and garlic till browned. Drain fat and add worcester sauce, 1.5 teaspoon cumin, 1.5 teaspoon cinnamon, 1.5 teaspoon basil, salt and pepper. Add in green chilies and tomatoes and stir it all together. Once mixed, add the uncooked rice and water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat.

Stuff each pepper with the rice and meat mixture until it is level at the top. Sprinkle cheese on top to your satisfaction. Place each pepper back into the large pot so that they are balanced upright.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the condensed tomato soup with just enough water to make it a gravy-like consistency (slightly runny). Add to that mix the about 1/2 a teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 a teaspoon of basil, salt and pepper. Mix it all together and pour over the stuffed peppers. Let it run down the peppers and settle in the bottom of the pot. Place pot on heat to boil and then turn down heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

To Serve:
One pepper per person. Place in a bowl and spoon out some of the tomato sauce over the pepper again. I like to cut my pepper open and get some of the sauce inside...plus it makes it easier to eat. The peppers will be pretty soft, but you might want to provide knives for the inital opening.

If you do try this, I'd love to know what you think. I suggest you cut it open and let it cool a little before bitting in - it's easier to taste the flavors when your mouth isn't on fire. The Husband has no control and dives right in, only to suffer as he goes. He loves this and completely gorged himself last night by eating 2 of these giant peppers...I couldn't even finish 1.

****The basil measurements are slightly guessed...I really just used my palm. Adjust based on your preferance of basil flavor.