Stuffed Peppers or the BEST Italian Chili without the Pepper!

I haven't made Stuffed Peppers in years.. but tonight I just HAD the urge to make them... um so I DiD!  

And, boy was I a happy GIRL! 

Want to make some for your family?  Here's my recipe:

Ingredients

2lbs chop meat (I use 93% lean)

8 peppers (color of your choice)

1 onion

1 large can Crushed tomatoes with basil

1/2 cup red wine

2 tsp italian seasoning

1 tsp basil

salt and pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups rice

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Topping

1 cup bread crumbs

3 tbls butter

1 tbls olive oil

sprinkle of parmesan

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Start by cutting the tops off your peppers and boiling them for  5 minutes.   Drain and put in a large baking pan.

Set aside.

Make 2 1/2 cups of rice season to taste.  I like to use olive oil and sea salt. 

In a large pan saute chop meat with salt.  Then saute onion and pieces of chopped pepper leftover from the tops.  Deglaze with red wine.   Then add can of chopped tomatoes, italian seasoning, basil and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer on low.

Toss in your rice and stir. 

Then add 1 cup of cheese 

and stir until combined.

Check out THAT Cheesy Goodness!

At this point you two options:

1.  put in a casserole dish and heat up for the BEST Italian Chili EVER

OR 

2.  Stuff those peppers!

Now make your bread crumb topping by combining bread crumbs, parmesan, melted butter and olive oil in a small bowl.

Hands work best for topping your peppers.

Loosely cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Take them out of the oven and top with cheese.

Then pop them back in the oven for 10 minutes or until the bread crumbs are browned and the cheese is melted.

We served ours up with a baby lettuce salad and some bread.. 

Perfect for a Sunday night dinner.. 

or ANY other night of the week!

I am sharing with

Love,

Pinkapotamus 

DIY Mod Podge Valentine Suitcase!

Guess what I made this out of?

Yup.. 

An OLD Cereal Box!

Here's what you NEED to make one!

Cereal Box

Paper Mod Podge

Scrapbook paper

Glue Stick 

Twine

Ribbon

optional: 

Pom Poms

Cutting tool

Cricut 

Start by turning your cereal box inside out so that the interior has the pictures in it. 

(ignore the handle that comes later and this was me playing with the idea!)

Next glue the box flaps here

and here on both sides. 

Next grab your cutter and measure how big your squares are and cut your scrapbook paper accordingly.

Grab your Mod Podge and a foam brush and get gluing!

I started with the bottom

 and worked my way around

 and up the interior of the "suitcase".

Then I started on the outside.

When I got to the top

I added some cute Valentine themed "stamps"

Next cut two slits for your ribbon handle

and Mod Podge to the interior.

Then add some velcro circles to the sides and the front so that you can close your suitcase.

Then grab your cutting tool ( I used my Cricut) and cut out banners and letters.

Then cut a slip in the side and slip your twine in with your banner.

Now your suitcase

 is ready to fill with Sweet Love Notes for your special little ones this Valentine's day!

Hope you LOVE this project as much as I do!

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Love,

Pinkapotamus