Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Four Meat Four Cheese Stuffed Pizza Peppers

Four Meat Four Cheese Stuffed Pizza Peppers

Ingredients

For Meats:

  • 1 lb. mild or spicy ground italian sausage
  • 1 lb. lean hamburger
  • 2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. whole fennel seed
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne
  • 1/4 lb. pepperoni, small diced or chopped
  • 4 slices (2 oz.) canadian-style bacon, cut into small squares

For Pizza Sauce:

  • 1 (14.5 oz) can Hunt's Stewed Tomatoes (with the juice), break up with your hands
  • 1 (6 oz.) can Hunt's paste
  • 1 tsp. ground 100% REAL parmesan cheese (or very finely grated from a wedge), or asiago
  • 1/2 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp. regular table salt
  • 1/8 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/16 tsp. sugar

Rest of Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbl. flour
  • 1 Tbl. cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 (16 oz.) bag quality shredded mozzarella and provolone blend cheese such as Sargento's
  • 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh-grated real parmesan or asiago cheese, to taste
  • garlic salt and dried oregano
  • 6 - 8 sweet red cubanelle peppers, sliced in half lengthwise, membranes and seeds cleaned out

Instructions

  • To Cook Meats:
  • In large deep frying pan, add sausage and hamburger, breaking up into very small pieces and tossing together well to mix. Sprinkle evenly with oregano, basil, fennel, garlic salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss to mix. Can do in bowl or right in pan, then heat and sauté over medium-high, lowering to medium as it cooks, and sauté, breaking up as you cook, until done. Remove from heat. Drain grease, leaving spices and fennel seeds behind with meat. Sprinkle meat mixture evenly with flour and cornstarch, stir to coat. Stir in pizza sauce and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer (stirring) for 15 minutes until thick, rich and saucy. Stir in diced pepperoni and canadian-style bacon. Remove from heat, cover, and set aside.
  • For Pizza Sauce:
  • In medium bowl, add stewed tomatoes with the juice. Break up tomatoes into small pieces just using your hands. Sauce will resemble salsa. *Size of tomato pieces are up to you. (*Sauce will be thick after you add the tomato paste).
  • Add tomato paste on top in dollops, add rest of ingredients.
  • Stir well until combined. Sauce should be thick, rich, and still full of small to medium-sized chunks of tomato.
  • To Finish:
  • Preheat oven to 350º F (making sure rack is in the center of oven).
  • Slice peppers in half lengthwise right through stems. Clean out seeds and membranes and place onto baking sheet. (Only prepare as many as going to be eaten at the time). Fill peppers with meat filling. Top with any additional toppings such as pineapple. When oven is done preheating, pop into oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, top each with cheeses pre-tossed together in a bowl, sprinkle with a little garlic salt if desired. Top with additional toppings such as sliced olives, jalapeños, etc., sprinkle with a little dried oregano if desired. Place back into oven and bake another 10 - 12 minutes until cheese is fully melted.
  • Serve hot with garlic bread, and a tossed salad with one of my homemade salad dressings! Enjoy!
  • Notes

    Optional ingredients:
    fresh pineapple chunks, sliced black and/or pimiento-stuffed green olives, coarse-chopped fresh mushrooms, onions, hot peppers, anchovies (or *any other ingredient you enjoy on your pizza!)