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Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper
Buddy Love

Slow Cooker Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Stew Over Rice

A slow-cooked stew of garden peppers, tomatoes, and potatoes served over fluffy rice, with an optional meatball topping.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tomatoes cut up
  • 4 bell peppers small to medium, cut up
  • 1 jalapeno pepper cut up
  • 2 potatoes medium, cubed
  • some mini carrots frozen
  • a couple of tablespoons butter
  • a couple of spoonfuls minced garlic
  • about 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • about 3 tablespoons dry chives
  • a squirt basil from the tube
  • about 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • a couple of tablespoons chicken stock powder
  • a couple of tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • enough to cover water
  • to taste salt
  • 1/2 cup rice
  • about 1 cup water for rice
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons butter for rice
  • 1/4 pound beef optional, for meatballs
  • 1/4 pound pork sausage optional, for meatballs
  • some onion optional, for meatballs
  • some garlic optional, for meatballs
  • some salt optional, for meatballs
  • some basil optional, for meatballs
  • 1 egg yolk optional, for meatballs
  • some breadcrumbs optional, for meatballs
  • some milk or dried milk optional, for meatballs

Method
 

  1. Cut up the tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeno pepper. Place them in a slow cooker and add the cubed potatoes and frozen mini carrots.
  2. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a small cooker or pan. Add the minced garlic, chopped onion, dry chives, basil, and chili powder. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until the flavors merge and it smells wonderful.
  3. Add the chicken stock powder, tomato paste, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Dump the cooked herb mixture on top and add enough water to cover. Taste and add salt to taste.
  4. Cook on slow for most of the day, or on high for a couple of hours.
  5. When ready to make dinner, rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain. Add about a cup of water to the rice and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until the water runs dry and the rice is cooked but still firm.
  6. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter to the rice. Once melted, fluff the rice with a fork.
  7. Optional: To make meatballs, mix the beef, pork sausage, onion, garlic, salt, basil, egg yolk, breadcrumbs, and milk. Form into about 16 small meatballs and cook in an air fryer for about 10 minutes until browned.
  8. Plate the rice, make a space in the middle, and add the stuffed pepper stew. Top with the meatballs.

Notes

Meatballs can be made ahead and frozen.