Beef and Barley Stuffed Peppers
- 4 medium-size green bell peppers
- 3/4 pound ground round
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Vegetable cooking spray
- 1 cup cooked pearl barley
- 1 cup corn cut from cob (about 2 ears) or frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
Cut tops off peppers; discard seeds and membranes. Cook peppers in boiling water to cover 4 minutes; drain and set aside. Cook beef and next 3 ingredients in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble beef. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Combine beef mixture, cooked barley, and next 7 ingredients, and stir well. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon 1 cup beef mixture into each pepper. Place stuffed peppers in an 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350 deg for 15 minutes. Top peppers evenly with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pepper).