Di's Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients

• 8 ounce tomato sauce divided canned
• 16 ounce canned tomatoes chopped canned
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 6  bell peppers green seeds removed (reserve tops)
• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 pinch ground pepper black
• 0.5 cup onion chopped
• 1 dash pepper sauce hot tabasco® (such as )
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded divided
• 0.5 cup water 
• 0.5 cup rice long-grain white
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce 

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• pot
• baking pan
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Chop reserved green bell pepper tops and measure out 1/4 cup.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil; cook whole green bell peppers until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Drain and season inside of bell peppers with a little salt.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir beef, onion, garlic, and reserved 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper in the hot skillet until ground beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Stir canned tomatoes and liquid, rice, 1/2 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, hot sauce, and black pepper into ground beef mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover skillet with a lid, and simmer until rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.
7. Stir 3/4 the mozzarella cheese and 3/4 the tomato sauce into ground beef-rice mixture. Stuff bell peppers with ground beef-rice mixture; top each with remaining mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. Arrange stuffed peppers in a baking dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through and cheese is melted, 30 to 35 minutes.