It's not your Mother's meatloaf... Stuffed Pepper Meatloaf

stuffed pepper meatloaf

It's that time of year when garden's are bursting with fresh veggies, and I don't know about you,  but I have been cooking with them constantly!  We must remind ourselves while we are sweltering in the heat and humidity now, that in like 4 short months we could be up to our apron strings in snow drifts! (at least where I live!!)  One of my favorite things to freeze from the garden for use all season long is bell peppers. 

This meatloaf is one of my kids' favorite!

When I was growing up I HATED meatloaf. Something about that hamburger all pressed together with bread and ketchup slathered on and baked...baked ketchup?

Gross.

Now I will say that I was one of those kids that ate pretty much everything growing up, but in those days you had to...or at least we had to... but either way I send a BIG thank you to my parents for being like that, you might not know what you re missing if it "just looks weird."

(Thanks, Mom and Dad!!)

I LOVED stuffed peppers growing up. That was one of my Dad's favorite meals, I was always excited when my Mom made them. So, I have incorporated that same taste into a meatloaf, and boy, is it a piece of cake...err...I mean, loaf?.... to make!

a view from the inside!

Stuffed Pepper Meatloaf

2 pounds ground beef

3/4 - 1 cup of instant rice

1 egg

1 can of diced tomatoes (undrained)

1 large bell pepper cut into rings

salt and pepper to taste

Combine ground beef, rice and egg to make into a "loaf." Season with salt and pepper. Place into your baking dish of choice, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. 

I usually make mine in my Pampered Chef deep baker (thanks, Angela!) instead of a loaf pan, because it does have some liquid from the tomatoes around it, and I don't want anyone blaming me for making their oven dirty! ;) 

I have also made it in an 11x7.

Pour the undrained can of tomatoes over the meatloaf. Place the pepper rings over the top, cover either with the dish's lid or with foil and bake at 350 for 90 minutes.

stuffed pepper meatloaf, baked potatoes and sweet corn

I always make green beans and baked potatoes with it, not only does it taste awesome, but your oven is already on!!

Since I am a creature of habit, this picture looks weird to me, because we had fresh sweet corn that night, but again, can't pass up the chance for the fresh stuff this time of year!

Enjoy!