What's Cookin': Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

I'm pretty sure you didn't grow up in America if your Mom didn't make stuffed peppers when you were a kid, so this is a recipe I was anxious to try in my slow cooker.  I've been trying to use my slow cooker once a week to ease the burden of weeknight chaos, it sure is nice to have a hot meal ready when you walk in the door.  As an added bonus, I love a good "one dish, one plate wonder" where you get veggies, protein and carbs in one neat little package, and this fits the bill on all accounts.  I must have read this recipe (in the companion book to the blog) four times to make sure I didn't need to pre-cook the meat, but alas, I didn't, and the peppers were DE-lish!  You could easily make and refrigerate the filling the night before, or assemble the entire dish and store your stoneware in the fridge until morning ... and of course, you can adjust to add your taste in spices, flavoring, etc.  Happy crockin'!!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers
as adapted from A year of Slow Cooking

5 to 6 peppers of any color
1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
1 cup cooked rice, brown or white
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 t worcestershire sauce
2 T ketchup
1 t black pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced (my addition)
1/3 cup water  (next time I'd use a tomato sauce for additional flavor)

Wash and trim your peppers, removing the inner seeds and membranes, and saving the tops of the peppers. 

In a bowl, mix the ground beef, rice and seasoning. Stuff each pepper with a good amount of the ground beef and rice mixture.

Nestle the peppers into your slow cooker and put the little pepper tops back on.  Pour in 1/3 cup of water ( or tomato sauce ) around the bases of the peppers

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.