Stuffed Pepper Soup

Rainy and cold here in NE Ohio lately- YUK! Weather more reflective of chilly spring makes perfect opportunity for some Stuffed Pepper Soup, which I have to thank my mom for passing on the recipe. Very easy, yummy enough that my picky child will even eat it!

1 to 2 lbs browned ground lean meat
--I use 2 lbs because we like it meaty! I've used beef, turkey and venison- all good!
2-3 diced green peppers
1/2 to 1 diced onion
--saute peppers and onions in pan with browned meat
Dash of salt and pepper
1 large can of tomato sauce + 1/2 to 1 can water
--if you want to make a large batch to fill a dutch oven/stew pot, add another large can of tom sauce and water, another diced pepper and a quarter to half onion
1 cup spaghetti sauce (mom adds this, but I add a couple shakes of Italian seasoning and pinch of garlic instead unless I have plain spag. sauce leftover.)

Heat to easy boil, then turn back and simmer until ready to eat!

Five minutes before serving, add 1-2 cups of minute rice (2-3 cups if making huge batch) though truthfully, most of the time I totally forget the rice! Ha!

This soup is very good with some white corn chips or cornbread. Mr. FixIt likes to throw some corn in it and about half the rice when he's making dinner.

This recipe is so easy to fit what you have on hand. You can use fresh peppers and onions diced up or you can use bagged frozen ones if you are in a time crunch. I've even used dried onion flakes from the Amish market when totally out of onions. You can also use one large can tomato juice and not add any water in place of tomato sauce. Depends on how thick/thin/tomato-y you like it. Either way you fix it, the whole house smells like yummy stuffed peppers but you don't get any complaints, "MOOOOOOM, I hate the big PEPPERS!" Hehehe!

Enjoy!!