Charlene's Recipe

Stuffed tomatoes

Category: side dish

Serves 6
Ready in 1 hour
Calories 291
Fat 12 g
Protein 22 g
Carbs 23 g
Fiber 4 g
Sodium 513 mg
Cholesterol 51 mg

6 large ripe tomatoes (10-12 oz. each)
1 lb. ground sirloin
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 pouch (8.8 oz.) fully cooked brown rice
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt + more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Crusty bread and salad, for serving
Heat oven to 325 F. Rinse tomatoes and pat dry. Cut tops off tomatoes and scoop out pulp. Turn tomato shells upside down on paper towels to drain.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ground sirloin and garlic, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Cook 7 minutes, until meat is no longer pink.
Add rice, pine nuts, oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to skillet. Cover and cook on medium low heat for 3 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in blue cheese and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the chopped parsley. Invert tomatoes and sprinkle insides with salt. Spoon filling into tomatoes, mounding slightly, 2/3-3/4 cup each.
Place tomatoes in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover dish with foil and bake at 325 F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 Tbsp. parsley. Serve warm with salad and crusty bread.