Shelly's Recipe

ITALIAN STUFFED TOMATOES

Category: Sides

6 medium sized tomatoes
1/2 lb ground beef and Italian sausage
3 slices Italian bread broken into small pieces
1/2 cup instant rice
1 bunch long green onion chopped
1 small green bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup tomato sauce
10 fresh basil leafs chopped
1/4 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper
1 small pkg shredded mozzarella

Wash the tomatoes, cut the tops off and spoon out pulp. Reserve the pulp in a small bowl.

Remove sausage from the casing and fry with the ground beef until done. Drain the sausage and beef mixture on a paper towel and wipe the pan clean. Add butter and oil to the pan and sauté the garlic, onions, tomato pulp, and green pepper for about 2 minutes.

Cook rice according to package directions. Add cooked meat, oregano, basil, salt and pepper for 2 minutes. Add cooked rice and stir in tomato sauce, bread and Romano cheese.

Preheat oven to 350. Cool the mixture a little then stuff the tomatoes. Place tomatoes in a casserole dish and top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Serves 6