I don’t like to run out of things.

At this moment, there is a back up/replacement product for just about anything in my pantry, medicine cabinet and baby supply closet.

Just used the last cup of flour? No problem. Check the third shelf, behind the spaghetti noodles.

Took the last two Immodium Tuesday after that unfortunate undercooked chicken sandwich incident? There’s some at the back of the cabinet next to the year’s worth of deodorant.

Wipes? Hell, I’ve got enough wipes to clean up after a zombie invasion. Brrrraaaaiiiins are no match for the cases of Pampers Sensitive I’ve got stacked in my son’s closet.

No matter how well I plan, though, I always seem to run out of “the good meat” and am occasionally left to choose between a UMO (unidentified meaty object) and a pound of ground beef when I open the deep freeze looking for dinner.

The UMO will likely remain in the freezer forever because I’m just not brave enough to defrost it, so I end up with ground beef.

And sure, I could make tacos, or burgers or spaghetti. Again. But sometimes, I’ve got bell peppers in the crisper.

Those are always good days.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

3 large green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes and chilis
1 cup cooked rice
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp seasoning salt (Lawry’s, or I use Tony Chachere’s)
¾ cup water
1 cube beef bouillon or 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon
½ cup breadcrumbs (I like panko, but you can use whatever you have)
Optional: Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Brown ground beef, then add onion and garlic and cook until onion starts to become transparent. Drain well. Add rice

Combine tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Season with pepper and seasoning salt. Pour half of the mixture over the meat and rice and mix well.

Mix water and bouillon and pour into the bottom of a casserole dish.

Stuff each pepper half with the meat mixture and place in the water. (You may parboil the peppers beforehand if you would like them to turn out softer.)

Spoon out more tomato mixture on top of each pepper and sprinkle them liberally with breadcrumbs.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

*If you’d like, top with grated or sliced cheese during the last five minutes of cooking time.