Beef & Tomato Stuffed Peppers w/ Yogurt Sauce

Sauce; 1 C greek yogurt, 2 t dried lemon peel, 2 T honey.

Mix all ingredients together and stir.

Preheat oven to 425°F

Remove seeds and core of bell peppers with your hands. Toss with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Par roast peppers for 20 minutes. Lower oven to 375° after removing par roasted peppers from the oven.

Combine rice with 1 C water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat but do not uncover for atleast 5 minutes.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Mix ground beef and ground pork together. Season mixture with salt, pepper, half the herbes de provence. Brown beef in pan.

Lay celery and onions atop the meat. When first side of meat begins to brown, add crushed pepper flakes and stir.

When meat is nearly completely browned add tomaties, garlic, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir. Add the remaining herbs herbs de provence with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cook for 5 minutes or until tomatoes start breaking down. When the tomatoes tart to release their juices, add merlot. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add sugar and balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, vinegar, or sugar as desired. Simmer 2 minutes.

Place rice in a large mixing bowl. When cool enough to handle add beef mixture little by little until you achieve your own desired ratio of beef to rice.

Stuff each bell pepper and top with cheese. Place on lower rack in oven. Bake for approximately 15 minutes for a crisp pepper or 25-30 minutes for a softer pepper.

Serve with plenty of yogurt sauce

Variations; Marinara, tomato puree or sauce, tarragon, fennel, fennel seeds, celery seed, worchestershire, shallots, habanero, paprika, Italian seasoning, roasted and diced bell peppers or tomatoes, roasted garlic, smoked or roasted chiles, cream cheese, goat cheese, lime, spinach, zucchini, romano, gruyere, parmesean, olives, mushrooms,