Stuffed Peppers, Americas Style

Total time: 40 minutes
    Quinoa makes it so much more interesting and adds a meatier texture to the finished peppers than the, more traditional, rice!  Use ground turkey if you prefer.... Something else I can't get.

 Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup quinoa
• 2/3 cup (5oz, 150ml) chicken stock
• 2 - 3 nicely shaped medium bell peppers, any color
• 5oz ground beef  (150gr mince)
• 1 medium onion
• 2oz (60gr) mushrooms
• 1 rib celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef stock
• 1 tbs tomato paste
• 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbs water
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) shredded cheese
• 2 - 4 drops hot pepper sauce or more...  optional

 Instructions:

• Cook quinoa in stock until done. 
• Put a large pot of water on high heat and bring to a boil. 
• Cut peppers in half the long way (try to find the best flat sides before cutting so that they will lie nicely) and remove stem end and seeds. 
• When water is boiling drop peppers in and simmer for 5 minutes. 
• Remove (use tongs) and put into a baking dish that will just hold them (if possible). 
• Finely chop onion, celery; mince garlic. 
• Clean and chop mushrooms. 
• Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sauté chili powder and paprika for 1 minute. 
• Add celery and onion, sauté until tender, 5 minutes. 
• Add garlic and mushrooms, sauté 3 minutes longer. 
• Add beef and sauté until cooked through breaking it up as it cooks. 
• Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, 1/4 cup tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce if using. 
• Dissolve cornstarch in water. 
• When stock mixture is simmering, stir cornstarch in to thicken. 
• Remove from heat, add quinoa and stir well to combine. 
• Spoon mixture into the pepper halves. 
• Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400F (200C). 
• Remove foil, spoon the remaining tomato sauce on top of each pepper and sprinkle with shredded cheese. 
• Bake, uncovered until cheese melts. 
• Serve. 

Note: Keep any extra stuffing warm and serve on the side.