Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 lbs lean ground beef, browned
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (from the jar)
• 2 (15 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes (i used s&w ready cut diced with onion & green bell pepper)
• 1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce, i use prego traditional
• 2 1/2 cups cooked long-grain rice
• 3 large green bell peppers, diced
• 2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans beef consomme
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
• 2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups v8 vegetable juice, as needed to bring the soup to desired consistency
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• additional sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Recipe

• 1 brown the ground beef, onion and garlic in large pot or dutch oven.
• 2 then add the chopped green bell pepper (i cut it up and place it in my food processor and give it a couple quick rotations â?? just enough to grind a bit of it, while still leaving some of it in larger pieces).
• 3 cook until the pepper is starting to get tender. add rest of the ingredients, except cheese and rice and bring to a slow boil over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
• 4 decrease heat to a simmer and cover. simmer slowly for 30 minutes, stirring often. add the rice and cook another 15 minutes, stirring and watching carefully. this soup can get pretty thick in a short amount of time.
• 5 add 1 cup of the cheese and stir until melted. sprinkle individual servings with a little bit more of shredded cheddar (either mild or sharp) cheese.
• 6 note: i put the stewed tomatoes in my food processor and pulse them for a couple quick rotations before adding them to the soup pot.