Shrimp-Stuffed Peppers

It is indeed unfortunate that many people pick the stuffing out of stuffed bell peppers, eat it and throw the peppers away, rather than cut them up and eat them with the stuffing. Green bell peppers, like any unripe fruit are more pungent than the ripe fruit. Try cooking this dish with ripe peppers instead of green ones. Depending on the variety, ripe peppers are red, yellow, orange or occasionally even purple or brown. They are much sweeter and milder than green peppers and, as an added benefit, are even higher in vitamin C and beta carotene than green peppers. Your guests will thank you.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cloves slivered garlic
• 6 medium bell peppers
• 1 10 ½-oz. can mushroom soup
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Dash of black pepper
• 2 tbsp. grated onion
• 2 tbsp. plus 6 pats butter
• ½ cup cooked rice
• 1 lb. peeled, cooked shrimp tails
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• paprika

PREPARATION:

Place salt and garlic in pan with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil. Cut tops off peppers, scoop out centers and boil for 10 minutes. Remove peppers and discard the water. Combine soup, lemon juice, pepper, onion and 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter melts. Add rice and shrimp to sauce. Mix well. Stuff peppers with mixture and place upright in a baking dish. Top with cheese, pat of butter and paprika. Add a half inch of water to dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 4-6.