pepper stuffing

i have absolutely no idea where this recipe originally came from, but my mother often cooked it when i was a kid.  it's a dish that i still enjoy, and when it's dreary and winterish outside, it's a perfect bowl for lunch.  and if i particularly liked bell peppers, i'd actually serve this dish as intended.  but fortunately, pepper stuffing is perfectly satisfying sans bell pepper!

total time is about 30 minutes, and this includes both prep and cooking; most of the prep can be done while the meat is browning.  there are probably 4-5 brian-sized servings

ingredients:
- 1 pound ground turkey (it comes cunningly prepackaged at the store!)
- 1/2 cup long grain rice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cans stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz, i tend to prefer italian recipe, but a quart of canned homegrown tomatoes is even better)
- worchestershire sauce
- various herbs/spices (garlic powder, black pepper, hot pepper, paprika, basil, oregano, and rosemary)
- cheeeeeeeese

preparation:
brown the ground turkey on medium to medium-high in a large skillet.  lately, i've been going for 93% lean turkey, as it results in only moderate amounts of grease.  additionally, if you go any leaner, the cost at the grocery store seems to be much higher.  i used to use ground beef, but turkey works just as well and is nominally more healthy.

roughly chop the turkey with the spatula while it's browning.  if you don't, the meat will stay in fairly large chunks, and this just isn't the consistency of ground beef.  although my seasonings change from day to day depending on how i feel, today i added garlic powder, ground (hot) pepper, black pepper, paprika, and basil to the turkey while it was browning.  the way i figure it, i might as well make the meat taste nice, even if i do end up draining some of the flavoring off with the grease.  browning takes about 10 minutes or so.

after the turkey is browned, drain the excess grease.  it goes without saying that this should be drained into a cup or something...and not the sink.

once the grease is drained, put the pan back on the stove, and add the rice, water, and tomatoes.  i usually chop up the stewed tomatoes a little with the spatula...just so i don't end with oversized chunks of tomato in my bowl.  for seasoning, i add 2-3 shakes of worchestershire sauce, rosemary, oregano, and more black pepper.  in case you haven't noticed by now, i like a little kick in my food.  stir well, bring to a simmer, and reduce heat to medium.  cover and allow to simmer for about 15-16 minutes (stirring occasionally).  the key is to make sure the rice is cooked.

although i personally like adding some corn into the bowl of pepper stuffing, i have always warmed it up separately so the corn stays crisp.  and a little shredded cheddar cheese on top makes everything taste oh so splendid.

verdict:
if i didn't have a stuffy nose today, i suspect i might think i had been heavy-handed with the seasonings.  but as it was, the flavorings were noticeable but not overwhelming.  i could taste the sweetness of the tomato and basil, and i felt the heat of the pepper.  the corn adds that occasional juicy/crunchy nugget to contrast with the softer texture of the rice and meat, and the cheese gets all melty and wonderful.