Classic Stuffed Bell Peppers

Heat the oven. Preheat to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Prep the peppers. Slice off the tops and remove seeds and ribs. If peppers wobble, shave a thin slice off the bottom so they sit flat. Do not cut through the base.

Mix the tomato sauce base. In a medium bowl, stir together diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and Worcestershire.

Create the saucy landing pad. Pour about 1 cup of the tomato sauce base into the bottom of the baking dish. Nestle the peppers in the dish.

Start the filling. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Brown the beef. Add ground beef, salt, Italian seasoning, paprika, and black pepper. Cook, breaking it up, until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.

Bind it (without turning it into soup). Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce base from the bowl and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the beef.

Finish the filling. Turn off the heat. Stir in the cooked rice until everything is evenly combined and looks juicy, not wet. If it seems dry, add an extra splash of the tomato sauce base, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time.

Stuff the peppers. Spoon the beef and rice filling into each pepper, packing it in gently.

Sauce them. Pour the remaining tomato sauce base over and around the peppers so they are sitting in a glossy red bath. Spoon a little over the tops, too.

Bake covered. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 30 minutes.

Add cheese and finish. Remove foil, top each pepper with mozzarella (and cheddar if using). Bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. If you want more color, broil 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.

Rest and serve. Let peppers rest 5 to 10 minutes. Spoon extra sauce from the dish over each pepper and finish with herbs if you have them.