Ham-Stuffed Bell Peppers - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. ground fully cooked ham
1 (7 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 c. tomato juice
1 1/4 c. coarsely crushed saltine crackers (27 crackers)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. sugar
several dashes of bottled hot pepper sauce
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
4 green peppers, halved crosswise and seeded
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Preparation

In a large skillet, melt the 1/4 cup butter.
Add the onion, celery and garlic; cook until tender.
Add the ham, undrained tomatoes and tomato juice.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced.
Stir in 1 cup of the crushed crackers, the egg, sugar, hot pepper sauce and ground red pepper.
Meanwhile in a large saucepan, cook the green pepper halves in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes; invert to drain.
Fill pepper halves with the ham-vegetable mixture.
Arrange peppers in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
Cover with foil.
Bake in a 350\u00b0 oven for 10 minutes.