One pot Italian meal

Easy one pot meal tonight. I made my changes as noted with asterisk **.

• 1 pound Italian sausage (**I removed skin and the cut the sausage in small pieces)

• ½ cup chopped green or **variegated pepper

• 1 medium onion, chopped

  **I Clove minced garlic 

  1 tsp. Dried basil or parsley**

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (**I used Hunts petite diced)including juice

• 2 cups vegetable juice from concentrate (**I used Campbell tomato juice)

• 1 ½ cups instant rice

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  ***Note: I mixed mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese to top this easy dinner.

Cook sausage in a large skillet until no longer pink, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Add bell pepper , garlic and onion; cook until slightly crisp. Add diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir until boiling.

1. Remove from the heat and stir in rice. Cover the skillet and let stand until liquid is absorbed, 5 to 8 minutes.

1. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over sausage, tomato, and rice mixture. Cover again and let stand until cheese is melted.

   
   

   NOTE: 

   I used mild sausage for this recipe

   And added about a 1/2 tsp. Red pepper

   
   

   **For an added bite I would use hot sausage.

 Note:

If you prefer regular rice instead of minute rice.  Cook the regular rice separately and add to tomato peppers mixture after the mixture is thoroughly cooked. About 20 to 30 minutes.