Cut top off bell peppers. Scrape seeds out and rinse with water. Place peppers in large pan and completely cover with water. Boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Brown hamburger, onion, salt, and pepper. Add stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, rice and water. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in grated cheese. Stuff hamburger mixture into peppers. Top with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Clarissa
“Mommy, wake up, sleepyhead.”
Dante’s voice jerks me out of a dream. Dante?
Stunned at his sudden appearance, I pull my sheet up to my neck, darting my gaze around the bed. “W-what are you doing here?”
I feel around on the mattress for my Womanizer and begin to panic when it’s not beneath the sheet where I left it.
My panic escalates when behind my son, I see a set of electric blue eyes.
Please, God, get me out of this.
But you probably shouldn’t ask God for a solid when you’ve been caught with your hand in your pants.
“We got home last night.”
“Huh?” I fumble beneath my bedspread, trying to subtly search for the evidence. “I n-need to get dressed. Some privacy, please.”
“What’s wrong?” Troy asks. “You look a little pale. Didn’t you sleep well?” His feigned innocence has me on high alert.
“Mommy, we have something very important to ask you.”
Managing to find my voice, I look over at Dante. “Why aren’t you at the Leightons? Are you okay?”
“Yes. Troy came to pick me up.”
“What?”
“He took me to get a slushy, made me brush my teeth, and read me a story. He slept in my room to give you some rest.”
“You slept here?” I ask, sinking further into the bed, my hand still searching and coming up empty.
“Missing something?” Troy asks, his smirk now a full-on grin.
“What’s wrong with your hair?” Dante asks, tilting his head.
“Ah, yeah,” Troy adds, “it does look a little bunched in the back, doesn’t it?” You know that moment in Forrest Gump where Forrest and little Forrest both tilt their heads while watching TV and Jenny finds it endearing? This is NOT that moment.
“Get out! Get out both of you. I’ll talk to you in a minute.”
“It’s okay, Mommy,” Troy snickers, “It’s perfectly healthy to want some me time.”
I narrow my eyes. “Go.”
“But we need to ask you a question,” Dante whines.
“Give me a minute, son, to p-put on some clothes.” And find my sex toy. “Go on.”
Troy ushers him out of the room but not before mouthing the words “top drawer.”
I waste no time racing to my dresser and seeing that the toy was strategically hidden beneath my underwear.