In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 2 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Add the long grain rice, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to simmer for 20 minutes. During this time, the rice will absorb the liquid and flavors.
About 3 minutes before the cooking time is up, carefully open the lid and add the broccoli florets on top of the rice mixture. Replace the lid and let it steam. This will cook the broccoli slightly and keep its vibrant color.
Once the 20 minutes is up, remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the cream cheese and 1 ½ cups of the cheddar cheese, ensuring that the cheeses melt into the rice mixture.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While it heats up, prepare the bell peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and membranes. Place them in a baking dish with the cut sides facing up.
Fill each halved bell pepper with the prepared rice mixture, pressing down gently to pack it in. Ensure each pepper is generously filled.
Bake the stuffed peppers in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the peppers to become tender.
After 15 minutes, take the peppers out of the oven, and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar cheese on top of each stuffed pepper.
Return the peppers to the oven for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
