Wk 12 – Red Pepper Rice

 JLT – Tampa Treasures, pg 66

I was looking for a side dish to go with some chicken and buttered cuban toast tonight, when I remembered that the Tampa Treasures cookbook is full of them.

I picked this recipe because I had all of the ingredients, except for one…but I don’t think you’ll mind because the recipe is called Red Pepper Rice…  I did not have a green bell pepper, instead I used a red one…

Red Pepper Rice

• 5 slices lean bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
• dash of Tabasco

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook bacon in skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels; reserve drippings in skillet.  Crumble bacon; set aside.  Saute onion, celery and green pepper in skillet, until vegetables are tender.  Stir in rice, tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, salt, pepper, red pepper and Tabasco.  Spoon into lightly greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish.  Cover; bake until rice is tender about 25 minutes.  After 15 minutes, stir rice and add 1/2 cup more water, if needed.

Also, would like to note that the recipe calls for us to crumble the bacon and then it doesn’t mention what to do with it from there…so of course I tossed it in.  Can’t let good bacon go to waste…