Beef & Ham Stuffed Bell Peppers - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb ground cooked ham
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
2 eggs
3/4 cup raw white rice or 3/4 cup Minute Rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 -8 green peppers, halved and seeded
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 quart water
2 bay leaves
2 -3 tablespoons bacon drippings or 2 -3 tablespoons oil
2 -3 tablespoons flour

Preparation

Combine meat, eggs, rice,onion, salt and pepper; set aside.
Cut peppers in half and seed.
Stuff meat mixture into peppers and drop into sauce.
Sauce: Make a roux with oil and flour and cook over MEDIUM heat until brown but not burnt.
Add 1 small can tomato paste and a quart of water.
Stir with a whisk until sauce bubbles.
Add bay leafs.
Drop peppers into sauce.
Cook, covered, at slow simmer on stovetop for 1-1 1/2 hr, or bake in covered casserole 1- 1/2 hours.
Add water if necessary.
The rice will absorb water.
Peppers should be COVERED with sauce, and peppers are done when rice is cooked.