Baked Spanish Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 bacon, slices
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1 1/4 cups chopped onions
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
1 (16 ounce) can best quality plum tomatoes
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
chicken broth
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups long-grain rice
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large skillet, fry bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.
In hot drippings, cook onions and green pepper until tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Into measuring cup, drain tomatoes; add enough chicken broth to the tomato liquid to make 1 3/4 cups. Cut up tomatoes.
To onion mixture, add chicken broth liquid mixture, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic powder, sugar, salt -- and, if using -- cayenne or chili powder. Heat to boiling. Grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole.
Remove mixture from heat and stir in rice; pour into casserole. Cover and bake 35 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir lightly with fork. Sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered for 5 minutes. Garnish with crumbled bacon and serve.