Potato and Cheese Stuffed Peppers

Peppers stuffed with potatoes, onion, garlic and bacon. Instead of the usual stuffed peppers with meat and rice, this is a different version of an old classic. It is easy to prepare and works great as a side dish. 

Ingredients 

4 strips bacon
6 green peppers
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 small onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 c. celery, diced
3 Tbs. bacon drippings, divided
3 c. cooked potatoes, mashed
1 c. cheese, cut into small cubes or shredded
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. soft bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Fill a large saucepan with water and salt. Bring to a boil. While the water is heating, cut a thin slice from the stem end of each pepper.  Remove the seeds.

Place the peppers in boiling salted water. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove the peppers, and tip to drain the water out of them. Invert the peppers on a tray to drain the water well.

In a cast iron skillet, cook bacon slices until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet and place on paper towels. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of grease, but set aside the other tablespoon of bacon grease to use later.  Crumple the bacon when it is cool enough to handle. Set aside.

In the same skillet you fried the bacon in, sauté the onion, garlic and celery until tender. 

Add the potatoes, cheese, bacon, and pepper. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the potato mixture into the open cavity of each pepper. Place the peppers close together to keep them from falling over in a casserole dish.

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon bacon drippings and the soft bread crumbs.

Bake 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake another 10 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are brown. 

Serve and enjoy.