Spanish Rice for Slow Cooker

6 or 8 strips bacon
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck or beef
1 med. sweet type onion, peeled, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, chopped
3 ribs celery, scraped, strings removed, chopped
1 small can tomato paste
3 Tbsp. bacon drippings
water to fill tomato paste can
1 (28 oz.) can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 1/4 cup water
2 tsp. [McCormick's] chili powder, to taste) -- Optional
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar or Splenda
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups uncooked Uncle Ben's Converted rice

Brown bacon in skillet. Set drippings aside. Crumble and reserve bacon.
Brown beef in skillet. Put beef in slow cooker. Leave fat from cooking
beef in skillet. Add chopped onion, bell pepper and celery to skillet and
cook until onion is soft. Add, including drippings, to slow cooker. Add
tomato paste to skillet. Add 3 Tbsp. bacon drippings. Stir constantly and
cook and brown tomato paste until caramelized. Add tomato paste can of
water and stir well. Place this all in slow cooker with beef. Add
remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on
Low 6 to 8 hours or on High 3 hours. When ready to serve, add crumbled
reserved bacon to top. Yield: 6 Servings.

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