Stuffed Bell Peppers, Abel style

Green peppers grow very well in our climate. These were utilized by my family for this favorite dish. We always served them with mashed potatoes to utilized the resulting gravy to its fullest potential. 

 5 - 6 medium bell peppers (any color will do but we always used green) 

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground meat 

1 1/2 cups rice after cooked (day-old is best) 

1 small onion diced 

1 tsp garlic powder 

2 eggs 

1-2 tbs milk 

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp pepper 

3 Tbs ketchup with more to top the peppers 

Cut the bell peppers at the top and removes seeds and core. It will be like a little bowl. You may have to trim the bottom is the bell pepper won't sit up straight. Place in a baking dish. In a bowl, mix the ground meat, rice, chopped onion, garlic powder, eggs, salt, pepper, and 3 tbs ketchup. Mix well. If the mixture seems dry, add 1 - 2 tbs. milk (or water). Fill the bell peppers with the meat mixture. Place back in baking dish. Top the bell peppers with ketchup (a somewhat thick coating). Then, sprinkle 1/2 tsp. of granulated sugar on top. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 - 40 minutes until done.

Doris' Southern Biscuits

This is nothing fancy -- my mom made biscuits every week when we were growing up. The ingredients were simple. No Bisquick-- but she did take the help of self-rising flour. We would eat these with tomato gravy, molasses and sour cream, or homemade strawberry jam. When they were day-old, she would split them in half, butter them well, and bake them until crisp under the broiler in the oven. They were even better like that.   The "biscuit bowl" is important to the southern kitchen.  Use a tupperware with a lid and store your leftover flour for the next batch.  It is a perpetual bowl that you don't wash.

A bowl with at least 4 cups self-rising flour 

1/2 cup shortening 

2 tbs. sugar 

3/4 cup milk (whole or buttermilk is best) 

Combine the sugar and milk.  Put flour in big bowl.  Create a well in the center of the four. Put shortening in the well.  Pour in milk  in the well. Start by pulling flour from the sides into the well with your index finger as you mix with your had. You will only used about 2 1/2 cups of the flour -- the other will stay dry on the side  Don't overwork the flour. You do not want to activate the gluten as it will make the biscuits tough. The dough will be somewhat sticky but you can pull flour from the sides as you form the biscuits. Just pat them into the size you like. Put them on a baking sheet and punch a fork into them twice to make vent holes. Bake at 400 degree until light and golden.