Spanish Rice & Meatballs

6 slices of bacon
1lb. lean ground beef
½ cup soft bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
½ tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup sliced celery
2/3 cup uncooked white rice
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (16oz.) diced tomatoes
1/3 cup Heinz 57 sauce
¼ tsp. Pepper
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 green bell pepper cut into chunks

In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and crumble, set aside.
Drain all but 1 tbsp. drippings.
In large bowl, combine beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt & pepper. Form into about 20 meatballs.
In skillet brown meatballs; remove. In same skillet saute onion & celery until tender-crisp; drain excess fat.
Add rice, water, tomatoes, 57 sauce, ¼ tsp. pepper and hot pepper sauce.
Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in bacon, meatballs and green pepper.
Cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.