The other day I was in the mood for comfort food. One of hubby’s favorite comfort foods is the Spanish Rice that his Grandma Rose used to make. It’s an easy recipe, and one that I know by heart.
I set about making it, not thinking too hard. Cooked the bacon, removed it, sauteed the onions, peppers and garlic, browned the ground beef with Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Then I added rice, canned tomatoes, water and oregano. Brought it to a boil, reduced to a simmer, covered and waited.
About 15 minutes in I checked it (I like to make sure the tomatoes aren’t scorching) and when I lifted the lid I knew immediately something was wrong. It looked DRY. I checked my measuring cup, yes, I’d dumped the water in. The tomatoes, too. What had I done? Went to my trusty MasterCook program and looked up the recipe and realized immediately what I had done. I’d added 2 cups of rice instead of 1. Oops.
I quickly dug around my cupboard for another can of tomatoes, added more water and seasonings. Brought it back up to a boil, back down to a simmer and let it cook for awhile, hoping I hadn’t ruined it. About 15 minutes later I checked it and, whew, it was ok. The rice was a bit mushy and it didn’t have quite the flavor oomph it usually does, but it was still a good dinner! I served it with corn muffins and refried beans.
And it was a good thing, too. Someone hubby works with had seen my FaceBook post about Spanish Rice for dinner and he was sure looking forward to it when he came home.
SPANISH RICE
Serves: 6
- Ingredients
- 1/2 Pound Ground Beef
- 1/2 Pound Bacon (cut into 1 inch pieces)
- 1 Bell Pepper (chopped)
- 1 Medium Onion (sliced thinly)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1/2 Tablespoon Oregano
- 1 Tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder
- 1 15 Ounce Can Stewed Tomatoes
- Salt And Peppper (to taste)
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Long-Grain Rice
- 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
Directions:
In a skillet brown meat with green pepper, onion, and garlic in a bit of water until tender. Stir in seasoning, rice, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook for about 30 minutes or until rice is done. Top with cheese, allowing time to melt.