If desired, you can add cooked, drained ground beef to this recipe or leave as is. Great as a side dish or as part of the filling for tortillas or enchiladas. Get it started first and finish preparing the rest of your meal while it’s cooking. Adapted from “Recipes for Self-Sufficient Living: Creative Recipes for the Money-Conscious Cook” by Martineau, Phipps, & Hornberger.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive or canola oil
2 cups uncooked, long-grained rice
1 small onion, diced OR 2 Tbsp dried minced onion
4 cups mild chicken broth OR 4 cups water & 4 chicken bouillon cubes, dissolved
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp chili powder (if desired)
2 cloves minced garlic OR 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
Directions:
In a large, heavy skillet (I prefer a deep, cast-iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid), heat the oil over medium heat. Pour in the rice, add the onions and heat for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the rice from burning. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Cover. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. (Do not lift the lid during cooking or you’ll lose the steaming action needed to cook the rice.) Stir the ingredients, fluffing the rice, and serve. Makes about 6 servings.
