Spanish Rice

2 cups rice

2 Tbsp veg. or olive Oil

1 medium onion – chopped

1 small can tomato sauce

Chicken broth when added to tomato sauce makes 4 ½ cups of liquid.

1 tsp. garlic powder (you can use fresh garlic if you want, but chop very fine and sauté with onion)

Salt and pepper to taste

Sautee onions in oil, until soft, add rice, brown lightly.  Add liquid, garlic powder and S&P, stir, bring rice to boil and turn heat down to slow simmer.  Cook until rice is done, do not stir. 

For nice festive looking rice (doesn’t change the taste much).  When adding liquid, add ¼ cup chopped green onions and ½ cup sliced black olives.  Stir once and then let simmer as indicated above.


Recipe from a family friend that is a fabulous cook, Kathy.

Coconut Rice

1 cup Basmati rice
1 14 oz. can of lite coconut milk
1/4 cup of water.

Boil water and milk, add rice, reduce heat to simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed.

I've not tried this, but the recipe was with the Sweet and Sour Chicken. It sounds like they'll be good together. I'll let you know...

SO, I tried this and the sweet and sour chicken and although they were ok they were WAY too much work. I don't know that I'll do it again...

Baked Rice with Chilies and Cheese

1 c cooked rice
2 (4 oz) cans diced chilies
3 Tbsp butter
¼ c grated parmesan
½ lb diced cheddar or jack cheese
2 c sour cream
salt

Combine rice, sour cream, & salt to taste, mix well. Spread ½ of rice in buttered baking dish, sprinkle with ½ the cheddar, and add a layer of chilies, top with remaining cheese. Spread remaining rice on top. Dot surface with butter and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Rice

(Like Cafe Rio)
3 cups water
3 cups rice*
(Put cilantro, chilies, and onion in food processor)
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 can green chilies
1/2 onion
4 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp butter
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp chicken bouillon granules
Lime juice

Bring water to boil. Add all ingredients.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

*the original recipe I received called for minute rice but it gets very sticky so next time I'm going to try regular rice and see how it goes!  If you try it first, let me know!