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Photo: Bee and thistle: Taken high in the Cascade Mountains where there is a bee buzzing on every thistle. by Debora Rorvig

Friday, February 17, 2012

Mom's Spanish Rice with Hamburger


My Sis and I were reminiscing about Mom's home cooking the other day. Our Mother could make a meal from just about anything she found in the pantry, and it was always tasty and so wholesome! Her Spanish Rice was the best! I've never been able to make it just as she did--and of course she never wrote down her 'everyday' recipes. She was much to practical for that. I think she assumed that anybody with any cooking sense at all could throw together some rice, tomatoes, and spices that would result in a filling, tasty meal. But not me! My Spanish Rice was always soupy or mushy. I've been craving this dish for about 2 weeks now, so I decided to look on line for a good recipe. I found some basic ones and tried to jog my brain to think about just what my mom might have added to hers. One thing's for sure...there'd be no meatless rice in her home unless were were dead broke! So I knew I'd need to add some ground beef. And since she never considered herself a 'gourmet', the spices would be inexpensive and common. Armed with that, and some basic recipes, I set out to make Mom's Spanish Rice...and I think I've come close! She wouldn't necessarily be proud of me for this accomplishment...more likely surprised that it took me this long to figure it out!


Mom's Spanish Rice with Hamburger
(as best as I can figure)

1 lb. ground beef
3-4 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups brown basmati rice (she wouldn't have used basmati, buy I love it!)
1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper

Brown ground beef. Drain and set aside.
Place oil in a large pot. Saute onion, peppers, garlic, and rice in it. Make sure that the rice turns a nice golden brown.
Add the tomatoes, meat, and spices.
Cover and cook over a low to medium heat until the rice is flaky...about 40 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

I think this meal is best serve simply...all by itself,
but if you're wanting a little dessert, a chunk of dark chocolate with a cup of coffee would be the perfect contrast.



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5 comments:

ellen b. said...

Sounds real good! Thanks for sharing.

Alicia@ ec friendly homemaking said...

Oh this just sounds so delicious!!

Ocean Soul said...

Guess what I am making for supper right now? it's in the covered skillet and it smells great already!

BECKY said...

Debora...if this goes on much longer, I'm definitely hopping a train, plane...whatever and coming to visit you in person! My now deceased sister, Jo Ann, made her own recipe of Spanish Rice, all the time when I was growing up. "What's for dinner?" "Jo Ann's spanish rice!" "Oh Boy!" :)

joanne said...

I've never been able to figure out what my mom's secret was either so I just plod on and end up with soggy, mushy, mealy spanish rice. I'm gonna give this one a try. It's one of my favourite memories too!

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