Spanish Rice

This is a favorite dish of mine. My mom used to make it a lot as I was growing up. In fact, this was the first meal I ever made all by myself.

Ingredients:

2 cups water

1 cup long grain rice

1 pound ground beef, turkey, or venison

1 white or yellow onion, chopped

1 Anaheim Chile or green pepper, chopped- optional

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 teaspoon chili powder

scant 1/3 cup white sugar- optional

28-32 oz. tomato juice

In a medium pan add 2 cups water and season with small amount of salt. When it comes to a boil, add the 1 cup rice. Cover and turn down heat. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed. Remove from heat.

In a large skillet or dutch oven, cook the ground beef with the onion and pepper. Season with the salt and pepper as you cook it.

Drain the meat, if needed.

When the meat is cooked, add the rice to the pan. Pour in the tomato juice. I like it a bit saucier so I use the full quart, but you can use a bit less.

Add the chili powder and optional sugar. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.

Turn on heat to medium high and stir occasionally. When the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down. Continue to cook about 30 minutes or until you get the consistency you want. Also, continue to stir every once in a while.

It is important to have the heat on low at this point or you could scorch the bottom and ruin it.

This makes a nice big pot and will feed 5 people unless you have big eaters in the house.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.