Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of regular long grain white rice - not quick cook

• 3 cups water

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion

• 1 small can of tomato sauce

• fresh cilantro - chopped - small handful (optional, but recommended)

• 1 tsp. minced garlic

• 1 1/2 TB. chicken bouillon

• 2 TB. vegetable oil

• pinch of ground cumin

• small can mixed vegetables, drained (optional)

Directions:

Put vegetable oil in a large frying pan, and place on a medium/high heat burner. When the oil is hot, add the rice. Stir constantly while browning. After 30-45 seconds or so, add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and continue to stir and brown the rice. The rice should turn dark brown but not black (now is not the time to walk away!) Keep stirring.

When rice is fairly evenly browned, add half of the small can of tomato sauce, and stir a bit. Watch out as it may pop. Cook sauce with rice for a 10-15 seconds, and then add water, chicken bouillon, cumin, & cilantro. Optional: This is also when you could add a small can of mixed vegetables.

Give it a quick stir.

Cover with a lid, and turn the heat down to medium/low. Let it simmer, and cook the water down. If you have a glass lid, this helps you be able to watch it.

It will take approximately 15-20 minutes to cook down. You can stir it once or twice in the beginning while there is plenty of water, but pretty much cover it and leave it alone. If you stir it towards the end of the cooking process, it will get mushy. Mushy still tastes good, but it sure doesn't look pretty. Keep one eye on your rice as the water cooks down. It goes from a little watery to none really fast at the end. When the water is gone, remove from heat.