And speaking of Beans and Rice, here is a wonderful Spanish Rice recipe that I use every week or so to use up leftovers, and nine times out of ten I have the basic ingredients on hands. Basic food; nourishing and filling.
Spanish Rice
1 1/2 cups regular white rice
1 tsp. salt (can omit)
1 small can tomato sauce (or leftover spaghetti sauce, or your own pureed canned tomatoes; a scant cup, 5 oz.)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, or equal chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried parsley (or 2 tsp. fresh in season)
1/2 tsp back pepper, or more to taste
3 cups water
Leftover veggies or chopped leftover chicken or beef or pork or venison if you have it on hand.
1 can of drained and rinsed beans, your choice. I use black beans or red kidney beans.
In a covered non-stick saute pan, or a covered, heavy bottom soup kettle, saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add rice and saute until starting to brown a little. Add the rest of the ingredients and any leftover veggies or chopped meat you have on hand. Stir until well mixed, cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. Stir every five minutes or so.
Add a can of beans and heat through. Serve with shredded cheese and salsa if desired.
Makes a great side dish, stand alone supper or filling for tacos and burritos.
Spanish Rice<<<
Your cooking methods, are as I remember the Mexican mothers in the small town where I grew up, making their rice.
LOL, we didn’t put the beans in the rice, we served Pinto beans on the side.
But today, I put all kinds of things in things that I would not have 50 years ago.
Common Macaroni Salad, without a package of frozen mixed vegetables cooked with the macaroni, is boring to me.
Learned that trick from a Mormon Mother, with many small kids. Hide the veggies salad, was what she called it.
I call it good.