Spanish Rice Bar

I find it helpful to grab all my ingredients before I get started, that way I know I have everything on hand or if I need to make an adjustment to my recipe. Gather and prepare your ingredients, chopping onions and peppers, mincing garlic, and juicing half a lemon as listed above.

Divide and place cut Lettuce and Grated Mexican Mix Cheese in containers or dishes. Set aside in frig until ready to serve.

Prepare Tomatoes, Limes, and Fresh Cilantro as listed. Divide all, as well as Raw Pumpkin Seeds, and place in containers or dishes. Set aside until ready to serve.

Beginning Spanish Rice, add Olive Oil, chopped Onions, Red Sweet Pepper, and Green Pepper to a heavy 5-6 quart, tight-lidded pan. Set to medium heat and begin to saute the aromatic vegetables.

In a separate large heavy-bottomed skillet, add half the Butter, and half the Brown Rice to begin toasting. Watch carefully and continuously stir to avoid burning the kernels. Remove toasted Rice to a bowl and repeat the process with the second half of Rice. Remove the second batch of toasted Rice adding it to the first batch.

In the first pan, as vegetables begin to brown, add the Chili Powder, Oregano, Thyme, and Cumin, and give them a good stir. Add Tomato Paste to brown a bit in the oil and veggies for about 3 minutes This caramelizes the natural sugars in the paste, giving depth and complexity to the finished Spanish Rice that it wouldn't have otherwise. Now add Chicken Broth, Water, Salt, and Pepper, giving a stir to blend

Add all the Toasted Brown Rice to the prepared, seasoned liquid. Stir again and bring to a simmer. Place lid tightly on the pan and set a timer for 45 minutes. Cook Rice at a low simmer without lifting the lid. Check Rice at 45 minutes and decide if it needs a touch more water to cook fully. Brown Rice should have a slight nutty chew. Continue to cook until done, taking just another 5 minutes. Do not overcook. Set aside to rest off of heat, but still covered for 15 minutes.

While Rice is cooking, making sure no Rice kernels remain in the skillet used to toast Rice, - begin the Southwest Seasoned Meat by lightly spraying skillet with Pan Spray. Add Onions and Garlic and begin to saute. Add Sweet Paprika, Smoked Paprika, Cumin. and Oregano. Add Ground Meat, Salt and Pepper. Begin to brown, breaking up meat to medium-small chunky bits.

When meat is fully browned, simply ladle off excess fat from the meat and discard fat.

While Meat is cooking, heat both Cut Corn and Black Beans separately, either in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Divide cooked and heated Spanish Rice, Southwest Seasoned Ground Meat, Cut Corn, and Black Beans as needed in containers or dishes. They are ready now for delivery and or serving your family.

Pictured: The shared portion of the meal set up and labeled in foil pans for the recipient's ease. No need for washing and returning dishes! Avocadoes saved for cutting just before serving.

Pictured: The meal all bagged up and ready to hand off to our friends. Plus, -a carton of fresh farm eggs, of course! You get a meal from a hobby farmer's wife, you're likely to be gifted eggs to boot. I never got our family's portion pictured at the table in serving dishes. Honestly, I was too tired! The family just went for it from the kitchen!