Recipe | Spanish Rice

 

     With the cooler weather here I have been in the mood for some of my favorite comfort foods.  The other day I had a craving for Spanish Rice.  The first time I ever had it was at Bethany Lutheran church about 10 years ago at one of the fellowship brunches after worship service.  Each Sunday at Bethany a different team is responsible to bring in a dish to serve for brunch.  I asked the lady who brought the Spanish rice, Millie, if she would mind sharing the recipe with me, and she said, "it's in the cook book."  I asked her what cook book she used, and what's the name of the dish?  She looked at me like I just landed on Earth from Mars. Hahaha!  She said, "it's Spanish Rice!"  I said, "oh, I never had it before--- my mother never made it."  She said, "well, it should be in your cook book."  My mama raised me to be polite to my elders, so I just dropped the subject and looked it up in "Old Faithful" when I got home.  Lol!  Now, every time I'm in the mood for Spanish Rice, I think of Millie.  I like to serve Spanish Rice with either pork chops or cubed steak.  The boys love it and I like to have the left over Spanish Rice for lunch the next day. 

Spanish Rice  

Adapted from "Old Faithful" a.k.a. Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book (circa 1984)

6 slices bacon

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small green pepper, finely chopped

1 28-ounce can tomatoes, petite diced

1 cup water

3/4 cup long grain white rice

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dash bottled hot pepper sauce

       In a large skillet cook bacon till crisp.  Drain on paper towel; crumble when cool and set aside.  Drain fat from the skillet, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings in skillet.  Cook onion and green pepper in bacon drippings till tender.  Stir in un-drained tomatoes, water, rice, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt chili powder, pepper and hot pepper sauce.  Cover; simmer about 30 minutes or till rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed.  Top with crumbled bacon.

        

     The weather is quite cool and windy here in SE Michigan.  I can't believe that October is almost over already!   I'm going through my recipe books to find more of my favorite comfort foods.  Perhaps I will find some new recipes that I can share as well.

                                                         

                                                                           ~Marcie