WOOT! I have just been on a cooking roll this week! It started with those YUMMY shredded beef tacos that I was trying to imitate from On the Border (and I totally hit those out of the park!) and then I just had to go for the rice too! My little boy absolutely loves the rice at OTB and can easily devour several servings at a sitting! He loves it so much that I even had the servers gather me a price list for the rice and it was not cheap! Something like $28 for a gallon-sized container?!
So, I asked my readers for a recipe and a friend of mine suggested I try a "fail proof" recipe she swears by. Well, I tried it. And about half way through I soon realized the recipe was not "FOOL proof!" LOL I spilled more than the required amount of rice in the pan, so I had no idea how much was actually in there. I didn't have cumin, so I had to substitute a random amount of chili powder. The onion I bought didn't end up looking so hot after I cut into it, so I didn't have enough of that. And as I was tasting the rice while it cooked, it just didn't taste like what I was going for......it didn't have that On the Border kick! So, I ended up doctoring up the flavors just so I wouldn't have to toss out the whole batch and waste it. I added my go-to ingredient and it was SO good! I made this again the next day with my own made-up recipe and served a bowl to my biggest critic and asked him what I was dying to know, "Sweetie do you like this 'orange' rice or the 'orange' rice at On the Border better?" And........he gulped down a HUGE spoonful and looked up at me and squealed, "No Mama! I LOVE YOUR rice the BEST! More please!" And that's all the praise I needed to hear to know my recipe was a success! ♥
Mexican Rice with Corn
1 cup uncooked Long-Grain White Rice
(1) 8 oz. can of Tomato Sauce
(1) packet of your favorite Enchilada or Taco seasoning mix
2 cups liquid (either Chicken Broth or Water)
3 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 cups Whole Kernel Frozen Corn
- Begin by rinsing the rice in a strainer before cooking. This will rinse off any dusty starch or leftover chaff particles and may prevent the rice from being a clumpy mess. Set aside to dry a bit.
- Heat the oil in a 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, then add the rice being careful of any splatters from the wet rice hitting the oil.
- Stir the rice constantly, until it gets puffed up and golden.
- Add 1/2 of the tomato sauce, about 1/2 of the seasoning packet, and the liquid.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover.
- Cook for approximately 18 - 25 minutes, checking periodically that the rice is not sticking to the pan or burning.
- The rice is done when all of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. (*Note: Depending on the rice variety, you may need a little less or a little more water as the rice cooks, so check the package for specific instructions. I just opened a new brand of rice and learned this the hard way!)
- You can add small amounts of chicken broth or water if the rice is still too, um, crunchy (?) for your liking. ;)
- Mix in the corn and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
- Cover again for just a few minutes to allow the corn to heat through. (At this point, you could add the rest of the tomato sauce and your rice dish will have a nice creamy texture. We like it like this!)
- Remove from heat and serve.
This rice is SO good by itself or when paired with our favorite Mexican Shredded Beef Tacos!
Now, I do not ever live under the pretense that I can actually 'cook', but what I strive for (and what I hope all kitchen-haters like me are aiming for) is making tasty meals that my family will enjoy, using recipes that are understandable, simple to put together, and super easy to replicate. I am often modifying recipes I find and basing them on familiar tastes or on the ingredients I have on hand at the time. Not every recipe is a keeper, but that's all a part of the learning curve!
You can also check me out over at The Krazy Coupon Mama on Facebook! Frugal living at its finest! Money-saving tips, lessons in couponing, daily deals, freebies, product samples, printable coupons, giveaways, store deals, and more!
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