Papaw’s Spanish Beef Rice
My Dad was quite fond of rice. I remember him cooking all sorts of dishes at least once a month on a quiet weekend with rice.
Most of them were with some form of fish. Not really my thing. But one recipe called for ground beef and tomatoes and sweet corn. It made the entire house smell so good!
As I got older and rice didn’t seem like something you had to eat to “clean your plate”, I started liking rice. Baby Boomers maybe the only folks who remember the “Clean your plate” edict. Thank goodness that concept has slowly passed by the wayside.
Anyway, on one very cold winter’s day when I was out living on my own, and feeling a little alone I longed for those gone days of comfort at Mom and Dad’s house. I called home and asked my Dad how to make his Spanish Rice and this is the recipe he gave me. I make it for my family now and I’m glad to report, everyone still loves it!
Ingredients
- 1 6.8oz Box Rice A Roni Spanish Rice
- 1 lbs Ground Beef or Bison (we prefer the Bison)
- 1 15oz Jar Tostitos Chunky Salsa
- 1 Beef Bouillon cube
- 2 cups Sweet Corn (optional)
- 1 cup cubed Carrots (optional)
Directions
- Follow the direction on the box to prepare the rice.
- When you add the water for the rice, add the bouillon cube, corn, carrots, etc. and complete the cooking as directed. Then set this part of the recipe aside.
- In a deep large skillet, brown the beef. and crumble it as you go.
- Once the beef has been cooked, drain the excess grease. Then return the beef and skillet to the stove.
- Add the and the entire jar of salsa to the beef. Mix thoroughly.
- Now add the entire cooked rice mixture to the beef and again mix thoroughly.
- Fold the mixture together as you cook it for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Allow the remaining liquid to cook off the mixture.
- Remove from the stove and serve hot.
Alternatives
- You can make this recipe with any type of meat, such as chicken or ham. Or even leave the meat out if you choose. I think it’s best with beef or chicken though.
- You can add any type of vegetable to this dish that you like. Such as:
- ¾ cup chopped Broccoli
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- ¾ cup black beans
- ¾ cup pintos
- You might also consider adding shredded cheddar for a cheesy version.
- Once you have combined the rice with the beef, add ¾ cup shredded cheddar to the mix.
- Fold the cheese into the mix as it melts. This shouldn’t take long.
- Once the cheese has melted, remove the skillet from the stove and serve.
Serve
- Serve Hot with warm Tostitos chips.
- You can also make a rice burrito with this mix and serve as a sandwich, or cover the burrito with warm queso blanco.
© 1997-2019 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D., Springwolf’s Creations. All Rights Reserved.