Monthly Archives: May 2015

The BEST Mexican Rice – gluten free

Grilled pork chop, salad, mexican rice

I grew up in San Diego. I was spoiled by ready access to some of the best Mexican food north of the border. About every third block sports a Mexican food shop. Alberto’s, Adelberto’s, Roberto’s, Marietta’s, Mariachi’s, etc. The rice at these shops is yummy. It varies slightly from place to place, but is light, fluffy, flavorful and addicting!

I decided that I needed to learn how to make this delicious food for myself.

I asked one of my dearest friends, Google, to tell me how to make “red rice like taco shops in San Diego”. This yielded a LOT of hits. I looked through many recipes and selected a few that looked promising. Then I started trying recipes and making my own modifications.

This recipe is the end result of my trials. It is gluten free, which is an important consideration in our family. It’s delicious. So amazing that I have never tired of it. I’ve received many requests for the recipe as it seems that everyone who tries it shares my love.

For my mega family, I quadruple this recipe. That works nicely because then I can just use one 15-ounce can of tomato sauce (close enough to two cups to suit my cooking style) and one quart of chicken broth (either homemade or one of the aseptic boxes).

It keeps and reheats well, so even if you don’t have a mega family, I suggest up sizing this recipe for yummy leftovers. Sometimes I turn it into a main dish by adding sausage, chicken or beef.

Mexican Rice
Mexican rice ingredients3 T vegetable oil (canola or lard)
1 cup uncooked long grain rice (I use Calrose)
1 tsp garlic salt
½ tsp ground cumin
1 T dried minced onion
½ cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth (I use homemade)

 

Rice, puffed and goldenHeat oil/lard in saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until rice is puffed and golden.

Stirring in the tomato sauceWhile rice is cooking, sprinkle with garlic salt and cumin. Stir in minced onion, tomato sauce and broth. (Watch out, there will be lots of steam and spitting from the pot).

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Rice might look a bit wet at first, but the liquid will be absorbed as it sits.Mexican rice

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How I got my husband to work around the house, give me awesome gifts, bring me flowers and do other sweet things

Get ready for it….

Just tell him exactly what you want and ask him to do it.

He doesn’t know if you don’t tell him. He is not a mind reader.

Okay, so I realize this is not always the solution. But, I spent way too many birthdays and other special days feeling sorry for myself because my husband hadn’t done anything “special” for me before I finally (dope slap) realized he was all too happy to please me every way he could — he was just clueless about what would actually make me feel appreciated. Then he would get stuck. Not wanting to make a wrong choice and therefore defaulting to nothing.

So, I started telling him. Not just in passing. I would email him. Or text him. Or send him an amazon.com link. Or post a list prominently on the refrigerator of gift ideas and outing ideas that appealed to me. I made sure to state specifics of my preferences. “I like daffodils” Daffodils. Public domain image.is better than “bring me flowers” (unless you just love ALL flowers). Include clothing sizes and color preferences if applicable. Point being, he WILL forget the exact details. But if I provide a written version he can refer back to, he will remember that there is a special day and make an effort by referring to my suggestions.

I, in turn, heap on the gratitude when he makes an effort. Oh how he loves me.

This same technique is effective when I’m experiencing emotional trauma or frustration. In his uncertainty over how to handle his emotionally fragile wife, he may revert to offering advice. Often that’s not what I need. So I tell him. I just need a hug. Or “will you please research this and let me know what you find”.

Specific. Specific. Specific. And he responds beautifully.

And I’m amazed that it can be so simple.

And shocked at how long it took me to figure it out.

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