Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

For my first post I wanted to showcase something spectacular. Something that would really knock your socks off. Something with a big "wow" factor. But as I was making Mexican food last night for dinner and I had my iPhone handy I thought I throw this at ya. It's not particularly difficult, spectacular or gourmet. What it is is easy and tasty. So without further adieu. . . my first  recipe post.

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

My husband hails from a small, somewhat rural, town in Southern California, and consequently LOVES Mexican food. In fact, in his small hometown, just about 75% of the restaurants are Mexican Food joints. He loves Mexican Food so much that he would eat it every day if he could. Evidenced by the fact that he took me to many Mexican Food places in the course of our dating. At about month 4, I lied, and told him I didn't like Mexican Food just so he'd take me someplace else. I know, risky, he could have broken up with me right then and there. But, thankfully, he didn't. Hmmm, he must have liked me more than Mexican Food. Wow, he must like me A LOT.

It's been over 18 years now and I did fess up to the lie and have cooked and dined on my share of Mexican Dishes. Somehow, though, good restaurant style rice has always eluded me. I'm embarrassed to say I've tried just about every pre-packaged mix out there, a recipe given to me by an old Mexican Lady, a complicated recipe from a well know chef, and many others. But no "thumbs up" from the husband until I came up with this simple but tasty concoction.
Enjoy.
Becky

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

Here is what you need: Rice (medium or long grain, but don't use Jasmine, too fragrant for this dish), Chicken broth (you'll need a little more than one can to make 2 cups. I didn't have another can of chicken broth so I used some beef broth I had leftover from another recipe to make up the difference. It worked just fine. So use what you have.), a can of diced tomatoes and chilies (RO*TEL), garlic powder, onion powder, salt and vegetable oil. Oops, I forgot to show the pepper, you'll need that too.

Put the tomatoes and chilies, garlic powder, onion powder and salt into a blender. Make sure you mix up the tomatoes and chilies before you measure and get some of the juice in there. You'll have some of the "RO*TEL" left over but just throw that on your taco, burrito or whatever else you're having with the rice. 

Blend it up until it's nice and smooth. Then set it aside.

In a medium saucepan, set on medium-low heat, saute the rice in the vegetable oil until toasty and brown. Keep your heat on the lower side and take your time. If your heat is too high the rice will start to "pop" just like popcorn and you don't want that. Also, keep stirring so it all browns nice and even.

Here is what it should look like. Mmmm, toasty.

Now add in the blended mixture and the chicken broth and give it a good stir. Add pepper to taste. I like A LOT of pepper. Let it simmer, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes until most of the moisture is absorbed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

And here you go. Simple but familiar. (I apologize for not having a nice dish and a bit of cilantro for a nice presentation, again, this blog is a work in progress. :)

Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

by Becky Bakes

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 t. onion powder

1 t. salt

3/4 C. Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles

1 C. Long Grain White Rice

3 T. Vegetable Oil

pepper (to taste)

2 C. Chicken Broth

Blend the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and Rotel until smooth. 

Set aside.

In a  2 qt. saucepan, saute rice in oil until toasted and brown.

Add blended mixture, pepper and chicken broth. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.