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One Pot Meals: Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner (with meatless and bonus options!)


Move over Hamburger Helper!  

Ditching the box over here with Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner!


RECIPES AT THE TOP - CHIT CHAT AT THE BOTTOM!

Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner 

(with Ground Beef)

(PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE)


Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground beef  (totally optional) (can sub w/ drained/rinsed beans like pinto, kidney, black beans)
  • 1/2 - 1 chopped onion (could be replaced with 1 teaspoon onion powder)
  • 1/2 - 1 chopped bell pepper (any color is fine - or leave it out if you don't like fresh pepper)
  • 1 cup uncooked (long grain) white rice 
  • 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (undrained) (salsa or rotel would also be good substitutes)
  • 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups water + 1 beef (or chicken) bullion cube (or replace with 1 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth) (I used the 8 oz tomato sauce can to "measure" my water so as not to dirty another dish.)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder (or taco seasoning would work fine)
  • Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions:
  1. USING a medium/large skillet that has a lid, brown the ground beef.  Blot off any grease with a paper towel or drain well. 
  2. ADD chopped onion and bell pepper once the meat is no longer pink.  
  3. COOK a few minutes or until onion is getting translucent (clear).
  4. ADD uncooked rice, stirring and letting the rice sizzle one/two minutes in the beef/onion/pepper mixture until the rice gets glossy.
  5. ADD all remaining ingredients (tomatoes, tomato sauce, water/bullion/beef broth, spices and salt/pepper).
  6. SIMMER, STIRRING OFTEN so the rice doesn't stick.  (It hardly looks like you can even see the rice at this point.  It's ok!  It will get there!) Once the rice is incorporated and the skillet is simmering (bubbling), turn the skillet down on nearly the lowest setting to cook.
  7. COVER with a lid.
  8. SIMMER on low (covered) for 20 minutes, barely stirring occasionally (just so the rice doesn't stick), or until rice is done and expands to fill the skillet.

Optional replacements:

  • OMITTING the ground beef and replacing with any drained/rinsed can of beans would be equally delicious!
  • ADDING 1 cup of frozen corn or 1 can (drained) whole kernel corn would be great!
  • REPLACING the beef bullion + water combo with beef broth is great.  I had water/bullion.
  • REPLACING with chicken broth (bullion/water combo) would be fine too!
  • REPLACING the uncooked rice with uncooked pasta (small like elbow macaroni) would turn this meal into Chili Mac.  Brilliance!
  • TOPPING with grated cheese and adding the lid until melted would be yummy!
  • FREEZING leftovers (if using rice) in flour tortillas for freezer burritos would be a bonus!


THE CHIT-CHAT!

FRUGAL / CHEAP MEAL:

Do you need an easy, frugal (cheap) meal that uses regular, pantry ingredients and can be on the table in about 30 minutes?  Skillet Spanish Rice Dinner is your meal!  

IT'S FAST - 30 MINUTES!  

I made this Skillet Spanish Rice with Ground Beef on Monday evening after work in about 30 minutes for supper - AND just loved it!  I knew right then and there that I would be posting the recipe here so that I won't forget about it.  

LOTS OF REPLACEMENTS / OPTIONS make this meal a WINNER!

I have a complete LOVE for all things "saucy".  I tend to not be a meat/potatoes person since I grew up eating more rice and pasta meals.  This dish was a complete win for me!  

I especially love that so many replacements / additions can be made using this meal as a guide.

  • Don't have any meat?  Use canned beans!
  • Need to feed more folks?  Add beans and corn!
  • Don't have diced tomatoes but do have salsa?  Use salsa!
  • Don't have diced tomatoes but do have canned Rotel?  Use Rotel!
  • Don't like rice, but do like Chili Mac, then replace the rice with uncooked small pasta, like elbow macaroni!
  • Don't have beef bullion or beef broth but have chicken bullion/broth?  Use chicken broth!
  • Don't have chili powder but have taco seasoning?  Use taco seasoning!
  • Love cheese?  Top with grated cheese and let it melt!
  • Only one person for supper and don't like to be stuck with leftovers for too many days?  Turn it into burrito filling and wrap individual burritos in foil or place in baggies and freeze for later meals.
  • Are your kids "dippers"?  Let them scoop it up with tortilla chips!

I hope you give this recipe a try!  It's really SO GOOD!

Here are some pics of this one skillet meal in action!





Ground beef with onions, peppers, and uncooked rice sizzling!





Remaining ingredients added.  (The rice disappears until it has a chance to cook/swell up.)




The rice in this pic is about half cooked.  See?  It's starting to fill the skillet.)


My kind of meal!  Saucy and smells delish!


ENJOY! 




Gina


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