Spanish Rice

Spanish rice with chicken empanadas

This rice dish is so satisfying and rich with flavor. Serve it with any entree from Mexican food to steak, fish, etc.

You'll need:

1 cup any type of white rice

1 15 oz can of tomato sauce

2 cups cold water

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 fresh lime*

Rinse rice and place in medium saucepan. Add water and tomato sauce. Add chili powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper.

Bring to boil, reduce the heat to simmer, covered. Let cook for approximately 11- 14 minutes. With fork, flake the cooked rice. Add the sliced olives and drained kidney beans.

Note* you can squeeze half of a fresh lime on to the cooked rice.

So delicious 😋

Optional: a squeeze to enhance taste

Let's get baking!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1 whole thin skinned orange, remove the stem and cut in quarters. Keep the skin on the oranges.

In a clean large food processor, add the orange quarters, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, three large eggs, 1 tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp of orange extract, 1 tbsp of Triple Sec liqueur, optional, 2/3 cup vegetable oil.

Pulse all ingredients in the processor and then puree until mixture becomes a batter with specs of orange peel.

Add to the processor:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Process all dry ingredients until they are entirely incorporated into the batter.

Bake in a greased and floured spring pan, using a parchment paper circle on top of the greased bottom.*

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place in the center rack of the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven.

Remove from your oven and let it cool down completely. Dust with powdered sugar or make a drizzle of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and fresh squeezed orange until thick and smooth. Pour onto the cooled fresh orange cake.

Cooking with Love

with Gianna Conte (Jan)