Red Rice and Refried Beans

We love taco night around here.  I tend to go a bit overboard and turn a simple taco night into a day of cooking.    We never had authentic Mexican food when I was a kid, so when I went on a trip to Mexico City(many years ago) with my friend Carrie I was totally smitten by the food.
So with Cinco de Mayo coming up, I wanted to share some of my favorite Mexican dishes with you all.  So stay tuned, they’ll be coming every day this week!  Now, here’s my favorite side dish for Mexican night:

This is my favorite part of making tacos.  Weird, I know.  For whatever reason, it is.  I don’t care for canned beans, but homemade?  I love.
I am lucky enough to own a Cuisinart electric pressure cooker so I can cook dried, unsoaked beans quite quickly, but you could also just cook them on the stovetop.

RED RICE
1/2 pound bacon
3 T oil (or reserved fat from bacon)
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder, more if desired
1/2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

Chop bacon, cook in skillet until crisp.  Remove from pan and either drain off fat and add the oil, or just leave the bacon fat in the pan.
Over medium high heat, add the rice to the oil or fat and toast until fragrant and golden.
Add the onion and garlic, saute for a couple minutes.
Add the water, tomatoes, reserved bacon, chili, cumin, and salt.
Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 10 additional minutes.
Add more salt and pepper to taste.
ADAPTIONS: You could omit the onion, garlic, or bacon,  substitute tomato sauce for crushed tomatoes, and if you want it spicier you can up the amount of chili powder.

REFRIED BEANS
2 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
1 T oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
Add beans and cook for a couple minutes, then add remaining ingredients and mash in skillet.  Add water as needed to reach desired consistency.

Red Rice and Refried Beans

April 16, 2012

by Holly

Category Mexican Side Dishes

Ingredients

RED RICE:

• 1/2 pound bacon
• 3 T oil (or reserved fat from bacon)
• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp chili powder, more if desired
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes

REFRIED BEANS

• 2 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans
• 1 T oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

RED RICE:

1. Chop bacon, cook in skillet until crisp.  Remove from pan and either drain off fat and add the oil, or just leave the bacon fat in the pan.
2. Over medium high heat, add the rice to the oil or fat and toast until fragrant and golden.
3. Add the onion and garlic, saute for a couple minutes.
4. Add the water, tomatoes, reserved bacon, chili, cumin, and salt.
5. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes.  Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 10 additional minutes.
6. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

ADAPTIONS: You could omit the onion, garlic, or bacon,  substitute tomato sauce for crushed tomatoes, and if you want it spicier you can up the amount of chili powder.

REFRIED BEANS

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add beans and cook for a couple minutes, then add remaining ingredients and mash in skillet.  Add water as needed to reach desired consistency.