I had a recipe for Spanish rice to try, and a pound of ground turkey to use up, and here we are! I really liked the texture of this – the vegetables get soft but not squishy, and it’s quite nice. I didn’t even mind the green pepper, which normally I hate! The turkey brings it from a side dish to something I was happy with as dinner for several nights in a row.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 3 teaspoons chili powder, divided
• 1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes, divided
• 2 cups water
• 1 pound ground turkey

In a large skillet, melt the shortening over medium heat, then add the rice and cook until lightly browned. The rice will seem like nothing’s happening for a while, and then start to turn translucent a bit, and then brown.

Add the onion and pepper and stir together.

Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and roughly 2/3 of the can of tomatoes, including the juice that comes with them.

Add the water, stir together, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Before

After

Meanwhile, in another pan, brown the turkey then stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon chili powder, and third of a can of tomatoes.

When the rice is cooked, stir the turkey mixture into the rice and serve – be careful, it’s quite possibly going to be an extremely full pan! I was surprised how much food this made!

Spanish-ish Rice (with Turkey)

Adapted from The All-American Cowboy Cookbook.

• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 3 teaspoons chili powder, divided
• 1 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes, divided
• 2 cups water
• 1 pound ground turkey

In a large skillet, melt the shortening over medium heat, then add the rice and cook until lightly browned. The rice will seem like nothing’s happening for a while, and then start to turn translucent a bit, and then brown.

Add the onion and pepper and stir together. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and roughly 2/3 of the can of tomatoes, including the juice that comes with them. Add the water, stir together, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, in another pan, brown the turkey then stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, teaspoon chili powder, and third of a can of tomatoes.

When the rice is cooked, stir the turkey mixture into the rice and serve.