Rice and Beans

Yesterday is was in the 90's and there was no way I was going to either sit outside in the sun and bake, er I mean grill or sit in the house and try to use the oven. So I opted to make my version of rice and beans. Usually I make this with white rice but I ran out and I had brown rice left over from when my parents were in town, so I used that instead. The husband and I do not eat brown rice, I have tried and it just is not the same as the original white. However, in this dish you could not tell that it was brown, I even asked the Mr. at one point if he could tell the difference and he said no. So if you are like us and don't like brown rice but want to eat it because it is healthy for you, this is a good dish to start yourself with.




I used dried beans, like I said before they are cheap and a lot better tasting when you make them at home. When I cooked the beans I cooked them in red pepper flakes, garlic salt, chili powder and oregano. So just imagine the flavor these beans had when they were done cooking. You cannot get that in a can, can you? I used black and white beans since I wanted a variety and that was all I had but any bean of your choice would work. I also used fresh corn off the cob from corn that I had left over but you can use frozen or canned. I was a fan of the smokey flavor from the grilled corn and the sweetness of it. If I was not about to move across the country I would stock up on corn when it is on sale, grill it up and freeze it for recipes, it was that good.
This recipe is enough for at least 4-6 people depending on how hungry they are.

• 2 c. brown rice
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 c. corn / 1 (11 oz) can corn, drained
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 c. dried black or red beans / 2 (15 oz) can beans, drained and rinsed
• salt
• pepper

1. Soak and cook beans according to package
2. Cook the rice according to package.
3. In a large skillet add oil, onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 5 minutes over medium heat.
4. Add the remaining ingredients in the skillet and bring up to a simmer until the corn is heated through. Fold in the rice and beans, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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