Mexican Rice: Lessons learned from The Sound of Music

For Julie Andrews

One of Children's Christmas presents this year was a beautiful boxed set of The Sound of Music. I did not know how much they were going to love this movie, but they LOVE it. Son learned all the words to the songs. Daughters insist on watching with the subtitles so that they can learn the words, and both Daughters have picked out the melodies of many of the songs on the piano. I've seen the movie more times in 2013, than I have for my entire life. (Bear in mind, 2013 is only 1 month gone.) That's how much Children love it.

During my repeated viewings of this fantastic film, I decided to put my brain to good use and to glean important nuggets of wisdom from the movie and further inform my life. Here are some things I've learned.

1. A doe is a deer, a female one specifically.

2. You don't need a minivan to move around 7 children and 2 adults - a large sedan works.

3. When looking particularly scruffy (or in traveling clothes) and you're questioned, just explain that you're in "costume."

4. Curtains can be up-cycled to really great children's playclothes.

5. Nuns also have a dark side (and a mechanical one too).

6. A man who blows his whistle at his children will ultimately become irresistibly attractive. (Husband - can you get a whistle?)

7. Boys who are 17, going on 18, are decidedly untrustworthy.

8. Women whom you have to address as "Baroness" are not to be trusted.

9. A gazebo makes for a lovely rendezvous point. (Install one in miniscule backyard pronto.)

10. When in doubt, just sing what you're feeling!

In addition to the Sound of Music, the other thing that Children adore is Mexican style rice. This version is better than anything you get in a box with its mild tomato flavor and fragrance of jasmine. The only thing it requires is a bit of finesse in the cooking, as cooking on the stovetop can be slightly trickier than cooking in a rice cooker. Children love it so much, they'll eat it with whatever I have around, and eat it for snack, and eat it while watching...The Sound of Music.

Mexican Rice
Serves 8

Ingredients
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, diced fine
6 cloves of garlic, minced fine
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons oregano
3 cups jasmine rice, washed, rinsed, and drained (drier rice cooks better, so let it dry out a bit in a colander after rinsing)
3 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups tomato puree (I pulse fresh tomatoes - cherry, roma, campari - in my mini prep food processor until I have a smooth puree. Ultimately the color of the rice will depend on the color of your tomatoes.)

Method
Heat a heavy saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Olive oil, onion, and garlic, cooking so that the onions become translucent, and soft, about 6 minutes.

Add salt, oregano, and rice, and stir, coating rice with olive oil onion mixture. Cook rice mixture for about 2 minutes.

Add chicken stock and tomato puree all at once. Stir rice and bring entire mixture to a boil.

As soon as mixture begins boiling, give a final stir, cover pot with lid, reduce heat to low and allow rice to cook for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Serve warm (with lots of delicious sides.)

Printable recipe