Double-Quick Tomato Rice

This whole lack-of-camera thing is driving me nuts! I didn't realize how much I use and love it. Well, I'll get it back within the next couple of days, and then I can start taking pictures of my foods again.

For this recipe, just picture something that looks similar to Spanish rice, but without the spice. This has a very mild flavor, but it tastes very good. I got the recipe out of a book I checked out from the library, called the Grains Cookbook. This is a pretty hefty book, with recipes for tons of grains, from grits, rice, oats, and wheat, to bulgur, amaranth, triticale and quinoa. It's unlikely that I'll try the recipes incorporating some of the more exotic or fancy grains. I would love to try them, but until our budget eases up I probably won't be spending the extra money on these fascinating grains. But you can bet your biscuits that I'll be experimenting with all sorts of grains and other foods once we're no longer so poor!

Double-Quick Tomato Rice
3 tbsp. unsalted butter (I used only about a tablespoon and got away with it!)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 small celery stalk, chopped
1 cup V-8 juice (or plain tomato juice)
1 cup chicken broth (or 1 cup water and 2 cubes bouillon)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup long-grain white rice

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until the vegetables lose their color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the V-8, broth, and salt. Cover and quickly heat to boiling. Stir in the rice and reduce the heat to low. Cook, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Raise the heat slightly if the rice is too wet.

This was well-received at our little table this afternoon. Zaylee and Thomas both ate their whole serving, and enjoyed every onion-and-celery-filled bite. Then again, I've trained them to eat and enjoy onions. That is a feat in and of itself.