Set the Table... for Spanish Rice

THE REFRIGERATOR WAS overflowing with leftovers again - plain rice, sauteed vegetables that no one seemed to want to eat on their own and half a jar of chopped tomatoes that needed to be used. Individually, each was too boring to be loved, but teamed together with some onion, jalapeno and chili powder they became an exciting side dish.

Spanish Rice  

1/4 cup chopped onion
2-3 Tbs olive oil
about 3 cups precooked rice (I used white basmati but you could use brown)
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 Tbs chili powder
salt to taste
2 jalapenos, sliced (and/or other peppers for more or less heat)
1/2 cup precooked vegetables

In a medium saucepan heat the oil and cook the chopped onions over medium heat until they are translucent. Turn the heat down and add the cooked rice and tomatoes, stirring gently but mixing thoroughly. As it starts to get warm, add the chili powder and salt in little increments so they mix well, and continue to stir gently.

Finally add the peppers and vegetables.(The vegetables I had left over were mostly asparagus, but you could use chopped broccoli, peas, green beans, limas or any number of others.)  I don't like overcooked vegetables, so I prefer to add the peppers and pre-cooked vegetables to the rice after it is already hot so that the heat from the rice warms them and cooks them as little as possible. If you are using raw vegetables, you might want to add them earlier in the process so they can cook a bit more.  

I served the rice with black beans and steak fajitas (the steak was left over, too) in a tortilla that I had toasted in the oven. Enjoy!