On the Table Tonight: Spanish Rice

...Well really, it was on the table this afternoon, but once you try this recipe, you won't want to wait until dinnertime either!  The rice went along with black beans, sauteed peppers and onions, and the usual accompaniments for fajitas.  The rice would also be great as a side dish.  Here goes the recipe...

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Dice one medium yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and one jalapeno (I used a pickled jalapeno because that's what was in the fridge...but fresh would be great too.  You can also add more jalapeno if you want the rice spicier.  With one jalapeno, it was still fairly mild).  Coat the bottom of a pot with canola oil (I used my soup pot - just make sure it has a lid and can go in the oven), let it get warm over medium heat, and sweat the onions and garlic.  Once they start to get tender, add the jalapeno, and continue cooking until the onions are translucent.  Add one cup long grain white rice and a few dashes of cumin to the pot.  Allow the rice to toast.  While the rice is toasting, measure out the liquid - you will want two cups total.  I used the liquid from a can of diced tomatoes (you should get about 1/3 to 1/2 cup out of a 14.5 ounce can), and then used water to make up the rest of the two cups.  You could use stock instead of water, and you don't have to use the tomato water.  Just make sure there are two cups total.  Once the rice is toasted, add the liquid to the pot, along with the diced tomatoes (I used about 3/4 of the can, and saved the rest to go with the black beans I was making) and a few dashes of salt.  Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and put it into the preheated oven.  Cook for 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.