Rice ala madre

My rice recipe stems from various recipes created by my grandmother, mother, and 2 of my aunts. All are very good cooks and each of their rice dishes stands alone. I don't favor one over another, however I prefer my rice "wet" with the taste of roasted tomato, so I add crushed tomatoes to my rice dish to make it more appealing to my own personal taste buds. Another thing I add to my Mexican rice is something very unique...it's herbs de provence. My herbs de provence include rosemary, oregano, bay leaf and sometimes other herbs if I have on hand. I know this is not typical for a "border" rice dish, however my personal cooking is derived from my roots as well as a personal choice of taste that I have come introduced to on my own through magazines, books and television cooking shows. My desire to experiment in the kitchen has given me this delicious rice recipe that I call my own.

Rice ala madre

1 cup uncooked rice
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 of a large onion thinly sliced
3 cloves of fresh minced garlic
1/4 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chili powder
1 tsp herbs de provence
salt/pepper to taste
2 cups water or chicken broth

saute the rice in olive oil until brown
add onion, and garlic until translucent
add crushed tomatoes, spices and water
bring to a boil, cover and turn to low heat for 15 min.

yummy with fresh sliced avocado