Tasteful Thursday: Red Rice

Today my nephew (and new big brother to Caroline), Jackson, will be demonstrating a family favorite, Red Rice, being prepared in a rice cooker. This is a simple side dish that can be doing it's magic in the rice cooker, while you are preparing some other culinary goodness on the stove.


Our ingredient list is short and simple:

Rice/Water according to rice cooker directions: I use two to one - two cups of liquid to one cup of rice - as a rule of thumb. Mostly I rely on that measurement because I can't ever find the dadgum measuring cup that came with the rice cooker. It is lost in the Tupperware cabinet - where no woman would dare to go alone. I digress...
1/2 pkg bacon, chopped
medium onion, chopped
Goya Sazon seasoning pkt.
Salt and Pepper

Sautee bacon and onion in a pan until onions are tender - they start looking opaque -that's the fancy word for "see through" for my Mississippi kin folk.


Have your precious nephew, if you are so lucky, combine rice, water, and salt and pepper in the rice cooker. Also add the bacon and onions once they are done up right.


Now for the secret ingredient. You can find this in the ethnic food isle with Hispanic food stuffs. Put one little envelope in your rice pot.


Lookey there, Aunt Kim, it turned that water red! Jackson is so astute, takes after his Auntie in that regard! Turn on the rice cooker and let the steaming begin. Of course I got busy after these photos trying to keep Jack from tormenting Pedro Kitty and forgot to take a photo of the finished product. But it was um, um, good. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

How about you? Do you like having help in the kitchen or do you prefer to go it alone? I'd love to know!