Quick and Simple Spanish Rice – INSTANT POT

Spanish rice

This is a family favorite Spanish rice recipe that I have tweaked so you can make it up quickly and easily using the Instant Pot. It is a simple, basic, down-to-earth recipe that you can whip up and enjoy with so many things. We like it with tacos, enchiladas, and alongside a scoop of creamy refried beans. By the way, the refried bean Instant pot recipe is coming up soon, so stay tuned.

Why use the Instant Pot? Because it only takes 18 – 25 minutes to make. (That includes prep and everything with no babysitting). You gotta love this gadget! I am constantly amazed at what you can do with it. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, I will include the stovetop instructions. However, I hope you will strongly consider investing in one. You won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients 

Serves (6-8)

  • 2 cup rice
  • 1 cup tomato sauce (one 8 oz. can)
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 2 Tablespoon avocado oil, or coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

Instructions

  • Press the “saute” button on the Instant Pot
  • Place the oil and rice in the pot and saute until it starts to turn a golden brown. Stir frequently so you don’t burn it. (about 3-5 minutes).
  • Add other ingredients and give it a little stir
  • Place the lid on the Pot and secure in place.
  • Flip the pressure valve into the “sealing” position
  • Press the “manual” button and set time for 8 minutes.
  • When the beeper goes off, let it “natural release” for 5 minutes.
  • At this point, release any remaining pressure by flipping the pressure valve.
  • Once the steam is released, remove lid and fluff the rice with a big fork.

Spanish Rice Stove Top Instructions

Use the same ingredients as above, however you will need to INCREASE BROTH/WATER TO 4 CUPS!

  • In a saucepan, brown the rice lightly in the oil.
  • Add other ingredients.
  • Bring to boil and turn down to simmer
  • Place lid on and cook until done (about 20 -25 minutes).

Serve with your favorite Mexican dish.

Quick and Simple Spanish Rice – INSTANT POT

Spanish rice

This is a family favorite Spanish rice recipe that I have tweaked so you can make it up quick and easy using the Instant Pot. It is a simple, basic, down to earth recipe that you can whip up and enjoy with so many things.

  • Prep Time5 min
  • Cook Time15 min
  • Total Time20 min
  • Yield6-8 Servings

Ingredients

    • 2 cup rice
    • 1 cup tomato sauce (one 8 oz. can)
    • 2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
    • 2 Tablespoon avocado oil, or coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves (minced)
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or water

INSTUCTIONS

1

Press the “saute” button on the Instant Pot

 
2

Place the oil and rice in the pot and sauté until it starts to turn a golden brown. Stir frequently so you don’t burn it. (about 3-5 minutes).

3

Add other ingredients and give it a little stir

4

Place the lid on the Pot and secure in place.

5

Flip the pressure valve into the “sealing” position

6

Press the “manual” button and set time for 8 minutes.

7

When the beeper goes off, let it “natural release” for 5 minutes.

8

At this point, release any remaining pressure by flipping the pressure valve.

9

Once the steam is released, remove lid and fluff the rice with a big fork.

Stove Top Instructions

10

Use the same ingredients as above, however you will need to INCREASE BROTH/WATER TO 4 CUPS!

11

In a saucepan, brown the rice lightly in the oil.

12

Add other ingredients.

13

Bring to boil and turn down to simmer

14

Place lid on and cook until done (about 20 -25 minutes).

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More

DIY – How To Make A Fruit Fly Trap

The harvest season is upon us and coming to an end very soon. I love having access to so many fruits and veggies from my garden and from local markets. There is only one drawback, FRUIT FLIES! Those little buggers can find their way into my kitchen within minutes of bringing fresh fruit into the house.  It can be so annoying. I am going to show you how easy it is to make a simple non-toxic fruit fly trap that works very well, and I will also give you a few tips on how to keep them at bay.

fruit flies

WHERE DO FRUIT FLIES COME FROM ANYWAY?

Seriously, it’s like they show up out of nowhere. Because the flies are so little, they can sneak into your house through windows and door screens or on fruit as larvae. They hang out on ripened fruits or vegetables, as well as drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash bags, or cleaning rags and mops.

Speaking of larvae, you may want to read this article. After reading this, you will never want to eat a piece of fruit without washing it again, and you will learn a few things you may not have wanted to know. It’s all good. Fruit flies are not disease spreading; they’re just annoying and gross. Actually, without them, we would all be deep in rotting produce without them.

HOW TO GET RID OF THEM

  • Banish all but the freshest produce from your countertops.
  • Buy produce only as you need it.
  • Keep ripe or overripe fruits and vegetables in your refrigerator.
  • Make sure there are no old food scraps hanging out on your floors, countertops or trash.
  • Keep your kitchen free of all those sources for a few weeks, and you’ll wipe out your local fruit fly population.
  • Trap them.

There are a lot of different ways to make a fruit fly trap, but this is one that I use and find that it works great.

What you need

  • Glass mason jar (narrow mouth works best)
  • Small pieces of ripe fruit (banana works great, even the peel)
  • You can add a little apple cider vinegar to juice it up and make it a little more potent.
  • Painters tape, masking tape, or duct tape
  • Piece of paper

How to make the fruit fly trap

fruit flies

Take a piece of paper (this is an 8 1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper) and roll it up to make a funnel. The bottom hole should be about 1/2 -3/4 inches. Tape in place.

WANT TO KNOW SOME OTHER GREAT USES FOR PAINTER’S TAPE? 

fruit flies

Place the paper funnel inside the jar. You may need to adjust the width of your funnel if the bottom of the funnel touches the bottom of the jar. Tape in place.

fruit flies

Place the jar on your countertop and wait. It won’t take long for the fruit flies to smell the yumminess and fly down the funnel to their fate. They can’t fly out.

When you don’t see any more flies flying around your kitchen, you can place the jar in the freezer and simply let them freeze to death, or you can take the jar outside to free them. I like the freezer idea.

fruit flies

Once they are dead, take the jar outside, remove the tape and dump the contents in the trash. Save the funnel in case you need to use it again. Wash the bottle. Now that you are fruit fly-free, use the preventative measures listed above to help keep the flies down as much as possible.

Enjoy this yummy time of year fruit fly-free!

Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More

Declutter Your Wallet – Dave Ramsey Style

Is your wallet full of old receipts, unused gift cards, and uncashed checks?

Does it feel like you are packing around a mini suitcase in your purse?

Perhaps it’s time to declutter your wallet!

Whether it’s clutter on your dining room table, magazine rack, or wallet, it is doing the same thing…….draining your energy.

The negative effects of clutter don’t just affect your energy, it can also affect your health.

There is an interesting article on the Huffington Post that lists five ways clutter can hurt your health. It is quite exciting and something you may want to check out.

I love the saying, “The way you do something is the way you do everything.” 

If you have an issue with clutter somewhere else in your life, you most likely have an issue with your wallet. If you do have some clutter in your wallet, no worries.

I will share a few tips on decluttering your wallet and making it more efficient, Dave Ramsey style.

Who’s Dave Ramsey?

Dave Ramsey is the guy known for helping people get out of debt and how to manage money. I respect what he teaches and have taken his Financial Peace University Class. You can find more about it here.

I am about making things simple, doing things to improve health, and getting out of debt. Who would have thought that decluttering your wallet had anything to do with these? Ironically, they do.

wallet

Here are a few simple tips on how to declutter your wallet:

1-    Get rid of old receipts, grocery lists, and other paper items that are not needed

2-    Go through your wallet and see if there are any gift cards that you have forgotten about. If there are, USE THEM!

wallet

3-    Keep your debit, reward, and membership cards that you use frequently in a handy place.

Place a rubber band around the ones you don’t use often. If you have room in your wallet, you can put them in a different place. I like to store them outside of my purse for less bulk.

4-    Chuck old business cards that you are no longer interested in. File the ones you MAY be interested in.

5-    Get rid of all unnecessary credit cards. Dave Ramsey would have you get rid of ALL of them. I have one connected to my COSTCO membership and another one for my business. We track them with an online mvelopes system. I don’t know what I would do without envelopes. It’s like an envelope system, but online. I pay no interest, and is paid off automatically every month.

6-   Have emergency information where it can be seen, especially if you have a severe health condition.

wallet

7-    Keep a complete set of MONEY FRIENDS available in your wallet. Read more about it here.

wallet

8-    Use some cash tab system inside of your wallet instead of having a separate cash envelope wallet. I love my cash tabs. You can learn more about them here.

9-    If you have had the same wallet for a long time, switch it up for something new and fun. 

I really like the Mundi wallets. They work really well with the tabs. 

There you have it: simplicity, less stress, and hopefully, some motivation to get out of debt.

Life can be chaotic enough; your experience at the checkout stand does not have to be stressful.

Unclutter your wallet and see how it unclutters your life. Remember, the way you do something, is the way you do everything.

So what’s next………… your sock drawer, or your closet?

AHHHHH, it feels so good to let some things go. LET IT GO!

jan3

Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More