Quick, easy & reasonably healthy. (My favorite combo. ;o)
Preheat your oven to 350F.
~2-3 cups white Jasmine rice, cooked.
1/2 lg. can Herdez Salsa Casera (labelled "Hot," but it varies widely; usually between mild & medium. YMMV.)
1 lg. can Rosarita Homestyle refried beans
~ 1/2 packet Taco Seasoning (no MSG, sugar, soy stuff, anti-caking agent, or similar)
1 can Ortega mild fire roasted chopped green chiles
3/4 can black olives (I use Natural Value w/o ferrous gluconate)
4 oz. cheddar cheese (Greenbank Farms raw organic cheddar)
Spread the rice on the bottom of a 9" x 13" Pyrex. Spoon the salsa over it and combine well.
Open the can of beans and mash with a fork until it's softened up, then daub it evenly over the rice & sala. You want to try to preserve the layers, so don't mash the beans in hard, but try to get an even layer. My bean layer was lumpy and didn't completely cover the rice/salsa, but it was even overall.
Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the beans. Don't overdo it. 1/2 packet is tons.
Sprinkle the drained green chilies (all but about 1 teaspoon) over the beans.
Drain the olives and mash them with your fingers as you sprinkle them over the beans. Trust me on this one--they taste different when you break them up with your hands than when you cut them with a knife or egg slicer.
Grate the cheese over it all, and spread evenly.
Take a dinner fork and, holding it sideways, use the edge of the fork to push the cheese down into the layers. You're going for some incorporation here, but don't want to totally mix everything together. Level out the top and push the edges back down (they have a tendency to creep up as you're working near them), and put the whole thing in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Serve with your favorite tortilla chips and possibly a green salad. (I didn't do the salad today, but it would be good with some jalapeño ranch, garden-fresh tomatoes and pignolias . . . )
Now, I know you're thinking: "I've got regular white rice; I can just use that." No! You really can't. The Jasmine rice gives this a subtle flavor that is out of this world. Put 1 c. Jasmine rice to each 1 1/4 c. water in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes. (Or boil for 15, turn off heat, and let sit for 10 minutes.) I had leftovers in the fridge, which is the easiest way to make this. So, just cook up a big batch the day before to eat with stir fry or some good Kim Chee, and you'll have leftovers ready to go for the bean dip. ;o)
Sorry I don't have a photo . . . it only occurs to me to post recipes after they've all been eaten; they've got to prove themselves, y'know?
Any questions?
Have a good one!
