Baked Spanish Rice
1/2 cup olive oil 2 yellow onions (peeled and diced) 2 green bell peppers (cored, seeded and diced) 4 or 5 whole garlic cloves (peeled and minced) 2 stalks celery (scrubbed and diced) 2 cups diced mushrooms 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers (optional, seeded and diced) 4 tomatoes (peeled and chopped) 2 cups long-grain rice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 quart chicken broth
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, celery, mushrooms and jalapeño peppers, and then cook the vegetables, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes. Transfer the sauteed vegetables to a lightly oiled 4-quart casserole. Add the tomatoes, rice, salt and pepper, and then pour the broth into the casserole. Stir to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients, and then cover the casserole and bake the rice in a preheated 375F oven for 30 minutes. Stir the rice again and bake it, covered, for an additional 30 minutes. Stir to fluff the rice and serve immediately. Serves 8.