Gilding the Lily

Have I not gilded the lily on here, before? If so, this is Gilding the Lily, II.

Tonight I made the best "Mexican Rice." Wow. It was very good.  No animal product was used in the making of that rice, even a false
"soup base" product.  I made it as usual, toasting the rice, toasting the garlic, adding the onion, green and red pepper, and then the tomato, and cooking it down. Then water, plain water, was added, and then I added about three carrots cut into about four pieces each. these were not very big carrots, and if they had been large I'd have had to cut them thinner because they barely got cooked as it is.  I added chile powder, cumin (if I cd have found it), salt, pepper, and some dried oregano.  I don't have any Mexican oregano that I know of, but as a matter of fact it may be oregano that I have, because I tend to buy it in supermarkets in little cello packets...who knows? I read on the web the other day some Mexicans bewailing the disappearance of the native Mexican oregano plants in the wild. Along with the chile pequin. Just wait, companeros de mi vida. When the rains come again, the plants will return.

Anyway, I cooked it until the rice was done and the carrots done in the modern way--almost soft, that is. Then I added a small handful of arugula leaves on top...enough to make a small green veggie serving for each.  Then I put a lid on it. I'd made some fresh frijole beans today, and served together they were a Good Bite indeed.  Very very delicious.  And nutritious. There were seven different veggies in that dish, not counting the raw jalapeno bits in the cold salsa I served on the side. Yummy.  And good.

We are watching evening TV as I write. I have put away all the food in the refrigerator.  Even though I made very small quantities of beans and rice, there was plenty left over for another day. I found myself thinking about Gregory as I put things away.  I wish he'd been here to eat his share.  Rice and beans and tortillas were probably his favorite things. Me too. YAZZYBEL