Spanish Rice & Quinoa

We love Spanish Rice at our house.  Over the years my recipe has evolved and the newest version is gluten-free. (In the past I had added a can of cream of something soup and that is now off limits. Replacing the ground beef of the past with quinoa is another change I have made recently.)  I am never sure how spicy to make it since tastes vary greatly here, but tonight I hit a nice balance, receiving positive comments from the husband who doesn’t like too much spice AND the future son-in-law who can’t ever have too much spice! 

Here is my best guess at the recipe that is measured by  a “bit of this and a bit of that.”  You can adjust to your tastes. It is a large recipe, but we like the leftovers!!

Ingredients

• 3 cups long-grain rice
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 – 1 ½  cups chopped onion
• ½ - 1 chopped red or yellow pepper
• 1 44fl oz. container V-8 juice with water added to make 8 cups.
• 1 tablespoon beef base
• 1 tsp. Ancho chili powder
• 1 tsp. celery flakes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley or cilantro
• 1 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper
• grated Mexican blend cheese

Sauté onions and peppers until tender.  Add rice to the sauté pan and cook till light golden brown, stirring often to prevent burning.  Stir in V-8 juice, beef base and herbs.  Stir in rinsed quinoa.  Transfer to a baking dish that holds about 4 quarts.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 400° for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Serve in bowls topped with grated Mexican blend cheese.