why is the sky blue? / Fat Girl Red Rice

no, this post has nothing to do with the sky, but since most of my visitors come from the google search for 'can you reheat pancakes?', i figured i'd pick another common phrase to make some more friends...  

so while this has nothing to do with the sky, it IS color related - its about fat girl red rice...  and i'll explain to you why its red! - tomatoes!!!

wow, that was quick and useless, huh?

anyway...  its another hit from the fantastic mad hungry: feeding men & boys... (and probably the only other one i'll post lest i end up in jail for posting recipes that are not really mine...)  another easter-eve success and another frequent repeat-offender in our household.

this recipe is so named 'fat girl' because Ms Quinn found herself unable to leave it be and picked on too much of it prior to serving...  this is a concept well-documented in my life, hence my current diet to become un-fat-girled...

luckily, despite the impression the name gives, this rice isnt so bad for you - really only marginally more caloric than traditional white rice - its just that whole portion control thing that you have to keep in check to avoid the fatness... (our house is super-fun right now what with all of the dieting and calorie tracking.  I apologize for allowing it to spill onto the blog but sometimes you just have to write about the life you are living, you know?)

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Fat Girl Red Rice
courtesy of Mad Hungry: Feeding Men & Boys with minor adaptations by the meat eater

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups long grain white rice

6 oil-packed sundried tomato halves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon coarse salt

3 cups vegetable broth

***
Heat a medium pot over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Cook and stir until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to toast it and coat it with the oil, about 90 seconds.

Stir in the sundried tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt. Stir and cook to fully incorporate, about 1 minute.

Add the vegetable broth. Raise the heat to high, bring to a boil, and lower the heat to allow the rice to briskly simmer until holes form on top of it, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to very low, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Note:  when there are only two of us, we generally halve the recipe and still have more than enough.