Puerto Rican Style Chilli and White Rice

This is a family recipe and like most of the recipes passed down it was taught through instruction rather than written.  There is also a measuring conversion required as both my mother and grandmother use the palm of their hand as a measuring instruments. I tried to put numerical measurements where I could and will continue to update this recipe to eliminate guess work.  But, for now for the experienced with hand measurements and the daring at heart here's the recipe:


3 sausages
2 tbs pitted green olives
1 sm can kidney beans
2 sm cans tomato sauce
2 rice spoons of sofrito (big silver spoon used to turn rice over)
2-3 tbs grape seed oil to sautee
salt to taste
peper to taste
garlic powder to taste
onion powder to taste

Take sausage out of casing, crumble and sautee in grape seed oil till brown on med-high heat stiring accassionally.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder.  Add pitted olives, sofrito*, beans and tomato sauce and lower heat between low and medium.  Stir, cover and allow to heat through. 

*I use my aunt's homemade sofrito that she gives me when she makes her batch.  But, You can find similar sofrito in the Goya section in the freezer aisle.  Make sure to thaw it out first or you'll have divided flavors. 

White Rice2 cups rice
3 cups water

Bring water to a boil on med high heat.  Add rice and stir so rice is even in pot.  Allow for water to evaporate but not completely.  When water is just barely covering rice stir rice, lower heat as low as you can and cover.  About 10-15 minutes later stir the rice bringing the bottom to the top and taste if the rice is soft turn heat off and serve. 

Our Review: Olivia loves when I make this.  I usually pack some of the left over for her lunch at daycare and on her day report they write that she "really ENJOYED her rice and beans" with a huge smiley face.   I always smile because I can picture her just gobbling it all up.  Chelsea always ask for seconds and sometimes thirds which is a sign that she also ENJOYED it.  As for me , I like the aroma as it reminds me of when I was a little girl.  And I like to make sloppy Joes for my lunch the next day with the chilli mixture--helps me make it through a busy day.