Recipe of the week -- Rice with Ham and Sausages

What is your comfort food? Is it mac & cheese? Tomato soup? Twinkies?

My comfort food is this... Tomato flavored rice with ham and sausage. My mom made this for us many, many, many times throughout our childhood and to this day it is still one of my favorite meals. It's even become one of the meals my kids ask for often.

It requires a bit of chopping, but otherwise not much effort. It just simmers for some time on the stove-top and smells amazing while doing it.

Rice with Ham and Sausages
serves 4

1 pkg. (12 oz.) sausage links (uncooked links like Bob Evans), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups cubed ham (leftover or packaged is fine)
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups water
1 can (6 oz.) Italian herb flavored tomato paste
1 cup uncooked white rice

In a large skillet, saute onion, garlic and sausage until sausage is no longer pink. Add ham, water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Add rice. Simmer on low about 25 minutes or until rice is tender.


I can tell you that this is one of those recipes that you can not speed up by trying to simmer it at a higher temp. Rice can have a difficult time cooking in an acidic dish (in this case, tomatoes). Simmering it on low takes longer, but helps the rice along.

If you can't find the Italian herbs tomato paste you can substitute with some Italian seasoning (1-2 tsp.), but it's not quite the same. Also, parsley can be sprinkled on top when done for a pretty presentation.


For more great recipes visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, and Tuesdays at the Table.