Southwestern Rice Salad

If you only make one thing from my recipe blog, I suggest this one!! It's sooooo delicious and everyone that tries it loves it. Eat it warm or cold (I prefer warm). Instead of buying wild rice and long grain rice separately, you can omit the brown rice and just use several boxes of Uncle Ben's Original (which even comes in the quick cook time, and the entire recipe would only take 20 minutes tops).

Serves 6-8
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked wild rice
8 oz. uncooked long grain rice
8 oz. uncooked brown rice
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. water
2 bay leaves
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained, rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained (optional)
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 medium red onion
1 medium bunch cilantro, chopped
3/4 c. olive oil
3 T. orange juice
2 T. real lime juice (you can use just orange juice or just lime juice if you don't have both)
3 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. brown sugar
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
2 avocados (optional)

Directions:
Bring chicken broth and water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan (if you are using Uncle Ben's Original boxes ONLY use water, not chicken broth). Add the rice and bay leaves and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to very low and cover. Simmer for 45-55 minutes. If you're below 3500 ft. altitude you can probably do 45 minutes, but for those of us in higher altitudes, you really should let the rice simmer for at least 55-60 minutes.

Remove to a large bowl and fluff with a fork, discarding bay leaves. Add the beans, corn, peppers, onion, and cilantro to rice.

Separately mix olive oil, orange juice, lime juice, vinegar, brown sugar, cumin and chili powder together. Add to rice mixture.

To serve the dish extra pretty, you can line a serving plate or bowl with lettuce leaves and mound the salad in the center. Garnish with cilantro and avocado. We crumble tortilla chips on top too.

Recipe Source: Adapted from K Strike (Anthony's mom), and she got it from "Always in Season"