Tex Mex Rice — The Side Sofia Would Have Made If She’d Had More Burners

May. School ends in three weeks. Diego's first full varsity year — well, first full year as a starter — begins in August. He's been in the weight room since February without a single missed session. I don't track it officially. The strength coach does and he tells me the numbers. Freshman boys don't usually put up those numbers. The strength coach, who has been at this school for fifteen years, said to me in the hallway, unprompted: "Coach, he's different." I thanked him professionally and walked to my office and closed the door for a minute.

Sofia turned twelve this week. She wanted to cook her own birthday dinner. She made green chile chicken enchiladas entirely herself — the sauce from scratch, the filling, the rolling. I stayed out of the kitchen. This was not easy. She came to the table with the finished dish and set it down and looked at all of us with the expression of a chef who knows what she's done. It was excellent. I told her so. Lisa cried, which Sofia found embarrassing and which I found entirely appropriate.

Marisol called this week to tell me about a conversation Hector had with the cardiologist. The ejection fraction is down slightly from the last measurement — still within functional range, still manageable, but a downward trend that the doctor is watching. I've been doing research, which is both useful and not, because research tells you the range of possibilities but not which one is yours. I called Hector directly after. We talked for an hour about nothing relevant to his heart. About the NMSU football program. About a green chile roaster he'd read about on the news. About Diego. At the end he said, "I'm still here, mijo." I said I knew. I thanked him for calling. He said he didn't call, I called. I said I knew that too.

Sofia’s enchiladas deserve a proper table. She built that meal from scratch — the sauce, the filling, the rolling — and what she put down in front of us was complete. But the next time she makes them, and she will, this Tex Mex rice is what I’m bringing to the stovetop beside her. It’s the kind of recipe that knows its role: bold enough to hold its own, humble enough to let the enchiladas lead.

Tex Mex Rice

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Toast the rice. Heat vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir constantly for 3–4 minutes until the grains turn golden and smell nutty.
2. Soften the aromatics. Add the diced onion to the toasted rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more until fragrant.
3. Add liquids and spices. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer covered. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
5. Add corn and beans. Remove the lid, scatter the frozen corn and black beans over the top, and replace the lid. Cook an additional 3–5 minutes until liquid is fully absorbed and rice is tender.
6. Fluff and finish. Remove from heat. Fluff the rice with a fork, folding the corn and beans throughout. Taste and adjust seasoning. Top with fresh cilantro if using and serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 280 | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 49g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 420mg