One thing that I’ve been enjoying about the colder weather is the fact that it’s given me the opportunity to do things inside that I normally wouldn’t during the warmer months. Case and point: cooking! Now, I’ve always enjoyed cooking, and my boyfriend and I have a fantastic system in our home: I cook, and he cleans. (I despise cleaning with an absolute passion.) However, I never really took the opportunity to branch out and try new recipes. I was always more of the kind of person who stuck to what I knew, what both myself and my boyfriend enjoyed, and if by chance I stumbled upon a new delicious dish (hello, red lentil pasta!), I’d add that into my repertoire regularly.
But the last few months I’ve really taken the time to dive in and try new recipes. I got two of my grandma’s cookbooks that I’ve been using for reference, and was able to cook an entire feast for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home. I’ve been cooking like crazy lately, and I love it! I’ve been enjoying it so much, and it’s given me another thing to look forward to.
Now, whenever I see a new recipe I like, I may not have all of the ingredients it calls for and I may not be able to try it right away, so sometimes, I have to improvise. Which brings me to today’s recipe: rice bowls with ground beef.
One night last week when I was running low on groceries and hadn’t had a chance to get my pickup order from the market yet (not trying to go into stores because, you know, COVID), I pulled out the best ground beef of all time: the 96% lean ground beef from Piedmontese.
Piedmontese has the absolute best steaks I have ever tasted in my life (and I’ve been to some really nice steakhouses, like Fleming’s), and Piedmontese blows them out of the water. So trust me when I tell you that the Piedmontese ground beef is absolutely life-changing. Life-changing. Yes, life-changing. I have never tasted ground beef so good with so little fat and still so much flavor in my entire life. I’ve been using this ground beef for everything. In fact, I even used it for my Christmas Day lasagna.
So, last week when I was stuck and had to improvise, I pulled out a package of the Piedmontese ground beef from the freezer and decided to make a rice bowl with it. The end result? A heavenly dish that’s so easy to make.
Below I’ve broken down step-by-step how to make my mouthwatering rice bowl with ground beef. I highly recommend trying the Piedmontese ground beef, as well as any of their steaks. (I’m a fan of everything.) My boyfriend does have a discount code with them that will save you 25% on all orders, and total disclaimer: in exchange for that he (and I, inadvertently!) receives free steaks and ground beef. Though the products are on the pricier side, they are out of this world good, and worth every penny; especially since any meat at the regular market isn’t cheap and the quality doesn’t even come close. All Piedmontese cows are also grass-fed! The discount code is: NICK25 — use this at checkout to save 25% on your entire order!
Ingredients:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- 1 lb of Ground Beef (I use Piedmontese 96% lean)
- 2-3 Onions, Chopped (if on the smaller side use 3; medium-large use 2)
- Rice
- Corn
- Black Beans
- Salt
- Pepper
- Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Butter/Imitation Butter (I use Smart Balance original imitation butter)
TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL):
- Salsa
- Avocado/Guacamole
- Sour Cream
- Shredded Cheese
- Banana Peppers
- Jalapenos
- Kalamata Olives
- Black Olives
- Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions:
- For the ground beef: Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Place skillet on stovetop.
- Add chopped onions and ground beef (whole, don’t break apart yet) into skillet.
- Season ground beef with Montreal Steak seasoning, a little bit of salt, and some black pepper (I eyeball everything).
- Turn burner on medium-low heat (whatever your desired preference for cooking is).
- Once pan starts heating up, start breaking apart ground beef with a flat wooden spoon or spatula.
- Flip ground beef over and add a little more seasoning.
- Cook until desired temperature (I try to aim for just over medium in case I have to heat it up so it doesn’t dry the beef out!), breaking apart and flipping as you go.
- For the rest: Cook rice on stovetop or in microwave, however you prefer. (I do stovetop.) Follow instructions and cook until done. Add in butter and distribute evenly throughout rice, then cover.
- Drain both the corn and black beans and combine the two in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover, then heat on high for 2-3 minutes. Remove promptly from microwave and mix in a little bit of butter.
- In a bowl, combine rice, corn and black bean salsa, and ground beef and onions. (I add the ingredients into the bowl in this order.)
- Add in desired toppings and enjoy!
- My toppings: kalamata olives, banana peppers, red pepper flakes, and a little bit of salsa!
LEFT: MINE; RIGHT: MY BOYFRIEND’S
