The Scent of Home: A Simple Dish with a Lasting Memory
There’s a particular smell that fills my kitchen and brings my son running— not in the “I’m hungry” way, but in the “something feels right” way.
It starts with garlic. Crushed slowly by hand. Not minced… Not from a jar… but smashed in a mortar and pestle with just enough tomato to turn it into a paste. Next comes the rice. Browning in oil until it’s golden and warm. It fills the room— not with spice or sweetness, but with familiarity.
This is our rice. The kind I grew up smelling in my grandmother’s kitchen. The kind we pull out on taco nights or when grilled chicken needs a real sidekick. It’s simple, but not plain. Comforting, but not boring. It’s the kind of food that makes the table feel fuller before you even sit down.
My son always notices when it’s on the stove. It’s become a marker of home in our routine —not because it’s elaborate, but because it’s ours. A meal we can return to; something that smells like stability and tastes like intention.
We don’t always get fancy in our kitchen. We work with what we’ve got— but this rice? It’s a staple. A quiet reminder that real food doesn’t have to be flashy to feel good.
So incase you want to make the same dish that brings your little ones running, or your family craving more, here’s how I make it:
Our Family Mexican-Style Rice (4-6 servings)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup long grain rice
1/8 cup oil (any kind — I use what I have on hand with good flavor)
4 cloves garlic
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in water
Instructions:
Heat oil in a pan and brown the rice until it turns slightly golden.
While the rice browns, use a mortar and pestle to grind the garlic. Add 1 spoon of the tomatoes and continue to mash until a paste forms
Heat broth until its at a rolling boil
Add the hot broth to the rice once golden
Let it begin to simmer, then gently spoon in the remaining diced tomatoes and the garlic-tomato mixture into the center
Do not stir. Let it cook gently and slowly. Allow it to breathe.
Simmer until the rice is fluffy and tender
We usually pair this with grilled chicken or tacos — but honestly, it holds its own on the plate. It’s flexible, forgiving, and exactly the kind of real food I love to share here.
From my kitchen to yours,
Jennifer