Simple Italian Skillet Dinner

Here's an easy dinner recipe for you to try - make sure and read the notes, tips and ideas at the bottom!

Simple Italian Skillet Dinner:
1 pound Italian Sausage
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 cups Vegetable Juice
1 1/2 cups instant rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In large skillet cook sausage 4-6 minutes; breaking it up as it cooks.  Drain excess fat.  Add green pepper and onion; cook until crisp-tender.  Add diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir utnil mixture boils.  Remove from heat and stir in rice.  Cover and let stand for 6-8 minutes or until liquid is absorbed


Tips:  I usually use regular white rice and just let it cook until the liquid is absorbed.  I have noticed my rice still has a "bite" to it so adding some water might be a good idea. 
Do NOT use brown rice - it takes much too long to cook (I tried it, not good!!)

Ideas:  This is a main course as it is but, we LOVE it with Tacos.  I leave out the sausage when I make it for Tacos and it makes a great spanish rice.  We put it right inside of our tacos - it is sooooo good!.  ALso, mix leftover taco meat into the leftover rice to make lunch the following day either by itself or on tacos shells. 

For spicey rice, choose the tomatoes with chilis - did this one too; not such a fan of burning my mouth off :-)

Note:  When you buy a can of Vegetable Juice (I just buy the Meijer brand - Vegetable Juice; not V8 or anything like that) There is enough in the can to make three batchs of rice.  I freeze the extra in 2 cup containers to use on future batches.  Makes making homemade "Rice a Roni" a breeze!