5 Spice Beef & Rice

This recipe came from my husband's grandmother, and we modified it a little bit to make it gluten and dairy free. As a kid this was my husband's favorite meal, and he used to walk around singing a little song about it "5 Spice Beef and Rice, Cha Cha Cha!" The five spices are pepper, bay leaf, garlic, thyme and oregano. It's very easy to make, and a good dinner staple.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 bay leaf
• 1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄8 teaspoon oregano
• 1 (8 ounce) can  mushroom soup
• 1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes
• 1  cup brown rice
• 1  cup  olive

Directions

1. Brown meat and onion.
2. Stir in seasonings, soup, tomatoes and rice. You may need a little bit of extra water if using brown instant rice.
3. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat.
4. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is cooked.
5. Serve with sliced olives (optional). Salt and pepper to taste.