Dirty Rice with Ground Beef

Warm up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a big skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss in the ground beef and break it up as it cooks. Let it brown all the way, about 5–7 minutes. If there’s too much fat, drain it off.

With the beef still in the pan, add the diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Stir them around for 3–5 minutes until they’re soft. Then add minced garlic and cook another minute, just until it smells good.

Mix 1.5 cups of uncooked rice into the pan with the meat and veggies. Stir it well to coat everything, and let it toast for a minute or two.

Sprinkle on smoked paprika, thyme, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper and stir it all together. Pour in 3 cups of chicken broth, crank the heat up, and bring it to a boil. Stir every so often so nothing sticks …