Rice with Ham and Sausages

What is your comfort food? Is it mac & cheese? Tomato soup? Twinkies?

My comfort food is this... Tomato flavored rice with ham and sausage. My mom made this for us many, many, many times throughout our childhood and to this day it is still one of my favorite meals. It's even become one of the meals my kids ask for often.

It requires a bit of chopping, but otherwise not much effort. It just simmers for some time on the stove-top and smells amazing while doing it.

Rice with Ham and Sausages
serves 5

1 pkg. (12 oz.) uncooked sausage links, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups cubed ham (leftover or packaged is fine)
1 med. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups water
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste with Italian herbs
1 cup uncooked white rice

In a large skillet, saute onion, garlic and sausage until sausage is no longer pink. Add ham, water and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Add rice. Cover and simmer on low about 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

If you can't find the Italian herbs tomato paste you can substitute with 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt but it's not quite the same.