Homemade Hamburger Helper's Crunchy Taco

I canned some salsa lately so I was inclined to buy some chips and enjoy a jar of it. After a few days of munching on salsa and chips all there was left was those few crumbs to small to hold any salsa on so I decided to whip up a homemade version of Hamburger Helper's Crunchy Taco and throw some salsa on top along with the remaining chips. It sure was better than the Hamburger Helper version which for some reason the rice doesn't get as soft no matter how long I leave it simmering....I really think that's why they call it crunchy taco and not because of the cardboard tasting chips they supply.

What you need for this homemade version of mine is:

1/2 cup brown rice (or white if you prefer)
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon olive oil (or whatever oil or even margarine you have on hand)
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 medium onion, sliced and diced
1/2 medium green pepper, sliced and diced
2 fresh roma tomatoes, sliced and diced, if you don't have fresh you could use 1/2 can diced canned, drained
3 or 4 good size fresh mushrooms, again if you don't have fresh than canned will do.
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional if you don't like heat)
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded, sliced and diced. (optional, again if you don't like heat)
1 package taco seasoning.
4 to 5 tablespoons of salsa
Some of those leftover chips you never know what to do with

Pour one cup water in small saucepan, add the oil and bring it to a broil, throw in your rice, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until tender.

While cooking your rice brown your hamburger, don't drain the oil from the hamburger as you will use it to sauté your vegetables, just toss all your cut up ingredients and the pepper flakes into the hamburger and mix well, turn down the heat and let simmer until your ingredients are to the consistency you desire. Once you have achieved your desired consistency drain any excess oil. Return to skillet and add your taco seasoning and one quarter to one half cup water, simmer until water is evaporated. Blend in your rice, I like to add it a little at a time to make sure I am not adding to much rice to take away any of the flavor. Top with salsa and chips.

Another nice thing about this recipe is that with the leftovers you toss them on a flour tortilla the next night, add some cheese and make yourself a crunchy taco burrito minus the crunch of course...lol. Throw on some salsa and you are good to go.