Oven Baked Spanish Rice

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a heavy saucepan, melt butter and saute onions until soft. Add rice and stir 30 seconds. Add tomato juice, tabasco, bay leaf and salt and pepper.Bring to a boil. Transfer everything to an oven proof casserole dish with a lid, cover and bake in oven 20 mins. When done, fluff rice with a fork. Notes: If you own any Corning or glass casserole dishes with glass lids you will not have to transfer the rice, as they can go from stove top to oven. Add in any other spices or veg. your recipe calls for before placing in the oven. I would add chopped tomatoes at the very end though because they will add to the moisture and could make the rice mushy.