Mexican Rice

Photo by Heidi

I've been making Spanish rice from a mix lately, but I wanted to try making it from scratch. I found a recipe on the All Recipes website (it's like my Wikipedia for cooking) and found a promising recipe. After reading the reviews and seeing some of the changes other people made to the recipe, I tweaked it a bit and made it for the first time tonight, as a side to our cheese enchiladas. I was too lazy to cut an onion, but it was delicious without it. It tastes like restaurant rice! Audrey, who loved the mix-version I previously made, loved this even more!

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (I used Jasmine)
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 6 ounce can tomato paste or 1/2 cup (half a can) tomato sauce
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Dash of dried parsley

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and seasonings.
2. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato paste and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Lift lid and sprinkle with parsley, then quickly replace the lid. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I modified this recipe from one I got in Arizona at Dinners Done Right. It's a big hit in our family. There are only three bean-eaters in our house, but they blend into this recipe so well, no one notices them (the beans, not the bean-eaters, of course). I use mild ingredients to accommodate my family's tastebuds; you can spice this up if you'd like!

1 cup refried beans
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree
1/4 cup green taco sauce
2 cups chicken stock
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients and place them in a medium to large slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours, or until heated through.

Garnishes:

Tortilla chips or Fritos
Shredded cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro
Sour cream
Lime wedges

Indian Fry Bread (for Navajo Tacos)

photo by Emily Hale

No one in Michigan seems to know what Navajo Tacos are. It must be a western thing...?
The ingredients for the fry bread are so simple, and yield such an amazing product. I was very delighted. Pile them with chili, or beans and meat, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, or honey butter for a sweet treat. This recipe comes from the Hale's, who got it from a neighbor, Marcene Taylor.

Indian Fry Bread

2 C flour
3 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 C warm water
1 1/2 C shortening (to fry in)

Combine dry ingredients. Add warm water to make dough, will be sticky. Don't add too much flour, or else bread will be tough. Break off a golf-ball-or-so sized ball and pull out with fingers to form a disc. Fry in heated shortening on both sides until browned. Drain on paper towels. The best fry breads have bubbles and holes, so perfection and over handling is not needed!

I'm a Believer (Tortilla Bowls)

I finally made Barbacoa Pork and it was delicious! I made it once before without making any of the recommended accompaniments (tomatillo dressing, etc.) and it got mixed reviews at our house. Then a couple of months ago I went to a dinner where taco salad was served with everything and I was sold. I resolved to go all out the next time I made it. I even made tortilla bowls (although my leftovers were just as good with chips after I ran out of bowls). I found an easy recipe on foodnetwork.com. Here it is:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a small dish of water next to your work surface. To make the tortilla bowls, place 4 empty (15-ounce) cans, open side down, on a baking pan. Using a pastry brush, soften the tortillas (10-inch flour) by brushing both sides with a little water, and then brush with oil. Drape the tortillas over the cans and bake until firm, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn the tortilla bowls right side up, discard the cans, and continue to bake until golden and crisp, another 4 minutes.

Salsa

This is our favorite Salsa. Sometimes when we make it, this is our meal. We could eat it for days, which is good, because it makes a lot!

2 can corn (drained)
2 can black beans (drained)
2 can black eyed peas (drained)
6 chopped tomatoes
1 large bunch of cilantro (chopped finely)
2 bunches of green onions (chopped)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
2 packets of Italian dressing

Stir everything together, best is refrigerated over night (ours never makes it to the fridge so it's okay not too).

Now Jeff and I will do it differently, this is our version:

1 can corn (drained)
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can black eyed peas (drained)
8 tomatoes (chopped)
1 bunch green onions (chopped)
1 bunch cilantro (finely chopped)
1 can diced green chilies
1 green bell pepper (chopped)
1 jalepeno or a couple of anaheim peppers (finely chopped)
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1/2 packet of Italian dressing (sometimes we'll use this).
1 avacado (sometimes)

We like our version better, because the other is very wet. There is a lot of liquid. We like it chunky, but try both! The second recipe makes 1 large bowl.

Mexican-Style Shredded Beef

I was looking for an easy slow-cooker roast recipe to make for dinner tonight. My kids won't really eat the good old fashioned pot roast and David and I never seem to eat all the leftovers anyway, so I wanted something new. I came across this recipe in a crock pot cook book awhile ago and thought it sounded good, but kind of passed it over. Big mistake. I finally made it and it turned out SO GOOD! I always know that something really turned out when David talks about it for a long time afterward. I think he has told me maybe 10 times that he thought dinner turned out really good!

Mexican-Style Shredded Beef

1 boneless beef chuck shoulder roast (about 3 pounds)
1 16 ounce bottle of salsa
ground cumin
ground coriander
chili powder
salt
ground red pepper
lime juice
1/2 cup water

I didn't exactly follow the recipe or the instructions for this meal. My roast was frozen so I put it on to cook last night. I poured about 1/2 cup of salsa on the bottom of my slow cooker and then put in my roast. Then I put in another 1/2 to 1 cup of salsa (sorry I didn't measure anything). I mixed up a little of each of the spices (just however much you want) and sprinkled it over the top. Then I squeezed some lime juice over the top of everything and poured in about a half cup of water and let it cook on low overnight. It probably cooked for about 12 hours (but the roast was frozen) and it was literally falling apart when it was done. I would say cook it for about 8 hours if your roast is thawed. I stirred it up a little and squeezed some more lime juice on it just before serving.

We made it into tacos with tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, more limes (I really love limes), sour cream, cheese, etc. Wow, did I already say it really turned out good. Plus there is plenty left over for another dinner (and maybe a lunch too). My 3 year old daughter wouldn't eat it, but she doesn't like much besides PB&J, hotdogs, or pancakes. My 1 year old ate his and his sister's too. I think next time I am going to double it and then freeze some for quick meals when we are in a hurry.

Barbacoa Pork

This recipe came from Elise's blog a while ago, and I make it so much I just had to put it here too. It's very similar to the pork at Cafe Rio. In fact we eat in salad form just like the one you can get there. We put tortillas in pie tins and sprinkle them with a little cheese, then put them under the broiler to melt the cheese and crisp the tortillas slightly. We then layer the salads in this order in the tortillas: rice (lime cilantro rice would be great), black beans, pork, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, more cheese, and anything else you like on a salad or in a burrito. It's excellent, and the ingredients always surprise our guests. I think the meat is flavorful enough that we don't use any salad dressing, but you could use ranch or a tasty dressing Elise likes.
Thanks Elise!

Barbacoa Pork

3-4 pound pork roast
1 can cola
1 C brown sugar
1 bottle red taco sauce (about 15 oz, La Victoria works best, but Taco Bell brand is OK too)
1 Tb cumin

Place pork in slow cooker and fill with water half way up the roast. Cook on low 6 hours. Drain the water and shred the pork, returning the pork to the slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients and poor over the pork. Cook on low for another two hours.

Sharon's Macaroni and Beef Bake

This yummy casserole seems to always be a hit whenever I serve it. My husband, Rob, remembers as a kid coming home from football practice in the cold and eating his mom's Mac and Beef Bake and warming up real fast! The original recipe doesn't call for corn but sometimes I throw some in with the cheese.

Sharon's Macaroni and Beef Bake
2 lbs ground beef (if I add corn I lessen the amount of meat)
2/3 C chopped onion
1 C uncooked elbow macaroni
4 C tomato juice
1 can tomato soup
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp chili pwd
salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat, onion and uncooked macaroni. Add the tomato juice and soup. Mix together. Pour in to 9x13 pan. Stir in cheese and chili powder. Add salt and pepper if desired. Bake for about 40 minutes in 350 degree oven. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

White Chicken Chili

I share this recipe any time I get one of those recipe exchange things. Everyone seems to like it-- including my kids-- and it is really healthy. Chips and salsa make a perfect side dish!

White Chicken Chili:
2 Chicken breasts(add more if desired)
1/2 onion, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime (optional)
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 15 oz can white beans (drained)
1 15 oz can pinto beans (drained)
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
1/2 cup frozen white corn
Salt & Pepper

Garnish:
tomatoes
sour cream
cheese
Chips & Salsa

Cook and shred chicken breasts, place in a large pot. Sautee onion over medium heat, add to pot. Add chicken broth, lime juice, beans, chiles and corn. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, serve with garnishments.

Sweet Salsa Chicken with Sour Cream Salsa and Lime Cilantro Rice

I tried out a recipe from my ward cookbook and it was REALLY GOOD! I love anything involving cilantro and lime so I knew it would be excellent. The chicken recipe says to serve over plain rice but I used my friend Jill's recipe for Lime Cilantro rice and it was a yummy combo!

Sweet Salsa Chicken:

1 package Taco Seasoning
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped (I added more than 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp. lime juice (I added a little more)
1 (15 oz.) can Black beans, drained and rinsed

Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces. In large skillet, heat oil; add chicken and taco seasoning. Cook until juices run clear. Add salsa, apricot jam, water, cilantro and lime juice. Bring to boil. Stir in beans, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sour Cream Salsa:

This is the sauce to serve over the chicken and rice- it is what makes it so good!

1 cup sour cream
2 tsp lime zest
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/3 cup Cilantro, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together and serve over chicken and rice

Lime Cilantro Rice:

2-4 Tbsp butter
2 green onions peeled and minced
2 cups jasmine rice or long grain rice
grated zest of 2 limes
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro washed (I love cilantro so I always add a lot more than 2 Tbsp)
4 cups hot chicken stock/broth
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Saute green onion in butter then add to all other ing. in a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Cook at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until all liquid is gone and rice is soft. (I have yet to try but I am sure this would work in a rice cooker instead of a 9x13 pan).

When you put it all together in a bowl it tastes like something that could be from Cafe Rio. It is really really good.

Chili's Southwestern Egg Rolls

I love this idea! I love all the recipes on here so far! I decided I wanted to join the fun. My mom finally gave me her recipes for Christmas this year. What is even more amazing is she put actual amounts! Most of the time I call her for a recipe and she tells me, "Oh a little of this and a little of that". It always stresses me out. I tried this recipe last night and it was fantastic. The down side is it requires a lot of slicing and dicing. It is a recipe my brother Matt and my mom revised from a recipe they found on the internet. So here goes..............

1 seasoned chicken breast, grilled, cooled and diced
1 T. vegetable oil
2 T. minced red bell pepper
2 T. minced green onion
1/3 cup frozen sweet corn
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 T. fresh spinach, chopped
2 T. diced green chile's
1/2 T. minced fresh cilantro
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. chili powder
1/4 t. salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1 T. lime juice
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
4 8" flour tortillas warmed

Heat oil in 12" skillet. Add red pepper and onion and saute until tender. Add chicken, corn, black beans, spinach, green chile peppers, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne pepper and lime juice. Stir well to blend. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Spoon equal amounts of mixture on each tortilla. Fold ends, then roll tortilla tightly. Wrap with plastic and freeze for 4 hours or overnight. Heat 4-5 cups oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry egg rolls until golden brown on each side. Drain on paper towels. Slice on a diagonal. Serve with Dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce: Use either guacamole, or a version of the cafe rio salad dressing. I have that recipe to if anyone wants it.

Okay so a lot of work, huh? But they are really good, and this recipes only makes 4 but if you double or triple it you can make a whole bunch and then they keep in the freezer.

Mom's Cheese Enchiladas

When Andy and I moved to Maryland, Mom sent me a roasting pan like hers and a bunch of recipes. I'll never forget the first roast beef I made, and how anxious I was to get home from church and take it out of the oven. Later I made my first Thanksgiving turkey in that same little apartment in Laurel (pictured here).

Here is Mom's recipe for cheese enchiladas. I made it recently and, to my surprise, it was a huge hit with Andy, Sophie and David. (At our house you can't please ALL of the people ALL of the time--unless you serve poundcake.)

Mom's Cheese Enchiladas

(My additions to the original recipe are in italics.)

Filling:

1 lb. cottage cheese

1 small can chopped olives

1 small can chopped chilies (I used mild)

10 small corn tortillas - cook in oil to soften or wrap 6 at a time in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for about a minute.

Sauce:

1-12 oz can enchilada sauce plus 1-12 oz can tomato sauce or 20 oz. can mild enchilada sauce

Topping:

1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese or colby-jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray each side of a warmed tortilla with cooking spray. Put about 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese mixture into the prepared tortilla and roll up. Secure with a toothpick before placing in a greased 9 X 12 casserole dish. Repeat with each tortilla. Cover enchiladas with sauce and top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or colby-jack cheese. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and chopped lettuce and tomatoes.