Spanish Rice

This is my very favorite version of Spanish Rice. I actually don't like any other Spanish Rice recipe that I can recall ever trying, including packaged mixes. This is also very easy to make; the process is a lot like making Rice-a-Roni. The leftovers are great too!

Spanish Rice

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked rice

1 onion, chopped

1/2-1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (10-14 oz) can diced tomatoes (with diced chilies or jalapeños optional)

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1 can diced green chilies/ jalapeños optional)

2 cups water or chicken broth

Heat oil in deep skillet over medium heat. Sauté rice, onion, green bell pepper and garlic until rice is browned and onions are tender. Stir in water, tomatoes (undrained), chili powder, and salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

Nature Bread

This is a recipe that Grandma Briscoe uses a lot. It is really good and moist as well as being nutritions. She uses a variety of seeds in hers (sunflower, flax, poppy, etc. She also leaves out the raisins.)

2 packages active dry yeast

2 1/4 cups lukewarm (105-115 degree) water

3/4 cup wheat germ

3/4 cup shredded carrots

2/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup oil

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 1/3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour

melted butter

Dissolve yeast in water in large bowl. Stir in raisins, wheat germ, carrots, dry milk, molasses, oil, sugar, salt, whole wheat flour and 1 cup flour. beat vigorously with wooden spoon 1 minute. Stir in about 1 1/2 cups flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out on floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, working in additional flour, about 10 minutes. Place in well-buttered bowl, brush top with butter. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in bulk, about 2 hours. Punch down; divide in half. Roll each portion into 8x12 inch rectangle. Roll up, starting at short end. Tuck ends under and seal. Place in two buttered loaf dishes. Cover; let rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Bake at 350 for 30 to 40 degree oven or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans, cool on wire racks. Brush tops with butter while still hot, if desired.

Hamiltons Whipped Sweet Potato

This is really yummy but not so good if you are watching your sugar or calorie intake.

3 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into pieces and boiled till tender)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

1/3 cup melted butter

1/3 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Combine and whip first five ingredients. Layer mix into a baking pan. Top mixture with melted butter. Mix the four topping ingredients and coat sweet potato mixture evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Snack!

I haven't cooked anything spectacular lately, but i've been taking time to appreciate some of my childhood snacks. Specifically, ritz crackers with hotdogs, cheese, and ketsup. (Did we ever have a real name for those?) They have been my meal of the day on more than several occasions (what can i say, i'm in college!)

This can also be done in the oven on broil, but since i like things done quick, i use the microwave.

Arrange ritz crackers so as many as possible can fit on your plate.

Put cheese (grated or sliced) on cracker.

Put hot dog slices on cheese.

Heat in microwave until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Put a dab of ketsup on each hotdog.

ENJOY!

(I really do love these amazingly)

Yummy Bok Choy Salad

In our Farmer's Market Co-op this week, we got some baby bok choy. I had to search online looking at pictures of leafy green vegetables before I could identify it by picture. I decided to go for it and made this salad. It was very good!

Yummy Bok Choy Salad

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bunches baby bok choy, cleaned and sliced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/8 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 (6 ounce) package chow mein noodles

1. In a glass jar with a lid, mix together olive oil, white vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce. Close the lid, and shake until well mixed.
2. Combine the bok choy, green onions, almonds, and chow mein noodles in a salad bowl. Toss with dressing, and serve.

I'm not sure how you're supposed to cut up bok choy so I just broke the leaves off at the base and cut them into bite sized pieces, including the white lower leaf, which tasted fine so I figured you were supposed to eat that part too. I didn't have chow mein noodles so I substituted fried onions and it was pretty good. Also, the dressing makes like 10 times too much so I made a Chinese chicken/cabbage salad and put the rest on that and it was enough dressing for the entire med/small head of cabbage.

Supreme Scalloped Potatoes

We had these potatoes the other night, along with some barbecue chicken. It was very tasty, although I wish it didn't involve pre-cooking the potatoes.

8 medium potatoes, peeled
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a Dutch oven or large kettle, cook potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Cool completely; shred and place in a large bowl. Add 1 cup cheese and onion. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over potato mixture.
Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Zuppa Tuscano Soup

I've been meaning to share this recipe for a while, and I found the magazine while cleaning my room today, so here it is. I made it for soup night a while ago, and it was a big hit! Since I was making large quantities, I fudged and added some more of stuff, but this is the basic:

12 oz. Jimmy Dean hot pork sausage

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 tsp. garlic, minced

2 c. collard greens

1 49 oz. can and 1 14 oz. can chicken broth

4 russet potatoes, chopped with skins on

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. Italian seasonings

1 point heavy cream (can use milk)

salt & pepper to taste

Heat wok or large soup pot. Add sausage, onion, and garlic. Fry until sausage is cooked through and onions are tender. Break sausage into small pieces as it is cooking. Add chopped collard greens and saute 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, potatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil then reduce head and let simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in cream and warm through. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 6-8

This is delicious, and easy to tweak according to needs. I would probably drain the fat from the sausage sauteing, but it doesn't matter too much.