Spanish Rice

 Not to brag in any way, but I do think I can make some pretty good rice. Just stating a fact. Its one of my favorite things to make, so I'm always trying out new recipes or perfecting my old standbys. Spanish rice is at the heart of my rice love affair, and we have some version of it quite often in our house.

But, as many times as I have made it and with as many different varieties and ingredients, I've never once been able to achieve that authentic Spanish rice, you know, the kind you find in a hole-in-the-wall taco shop or a really good (not Americanized) Mexican restaurant. That rice has always alluded me...until now!

A blog I regularly read linked to this recipe, and I had to try it the moment I saw it, especially when I saw that the creator got the recipe from a neighbor who had a Mexican food stand. I was sold - definitely had to be authentic! I was both thrown off and intrigued by the use of the green pepper - particularly the seeds - but I was willing to go with it since it was something I'd never tried in my quest. And let me tell you, those green peppers make all the difference! This rice is fantastic, and just that "taco shop" version I've been trying for for so long.

I think my problem has been I've tried to go too fancy, too unusual in my ingredients, when the perfect recipe is really just oh-so-simple. Simple ingredients, simple flavors, and here we have that rice I've been trying to make at home for years! I will probably still continue making my own versions because I love experimenting so much, but when I want authentic I'll definitely be turning to this recipe.

Oh, and the only thing I would do differently to this is add some finely chopped carrot to the mix, because I love when taco shops add that to their rice :)

Spanish Rice 
Recipe from Dish Baby

Ingredients 

1 cup white rice
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced and seeds reserved
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 bouillon cube (I use vegetable but chicken is fine, too), chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch black pepper

Directions

Heat up olive oil in a pan on medium/high. Add in rice and bell pepper seeds. Stir frequently and cook until rice starts to lightly brown; about 5 minutes.

Add in tomato sauce, and 2 cans of water. Stir. Add in salt, garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper and chopped bullion cube. Stir. Add in bell pepper slices. Bring to a boil.

Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 40 minutes (mine only took 30 minutes). Remove bell pepper slices prior to serving.

Fire Roasted Chile Relleno Rice

I found this recipe a while ago and I instantly knew it would be something we would like, so I'm not sure why I put off so long making it! A creamy, cheesy rice is taken up a notch with the addition of roasted chiles, and the flavor from those was fantastic. This is definitely not a healthy dish, but if I'm going to splurge once in a while I think this is something worth the calories :)

I believe the original recipe (from Tyler Florence) calls for canned green chiles, but the site where I got this substituted fresh roasted assorted chiles, and I followed along with that because I don't think the boring canned kind would make this nearly as good. You can use any variety you like...the site mentioned that it came out pretty spicy, so I stuck with milder peppers. My result had a great chile flavor but amazingly almost no "heat", so it really was perfect.

The only other changes I made were to add some additional seasoning - some garlic powder and cumin. Next time I make this I think I'll add some cooked chicken and make it a complete meal!


Fire Roasted Chile Relleno Rice
adapted from Nibble Me This


Ingredients

2 cups cooked rice (I used long grain white, but I think basmati would be great)
8 oz. monterey jack cheese, shredded (yes, a whole 8 oz block)
1 cup fire roasted chiles (I used 2 poblanos, 3 Anaheim, and 1 red chile pepper - broil until blackened all over and then remove skin and seeds and chop)
2 cups sour cream
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Original recipe is "baked" on a grill, but I just did mine in the oven)

2. Mix rice, cheese, chiles, sour cream, condensed soup, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a greased casserole dish (or greased ramekins) and top with the bread crumbs and paprika.

3. Bake until the top crust is browned and the cheese is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

Sausage and Spinach Rice Bowls

The rice bowl: so simple and unassuming, yet probably the most versatile dinner option out there! I love the concept of these because there are a thousand different ways to customize based on your tastes or what you happen to have in your pantry. You can use any type of meat or seafood, change up the flavor of the rice, use seasonal veggies and have one of these every week yet never have the exact same one.

For this particular one, I worked off a basic recipe that included sausage and spinach from Cooking Light and added a few embellishments - roasted red peppers and mushrooms - just because I had them on hand. Yum!

Oh, and did I mention this took less than 15 minutes to cook? Practically perfect :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice (I used instant brown, but you can use any variety, flavor, etc)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. hot Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1/2 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 4-oz can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (jarred or fresh)
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh spinach

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and onion; cook, stirring to crumble sausage, until sausage is cooked through and onion is tender. Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and peppers, stir to combine, then add spinach. Cook until spinach is just wilted. Stir in rice, mix well to combine and continue cooking until heated through.

Ham Jambalaya

I love jambalaya, its a fantastic one-pot meal that's easy to make and full of lots of yummy stuff. I usually make it with smoked sausage and shrimp, but this was a great way to use up leftover Easter ham.

Ingredients

2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice
2 cups diced ham

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and bell peppers. Season with sale and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetable begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute another 2 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, broth, and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice and ham. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Poblanos with Chorizo, Shrimp, and Rice

Being sick lately my tasting abilities have not been working at their full capacity, and when I first made these all I got was the heat from the poblanos. However, my husband assured me they were all-around delicious, and I can confirm that statement after enjoying the leftovers a few days later. Stuffed peppers don't usually let me down (and chorizo is a new love), so this version will definitely be made again in my house.

Poblanos with Chorizo, Shrimp, and Rice
from Guy Fieri

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 pound Mexican-style chorizo
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 red onion, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 cup short-grain rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
6 large, fresh poblano chiles
1 pound shrimp, shelled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup Cheddar, shredded
3/4 cup Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil and chorizo, cook for 3 minutes. Add peppers, jalapeno, onions and garlic. Cook until translucent, then add rice and cook until all the grains of the rice are coated with oil. Add all liquids and stir over high heat for 3minutes, cover and reduce heat to low. Check rice for doneness after 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

3. Place poblano chiles on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cool, cut top 1/4 of chile off and remove ribs and seeds.

4. When rice is finished cooking, fluff with fork and stir in shrimp. Stuff chiles with 1/6 of the rice mixture. Place all the chiles on baking sheet and place into oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, mix cheeses together and cover pepper with cheese. Broil for 3minutes to melt and brown the cheese.

Savory Herb Rice

No more boxed rice mix! Make this tasty side dish using ingredients you already have on hand, which allows you to control the flavors and the sodium content. I've found that this recipe works well with both chicken and fish, but you can easily substitute different broths such as beef or vegetable, and different herbs to complement any main dish.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

Directions

1.In a large saucepan, combine broth and the butter. Bring to a boil. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Pork Salad - Cafe Rio Style

I served up these salads at Mady's first birthday party, for the adults of course. They were a big hit! A little something different from typical party food, and a good idea for a crowd, because you just prep all the ingredients and everyone can put theirs together how they want.

In searching for a recipe, I found that there are sooo many copy-cat recipes out there for these salads! Not surprising, considering most anyone who has spent anytime in Utah is obsessed with Cafe Rio. A lot of the recipes I found were pretty similar, and of course all claimed to be "oh so close!" to the real thing. I must admit, however, that I've never actually had a pork salad from Cafe Rio though...I'm a "vegetarian burrito, black beans, hot sauce, enchilada style" kind of girl.

The recipe I went with came from the blog Favorite Family Recipes. The cooking of the pork was a bit more involved than most other recipes I found, but that's actually what pulled me towards this one. All that marinating/cooking time = has to be good, right?

Now, as I mentioned I've never had a Cafe Rio pork salad (although I have tried the pork and the yummy tomatillo ranch dressing), so I can't speak as to how close to the "real thing" this is. What I can say is that everyone LOVED these salads - they were delicious! They are a bit time-consuming to prep everything, but luckily I was able to do a lot of it ahead of time, and then for the party we just laid all the ingredients out buffet-style and let everyone have at it.

I'll post the recipes as they are listed on Favorite Family Recipes, and you can also visit the link to see more info and commentary. Oh, and if you are going to make these (you are going to make them, right?), don't forget the aluminum pans - those are a must for authenticity :)

Cafe Rio-style Pork Salads

Ingredients

6 large Tortillas (the uncooked flour tortillas from Costco are the best!)
Shredded cheese, Mexican blend
Cafe Rio Rice - recipe follows
Cafe Rio Black Beans - recipe follows
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork - recipe follows
Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole
Sour cream
Tortilla Strips
Cotija cheese, crumbled (or you can use Parmesan)
Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch - recipe follows

To assemble: Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan (if you are using the uncooked tortillas, you need to heat them up first - about 30 seconds per side, just so they are cooked through), sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of pico de gallo). Add guacamole and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the tomatillo ranch.



SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (i.e. boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.


CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.


TOMATILLO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (Not buttermilk)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced (I used canned ones)
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (remove seeds, if desired)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. Yum!

Wild Rice and Green Bean Casserole

This is one of my favorite side dishes to make, because it combines your starch and vegetable all into one! I like to think of it as an enhanced green bean casserole (which I love).

You could even add some shredded chicken to this and for an easy, complete meal.

Ingredients
1 box long-grain and wild rice, prepared and cooled (OR...save even more time by getting the Uncle Ben's ready rice in the pouch! no cooking required)
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. ground thyme
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 - 14.5 oz. cans cut green beans
1 - 6.5 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 small canister french fried onions

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cream of celery soup, milk, mayo, lemon juice, marjoran, onion powder, thyme and pepper. Stir in prepared rice, green beans, mushrooms, and half the french fried onions. Pour into a lightly greased 8x8 baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, then top with remaining french fried onions and bake an additional 8-10 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Spanish Rice

I made this to go along with the Perfect Enchiladas we had last night...a little twist on my usual Spanish rice recipe.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 Tbsp. minced onion
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. (or 1 cube) tomato-flavored chicken bouillon
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, divided

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add rice and onion. Cook and stir until rice is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add broth, water, bouillon, garlic powder, lime juice and 1 Tbsp. cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 Tbsp. cilantro just before serving.

Jambalaya

We had this for dinner last night, and I was thinking that we should add it into our rotation more often because its so quick and easy to throw together...gotta love those one-pot meals! It also makes a ton, so I'll be enjoying the leftovers for lunch today!

This is my own recipe, adapted and adjusted to our own tastes. Since I usually wing it in the kitchen and don't cook directly off of recipes, I'm trying to be better at writing down the ingredients as I go so I'll have more recipes to post here.

Also note: Most jamabalaya recipes also include chicken (or chicken instead of shrimp), but I don't - mostly because we seem to eat so much chicken that its nice to have something without it every once in a while. But feel free to add it if you'd like - just dice some chicken breasts and cook along with the vegetables.

Jambalaya

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. hot sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1 lb. kielbasa or smoked sausage, sliced (can also use turkey sausage)
1/2 lb. raw, medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and bell pepper and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste and hot sauce to the vegetable and stir to combine. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes (and their liquid) and all remaining ingredients except the shrimp. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, about 25 - 30 minutes. Stir in shrimp during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Rice-a-Roni Chicken Salad

This salad can be found at every family BBQ. Its super easy and a nice side-dish variation from the typical potato or macaroni salads.

Rice-a-Roni Chicken Salad

Ingredients

2 boxes chicken flavor Rice-a-Roni
1 cup cooked chicken
½ cup onion, finely chopped
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt

Directions

1. Prepare Rice-a-Roni according to package directions. Place in a large bowl and chill in fridge for 2-3 hours or until completely cooled.

2. Remove cooled rice from fridge. Mix in remaining ingredients; use more or less mayonnaise depending on dryness. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving.