Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[r_barton]

Mexican Rice Restaurant Style

This recipe makes a dry, fluffy style, Mexican rice that
is served as a side dish at Mexican restaurants. This involves
rinsing the rice, frying on the stovetop and then baking in
the oven.

We love this recipe and always make it as a side dish with Mexican food.

2 cups long grain white rice (Comet, Uncle Ben’s, etc.), uncooked, rinsed for 2 minutes
1/3 cup canola oil
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 Tbsp dried onion flakes
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp table salt or to taste (depending on how salty the chicken broth is)
2 or 3 Tbsp ketchup
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel, etc), with liquid

Preheat oven to 350-F. - Baking time 30 minutes total, stirring after 15 minutes.

Place uncooked rice in a strainer and rinse under running water until it runs clear. Rinse about 2-minutes. This is to remove as much starch as possible. This is important to create a dry, fluffy, non-sticky Mexican restaurant style rice.

Drain rice, making sure to shake out as much water as possible.

Heat canola oil on medium high heat in an enameled, cast iron, dutch oven (3-qt to 6-qt size) on the stove top. Drop a few rice grains in the oil, when hot. When they sizzle, add all remaining rice. Stir constantly and fry rice until it is light golden brown and slightly translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.

In another saucepan, combine the chicken broth, onion flakes, garlic powder, ground cumin, dried parsley, salt, ketchup and canned tomatoes with chiles and its liquid. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Reduce to a simmer and keep warm until needed.

When the rice, in dutch oven, is light golden brown, stir in from the saucepan, the chicken broth / spice / tomato & chile mixture. Stir well and bring to a boil in the dutch oven.

When rice in dutch oven reaches a boil, place lid on dutch oven and place in a 350-degrees F preheated oven.

Bake 15-minutes then open dutch oven and stir well. Replace dutch oven lid and bake another 15 to 20-minutes until done.

Remove from oven and stir well. Cover and allow to rest about 5 minutes before serving.

Makes about 4-cups of rice.

[r_barton]

Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino

Here’s a delicious, rich, chocolate mocha Frappuccino you can make at home in about a minute.
The calories are about 120 for 12 oz.

I think this tastes better than the one from Starbucks, and it doesn’t cost $ 4.00 for 12 oz.

1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 cup Coffee Mate French Vanilla Creamer - sugar free (liquid creamer)
1/3 cup powdered non-dairy coffee creamer
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp instant coffee crystals
1 (3.25 oz) Jello Vanilla Pudding Snack Pack (prepared pudding cup) - sugar free
2 cups ice cubes

Add ingredients to blender in order given.
Blend on HIGH for 45-seconds or until smooth.

Makes about 4 cups. 48 oz.

[r_barton]

Chili’s Copycat Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup is even better than Chili’s.

2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (or 1/4 cup onion flakes)
1/4 cup celery, finely diced (or 1 teaspoons celery seeds)
2 (10.75 oz) cans Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup
2 cups chicken broth
2 (5 oz) cans Tyson Premium Chunk White Chicken Breast in Water
1 cup chunky salsa (like La Victoria, Pace, etc)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/16 to 1/8 teaspoon ground ancho dried chilis (or to taste)
4 slices pepperjack cheese, diced (from pkg of sliced cheese, divided use)
Tri-color Tortilla Strips (for garnish)

In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-heat, and add onion and celery.
Saute, stirring occasionally for 5 to 8 minutes until softened.
Stir in canned cream of chicken soup and chicken broth.
Add canned chicken breast, salsa, chili powder, ground cumin, ground ancho dried chilis,
and 3 slices of the pepper jack cheese. Bring soup to a simmer and stir occasionally.
Simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Serve warm in soup bowls and garnish with diced cheese and tortilla strips.

Makes about 6 cups

[r_barton]

Black and White Turkey Chili

This is really good with the mix of earthy flavored black beans and creamy white beans combined into a chili.
Adding a little dusting of chipotle chili powder to taste, if you like a little heat, really warms you up.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup yellow onions, diced
1/2 cup bell peppers, diced

1 pound ground turkey
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chrushed dried oregano
1/4 tsp seasoning salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes - with liquid
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup salsa verde
1 beef bouillon cube
1 (15 ounce) can black beans - with liquid
1 (15 ounce) can great northern white beans- with liquid (any type of canned white beans will work)
1 cup water

In a 3-quart saucepan, saute the onions and bell peppers in the cooking oils until the onions are golden brown.

Add ground turkey and seasonings, crumble turkey, mix well and saute until turkey is browned.

Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, salsa verde, beef bouillon, two cans of beans and 1 cup of water to saucepan.

Mix well and simmer for about 20 to 30-minutes, stirring occasionally.

[kalee]

I was taught
Horses sweat
Men perspire and
Ladies glisten/sparkle. ;)

[momtothree]

A quote from my Great Aunt. “Ladies don’t sweat... they GLOW” Trisham... you GLOW! :)

[trisham]

Thanks, momtothree! :)

[Liz]

Chefs' Secret recipe-from San Antonio restaurant. No oil or mayo---just crisp cabbage,
white onion, jalapeño, tomato, cilantro with fresh, tangy lime juice, touch of sea salt.

ROSARIO'S CABBAGE LIME SLAW

METHOD 2 lb fine-shredded cabbage (small head), thin lngthwise slivers med white onion,
large diced fresh jalapeño, 6-8 small-dice Romas, 3 bunches coarse-chp cilantro leaves.
Add 1/2 c lime juice, 3/4 tea sea salt; mix well. Cover/chill.

SERVE as appy, side, or delicious on pulled pork sandwich. Do-ahead couple of hours
to meld flavors--will remain beautifully crisp. Makes a lot---but can be halved.

[Liz]

Qdoba Mexican Grill offers their famous tortilla soup recipe. Serves 6 very easily.

TORTILLA SOUP

PREP Cook on med 5 min tb veg oil, 1/2 c ea minced red onions, diced poblanos.
Add tb minced garlic, 2 tsp chp jalapeno, 1/2 tsp ea cumin, chili powder; cook 5 min.

Now add blender/pureed 3 c broth and 2 corn tortillas, 2 c diced fire roasted tomatoes
and 1/2 c crushed tomatoes; simmer 15 min on med-low. Finish w/ 2 tsp kosher salt.

SERVE w/ Qdoba Chefs’ garnishes: Tb crushed tortilla chips; Tb diced zucchini; 2 thin-sliced avocados; tsp rough-chp cilantro.

[Trillian]

That sounds really good, I’m going to have to try that method. I can’t seem to get the seasoning or texture right, but I can make some that tastes really good.
I love adding pigeon peas to my recipe, but when we moved, I haven’t been able to find them at the stores around here. I will have to try finding them online.

[Rainbow Rising]

I love chili and I’m always trying new recipes. This weekend I’m making chicken chili, using ground chicken and white beans. I’m really looking forward to trying it.

[r_barton]

I searched and finally found this recipe a few years ago. It makes dry, separate rice exactly like the Mexican restaurants. Rinsing the rice is important to remove outside starch that makes the rice sticky. Then frying the rice in oil until it is slightly browned adds to the dryness and fluffyness. Then you bake the rice in the liquid to soften and cook the rice. All in all it comes out exactly like Mexican restaurant rice.

[PUGACHEV]

Rice and beans, salad, and soup, the only thing missing are the enchiladas. The best enchiladas I had were from a native Mexican cook who opened a restaurant near my childhood home. He made cheese enchiladas that were delicate and subtle, with beans and rice to match. That one meal was his only menu choice and the place was packed every night of the week. I have never encountered anything else that could compare to it.

Nevertheless, my current recipe is as follows. I use Mission extra soft corn tortillas. I've bought freshly made tortillas, and even made them myself, but the difference is not enough for the trouble. I spread 14 of them out on a plate overlapping each other and put them in the Microwave under a cover for 1 Min. 30 Sec. I have used a comal, but, again, it's not worth the effort.

Coat the inside of a 12 x 8 pan lightly with corn oil. Shred some sweet yellow onions. You can chop them if you like, but shredding is worth the effort. Rinse the onions after cutting, as this is important to preserve the sweet flavor. I use a Monterrey Jack/Colby cheese mixture, which if you can shred it yourself is best. Roll a tortilla with a small amount of cheese and some onions. The tendency is to use too much cheese, so be careful. Too much cheese quickly overwhelms the corn tortilla flavor. I can fit 14 rolled tortillas in a line of ten with two pairs to the side in the pan. Pour on the sauce to coat the top surface of the rolled enchiladas. In the end there should be about 3/8 of sauce in the bottom of the pan. I have finally settled on Old El Paso red sauce, or Goya Mole. Once again, preparing your own sauce, while it is better, is not worth it, because I have not found a recipe that is that much better to justify the effort.

Finally, sprinkle some sharp cheddar cheese on the top, spread a small can of chopped chilies over that, add a few more onions, and cook for 30 minutes uncovered at 400.

If you are in a hurry, you can make New Mexico pancake enchiladas. Pour the sauce into a shallow pan and dip each corn tortilla in to thoroughly coat it. Don't bother pre-heating the tortilla, because your not going to bend it. Place the tortilla flat on a plate and add a small amount of cheese and onions, and then add a tablespoon of sauce toward the center. Coat another tortilla and place it over the first one. Again, add cheese, onions and sauce. I usually stack them four deep, and add cheese, chilies, sauce, and onions on top of the final tortilla. I put the plate, covered, into the microwave for 4.5 minutes (one minute for each tortilla in the stack, plus 30 seconds), and they come out perfectly cooked.

[Liz]

I love your recipes....and your recommendations on brands to use.

The pancake enchilada recipe made my mouth water......sounds OOTW.

Five-star yummy.

[Liz]

BTW, do you have any recipes for the wet burrito?

[Liz]

I recently came across the delightfully named "Navajo Taco" served at the Cameron Trading Post, near the Grand Canyon......you’re surrounded by classic southwestern art and tapestries. American, Mexican, and local cuisines are all offered.....including the delicious Navajo “fry bread,” (pictured below) a must-try for every visitor! Served breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Cameron Trading Post Navajo Fry Bread

Combine • 6 cups unsifted flour • 1 tablespoon salt • 2 tablespoons baking powder • 1/2 cup instant non-fat dry milk in bowl. Add enough• 2 3/4 cups lukewarm water to make a soft dough. Knead thoroughly. Pinch off a ball of dough about the size of a large egg

Shape it round and flat with a small hole in the middle. Work it back and forth from one hand to the other to make it thinner and thinner. Stretch gradually to a diameter of about nine inches. Heat fat at least an inch deep in a heavy iron skillet. Drop thin rounds of dough into hot fat and fry to a light brown on one side. Then turn and fry other side. As it fries, the bread puffs up and becomes light.

FINAL Liftout; drain each piece on paper towel. Makes about 18 to 24 pieces, about nine inches across. Fill w/ toppings.

Navajo “fry bread”, a fresh, springy bread dough that is patted flat and deep fried to a golden brown, smothered with a spicy combination of ground beef and beans, and topped with chopped green chile, fresh lettuce and tomato, and tangy cheddar cheese.

[trisham]

Awesome.

[Liz]

The fry bread recipe seems authentic.....the addition of dry milk powder that convinced me.

But I wondered if frying pizza dough or leftover dough from baking bread might be as tasty.

[trisham]

I don’t know. It would be worth trying.

[Liz]

Okay......will do it.