Saturday, November 29, 2008

Abuela's Spanish Rice


This recipe actually comes from my great-aunt, who was from Mazatlan. I've made this since was was a youngster. The measurements may seem a little odd-ball, but I don't know if my great-aunt used a measuring cup.
Ingredients:
4-5 slices of bacon cooked until crispy and broken into bite-sized pieces (save renderings)
2 cups of long grain rice
2 8oz. cans of tomato sauce
2 chicken bouillon cubes
Optional: 2/3 cup frozen peas & carrots (thawed at room temperature) and/or shredded cheese
You will need a non-stick skillet with a lid that fits. If you use the skillet to fry the bacon, keep about 1 1/2 Tbs. of bacon grease in the pan. If you used some other method to cook the bacon, put the bacon grease in the pan at this point. Open the cans of tomato sauce. Put 3 3/4 cups of water in a measuring cup (4 cups if you live at elevation). Drop the bouillon cubes in the water and microwave for 3 minutes or until the bouillon is dissolved. Place all ingredients near the pan.
Heat the pan on med-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the rice and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon until the rice is opaque (turns white instead of clear). Add both cans of tomato sauce. Be careful because it may splatter. Stir until coated. Add bouillon water and turn down heat to med-low. Stir to incorporate, and then cook with lid on for about 20 minutes. Uncover and add bacon, peas & carrots and/or cheese. Replace the cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Good with Mexican food, fish tacos, or in soup the next day. Also good with cilantro on top if you like cilantro.
--Pomegranate Princess

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

The first time our family ate Chicken Broccoli Casserole was when we lived in St Louis. A dear friend, Laura Crandell, made it for us a few days after Kassey and I came home from the hospital. That was in 1984, since then it has become a family favorite. This is our family's version of that wonderful recipe.

Preheat oven to 350
Toss together
1 C seasoned bread cube stuffing (I sometimes use more)
3 Tbs melted margarine
Spread in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish

Top bread cubes in the following order with,
2 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in bite size pieces (or the equivalent of any cooked chicken. You can used canned chicken or left overs work good too)
10oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained (you can use fresh, but make sure that you cut it up and barely cook it)

Next in a medium bowl, mix together
2 can cream of chicken soup
1 C REAL Mayo (imitation is not good)
2 to 3 Tbs lemon juice
2 to 3 tsp Curry
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
Spread on top of broccoli

Top with
1/2 to 1 C grated cheddar cheese (we like lots of cheese at our house)
Bake in oven for 30 min. or until lightly browned around the sides and cheese is melted.

*After Thanksgiving I use leftover stuffing and turkey