Mexican Rice

Photo source:  Sabor Mexicana

As much as I love texmex meals and going to mexican restaurants that always include a meal with mexican rice, I'm surprised that I still have not tried making it at home. 

 
I'll let you know what I think of a recipe as soon as I make it. One thing for sure, I will add a variety of peppers, especially poblano peppers which are my favorite.

Here are mexican rice recipes I find interesting:

Mexican Rice from The Food Network

Mexican Rice from Delish

Mexican Rice from Once Upon A Chef

Restaurant-Style Mexican Rice from Favorite Family Recipes

Authentic Mexican Rice from Sabor Mexicana

All Recipes - many Mexican Rice recipes

MORE TO COME!

Gina's Cooking Concepts . . . Cheap Meals 101

This is more of a cooking concept and what I try to have in the kitchen pantry than an actual recipe.

In my personal every day cooking, if I'm not following a specific recipe, I literally throw a meal together based on what is in my refrigerator and what I'm hungry for. Even in days when money is not a concern, I still cook "cheap" because I hate to waste anything.

It is said that poor people are fat people . . . such is the case with my style of cooking, which usually includes rice, pasta, potatoes or Campbell's "cream of something soup".

Bisquick is my secret to awesome biscuits and pancakes. I must come up with a recipe for both a Bisquick type of baking mix and a "cream of soup" recipe to make cooking even cheaper.

While it is important to pay attention to the type of food you are eating, what is equally or more important is to eat in moderation.

There are other "must haves" for my pantry . . .

One of my greatest cooking secrets is using the mind boggling variety of salad dressing on the market. Cheap, expensive, healthy, not healthy, low fat, no fat . . .

My favorite salad dressings for cooking are . . . italian dressing, vinegar and oil combinations and my favorite for an oriental flavor is something called Asian Sesame with Ginger and Soy. Check out the salad dressing section of your grocery store . . . I stock up when they go on "buy one get one free" sales.

An assortment of cheeses . . . mozarella, cheddar and parmesean . . . always have them on hand.

Pasta sauces in a jar . . . red and white . . . they come in an assortment of flavors . . . stock up when they go on "buy one get one free" sales.

Dry or canned beans . . . whatever you love. Different varieties of beans and rice are among my favorite meals.

Veggies . . . I always have potatoes, onion, pepper assortment and LOTS OF GARLIC. Tomato is also great to have on hand, but you can do without it. When I can afford it, fresh mushrooms are a must . . . I love them in almost everything.

Meat is optional . . .

I buy eggs two dozen at a time . . .

Although I am not necessarily a vegetarian, I could easily adapt to that lifestyle. I rarely eat beef. I stock up on frozen chicken tenderloins . . . fast, cheap and easy. When whole chickens are on sale . . . go for it . . . super bargain . . . even cheaper.


An example of a thrown together fast and easy "cheap" meal: 

Start a pot of white rice or pasta . . .

Saute onions, pepper and garlic until almost caramelized . . . throw in chicken, fish or pork and cook until browned. (If using shrimp . . . wait until the last 4 minutes of cooking to add to the mix)

Add salad dressing of your choice . . . between the juice of the onions, pepper and salad dressing, this is your sauce . . . put in as much salad dressing to make the consistency you like.

Cook around 10 minutes or enough for the flavors to blend . . . you must taste as you cook . . . that is half the fun!

Voila . . . cheap, fast, easy and delicious meal . . . let the stove do the work. I find that the longer you cook a meal, the better it tastes as the flavors blend. Usually I get it started, turn down on a lower heat and let it cook down, sometimes for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

I don't use anything but stainless steel cookware . . . it works for my style of cooking and it does make a difference.

There are various combinations of type of meat and spices that I use . . . I'll try to come up with specific recipes.

Otherwise . . . don't be afraid to experiment . . . if it turns out bad, either have a salad or peanut butter and jelly sandwich or call for a pizza delivery . . . depending on how your money situation is. :)

If you use ingredients that you naturally enjoy anyway, you can't go wrong.

One Pan Stovetop Parmesan Chicken and Rice

 

Photo source:  callmepmc.com

"Stovetop Parmesan Chicken and Rice is a comforting dish that combines tender chicken and creamy rice with a sprinkle of Parmesan for a simple yet satisfying meal. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want something hearty and homemade without spending hours in the kitchen."  Comment from callmepmc.com

Chicken and rice is one of my favorite meals and I have many recipes listed so I can have many variations, and you can too.  This one looks delicious!

Click here to go to the callmepmc.com recipe page.

Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Skillet

 

Photo source:  Valerie's Kitchen

"This cheesy one pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Skillet is loaded with corn, peppers, and black beans for a hearty, delicious meal. It’s ready in just 30 minutes and cleanup is a breeze!"  Comment from Valerie's Kitchen

Love this recipe and can't wait to try it!  I'm so happy that it does not use instant rice, which most of these type of recipes use and love the rest of the ingredients.  

Click here to go to the Valerie's Kitchen recipe page.

Baked Rice Pilaf

 

Photo source:  Taste of Home

"If you’re tired of serving plain rice with dinner, this baked rice pilaf is a simple, delicious upgrade. Pilaf is a fluffy rice side dish cooked in broth with vegetables and herbs, and this version includes carrots, celery, onion, fresh parsley and chicken bouillon."  Comment from Taste of Home

This rice pilaf looks like it is delicious on its own, but I would love to add chicken or pork to make it a main dish.

Click here to go to the Taste of Home recipe page.

Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole

Photo source:  All Recipes

 

"There's nothing like an old-fashioned recipe straight from your grandma's recipe box. Need proof? Mamaw's Chicken and Rice Casserole is comfort food incarnate. This simple, affordable, and absolutely irresistible meal will warm you up from the inside out. Learn how to make, store, freeze, and serve this easy chicken and rice casserole."  Comment from All Recipes

This chicken and rice meal has all the ingredients I like, except I do not like instant rice and will have to figure out how to adapt the recipe.  Comfort food is the best!

Click here to go to All Recipes recipe page.

Gina's Cuban Style Fried Rice

Originally posted August 2011

Although I shared many of my recipes when I first started this blog, I don't do it often enough.  One of the reasons is my method of cooking is difficult to explain for someone else to duplicate.  Best way I can describe it . . . I just throw stuff together and don't measure anything.  

Then there is the problem of taking good photos of the process!  Truth is . . . it is not a pretty process when either The Captain or I cook, although it is a much neater process when we work together, as we often do.  With that said . . . I'm going to make an effort to start taking photos when we cook and share more of our own recipes or variations of recipes that I post.

Anyway . . . here is how I make what I call Cuban Fried Rice.

It is rarely the same every time since it depends on what I have in the fridge, so use my method as a starting point and use what you like or have in the fridge.

Almost everything in this meal were leftovers.  We had a thick cut pork chop and some of a wild rice mix left over from the night before.  

I hate throwing food away and try to use it for another meal.

Saute two diced onions and minced garlic with a little olive oil . . . seasoned with cumin and cayenne pepper.  (If I have them on hand, I always add whatever type of peppers I have.  I use one or two depending on what I have.)

I didn't have quite enough meat from the left over pork chop, so I put in a frozen chicken breast in with the onion and garlic in the pan.  

When the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the onions caramelized, cut into bite sized pieces and add the pork chop cut into thin strips. Let them cook a bit (15-20 minutes) so the flavors blend.

Add the rice and a can of peas to the pan and stir well to blend all the ingredients together.  Turn the heat down to low, put a lid on the pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

I'm not in a hurry when I cook.  Each step blends the flavors together . . . taste as you go along!  The first step, caramelizing the onions and garlic with the seasonings, is the most important step since it is the flavor base of your meal.  Latinos call this a "sofrito."  

Usually I will turn the heat down and walk away from it between adding ingredients.  An important point to mention is that I strictly use stainless steel cookware which holds the heat well and will not burn your food if you don't cook on really high heat.  Sometimes I even turn the burner off for the last step as long as I keep the lid on the pan.  

I bought my set of cookware back when I was in high school!  A good set of cookware is an awesome investment since they will last forever. 

This is the style of cooking I learned from my Nana and it really does make cooking a meal a joyous thing . . . or maybe I was just a born foodie and naturally enjoy it!

I have so many variations for my "fried rice" . . . it is awesome with shrimp or fish too.  The vegetable and rice variations are endless!  It is fun to experiment with cooking :)

Hope my instructions made sense!  Feel free to ask questions through comments.

Lemon Chicken And Rice Casserole

 

Photo source: All Recipes

Lemon chicken is awesome, so I can imagine baking it with rice and cream of chicken soup would make it super awesome.  Sounds like a great recipe to try.  Quick and easy too.

This recipe comes from All Recipes.  Click here to go to the recipe.

Black Beans Cuban Style (Frijoles Negros)

 

This is another family recipe that I grew up with.  I love it so much and could honestly eat it every day.  It is one of those meals that is considered Ybor City Food.

Black beans and garlicy white rice is the perfect combination and is a delicious compliment to Gina's Mojo Roast Pork.  Many like to eat it with raw onions.  My nana used to put finely chopped onions in a bowl on the table for whoever wanted it. 

Hope you try one of my family's traditions.

Ingredients:

1 pound bag black beans, rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 medium pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 bunch cilantro, minced
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
3 bay leaves
1 tsp white vinegar

Instructions: 

Soak the beans overnight in a large pot. In the morning, drain the water and set beans aside.

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil. 

Add the onion and green pepper and sauté until soft and translucent.  This is known as the sofrito.

Add 3 cloves of the minced garlic and bay leaves. Continue cooking until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the beans to the onion, green pepper and garlic mixture and enough water to cover everything by an inch. 

Bring beans to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer for one hour.

After an hour, stir the beans and add the remaining 3 minced garlic cloves and minced cilantro. 

Return to a simmer, stirring occasionally and cook another hour until beans are tender and the liquid is thick. 

Add the white vinegar.

Add salt and additional minced cilantro if desired. 

Serve over white rice made with lots of garlic.

Picadillo

 

Picadillo originated in Spain to use up leftover meat and later brought to the New World by explorers.  The Cuban people made it a part of their culinary tradition (as well as other latin countries).  In Tampa, back in the day, the Spanish, Cuban and Italian people were an integrated community and learned to cook the meals of the others.  I guess you could call it Ybor City food.  I was so lucky to grow up with all that awesome food!

Picadillo is one of those meals I grew up on and reminds me so much of my nana.  I was always fascinated watching her cook, would stand next to her so close that she would almost step on me.  The smell of Picadillo takes me back to that kitchen with her.

It must be eaten on white rice!

This recipe was written for a large family.  I have to figure out how to adapt it to a meal for one.

Ingredients

4 lbs. of ground sirloin or round
1 large chopped onion 

1 large chopped green bell pepper
8 large cloves of garlic crushed
2 1/2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
extra virgin olive oil (little to brown meat)
1-1/2 tsp oregano
3-4 tbsp large capers with some of the juice 
28 sliced stuffed olives 
1 small individual box of raisins (I don't always use this)
3 large bay leaves

Instructions

Brown the meat in just a small amount of olive oil.

Remove some of the fat. 

Add the remaining ingredients when meat is browned. 

Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Let it sit about 15 minutes to marinate the flavors before serving. 

Serve over white rice.

Red Beans and Rice

 

Photo source: Lana's Cooking

Anything beans and rice is ok with me!

I'm not sure about the tomatoes, but I will trust Lana and at least try it.

Check out her blog . . . click here for the recipe page.

Teriyaki Chicken & Rice

 

Photo source: www.whilehewasnapping.com

This is one of those recipes that calls for the cook's judgment in amounts of some of the ingredients.  For example, the chicken.  I would buy a rotisserie chicken and cut up an appropriate amount for the amount of rice you will be making.  

In my opinion, I would not cook everything together.  Cut up rotisserie chicken, make a pot of rice and make the sauce, then assemble all together. 

Just my opinion!  It sounds delicious and I can't wait to make it.

Click here to go to the recipe page from whilehewasnapping.com.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Rice

Photo source:  Pati Jinich

Pati made this stew on her cooking show and I had to search for the recipe since it looked delicious.  

The recipe is versatile as far as using the seafood that your family prefers. When I get around to making this, it will include shrimp, fish and crab.

Click here to go to Pati's recipe page.

Rustic Chicken Gratin

This recipe will be an experiment in spices and flavors since I have never used curry and have no idea what it tastes like.  I'm broadening my horizons!

I would make a simple change . . . use fresh vegetables, it is what is preferred. Maybe I'm weird, but I don't usually like the taste of frozen vegetables and prefer fresh.  As far as mushrooms, canned is ok, but I absolutely love fresh mushrooms.

Cheddar cheese?  I will use it the first time, but I'm not convinced this will be as good as it could be with another type of cheese.

Serving Size / Yield
4-6 servings



Ingredients

• 1 C. butter
• 1 C. onion, chopped
• 1 C. flour
• 1 tsp . salt
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1 (4-oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 (13-oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli spears, drained
• 3 chicken breasts, chopped
• 2 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
• 4 C. white rice, cooked

Directions

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. 

Melt butter in skillet, add onions and saute until tender. Remove skillet from heat. 

Stir in flour, salt and curry. 

Drain mushrooms. Add water to 1/2 C. mushroom liquid and add to flour mixture in skillet. 

Blend in evaporated milk until smooth and add mushrooms. 

Cook over medium heat, stirring until sauce thickens. 

Spread cooked rice on bottom of 13-by-9-inch baking dish. 

Arrange chicken and broccoli over rice. 

Pour sauce over mixture and cover with cheese. 

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Photo and recipe source

Tex-Mex Chicken and Rice Casserole

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 6.9 ounce package chicken-flavor rice and vermicelli mix
1 14 ounce can chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (10 ounces)
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes (2 medium)
3 tablespoons canned diced green chiles, drained
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Directions

Preheat oven 425 degrees F. 

Cook onion in hot oil over medium heat until tender n a medium saucepan. 

Stir in rice and vermicelli mix with contents of the seasoning packet. 

Cook while stirring for 2 minutes. 

Add in broth and the water. Bring to a boil . . . reduce heat. 

Simmer (covered) for 20 minutes.  Please note: liquid will not be fully absorbed

Transfer the rice mixture to a large bowl and stir in chicken, tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, basil, cumin, and black pepper. 

Transfer to an ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Bake (covered) about 25 minutes. 

Uncover and sprinkle with cheese, let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens (BHG.com)

Chicken Alfredo and Rice

Chicken and rice is a favorite meal for me . . . well, I love just about anything with rice!

Love the addition of Alfredo Sauce for added creaminess and roasted red peppers for the extra flavor.  Add some poblano peppers or cayenne pepper if you like hot spiciness!

Ingredients

• 1 10 ounce container refrigerated light Alfredo pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice or wild rice
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red sweet peppers
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (optional)
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In large bowl combine pasta sauce and milk. 

Stir in rice, chicken, peas, sweet peppers, nuts, and basil. 

Transfer to 1-1/2-quart baking dish.

Bake, covered, 30 minutes. 

Uncover and stir. 

Combine bread crumbs and melted butter; sprinkle atop. 

Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through and crumbs are golden brown. 

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Serves 4


Nutrition Information

Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 456, Fat, total (g) 16, chol. (mg) 97, sat. fat (g) 8, carb. (g) 45, Monosaturated fat (g) 3, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 2, fiber (g) 3, sugar (g) 7, pro. (g) 32, vit. A (IU) 1068.98, vit. C (mg) 40.15, Thiamin (mg) 0.42, Riboflavin (mg) 0.28, Niacin (mg) 9.67, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0.55, Folate (µg) 116.92, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0.37, sodium (mg) 672, Potassium (mg) 366, calcium (mg) 222.13, iron (mg) 3.78, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Source
Originally published by Better Homes and Gardens

Broccoli Rice Casserole

This broccoli rice casserole that I have adapted from a Campbell Soup recipe is the perfect side dish or a main meatless meal.

Variations to this casserole . . . use cream of broccoli soup instead of cream of chicken for a richer broccoli flavor.  It is excellent with fresh mushrooms . . . add them with the onion in the beginning step.  Add shredded or cubed cooked chicken before stirring the mixture into the baking dish.  Vary the type of cheese.

You can make a lighter version by using low fat or no fat cream of chicken soup.  Substituting the milk with no fat half and half is one of my tricks for making these types of dishes lighter.

Fresh or frozen broccoli is up to you!  I always go for the fresh if it is available.

My pantry always has at least a couple of cans of Campbell's cream of chicken soup!  It is one of the greatest inventions ever :)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 package (16 ounces) frozen chopped broccoli (or fresh . . . one whole broccoli, florets only, I don't use the stems, but that is up to you)
1/3 cup milk
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups cooked regular long-grain white rice
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat (watch the temperature to make sure the butter doesn't burn) and add the onion. Cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Add the broccoli in the skillet and cook until it's tender-crisp (when using fresh broccoli, I pre-steam the broccoli, keeping in mind it will continue to cook through the process . . . I don't like it crunchy).  Stir occasionally. 

Stir in the milk, soup, cheese and rice and cook until the cheese is melted. Pour the mixture into a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Bacon, Egg and Shrimp Fried Rice

Anything that contains rice catches my attention, although I must admit I have never tried jasmine rice.

Shrimp Fried Rice is my favorite, and the addition of bacon sounds delicious.

The price of sesame oil has kept us from trying out a fried rice dish cooked with it and I wonder . . . does it really make that much of a difference?

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 4 ounces bay shrimp

• 4 ounces fresh or frozen peas (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice (preferably day old)
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Heat a wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Add the eggs, reduce the heat a bit and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes to scramble. Remove and set aside. 

Reheat the wok and add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add the pancetta, garlic and ginger, then stir quickly. Once the pancetta begins to turn brown, 1 to 2 minutes, add in the shrimp and peas and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more. 

Add the cooked rice and stir well to break it up in the wok. Add the scrambled eggs back in, season with the light soy and toss to coat the rice. Add in the toasted sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately garnished with chopped scallions.

Source

Rice and beans

Rice and beans is one of my favorite meals, even when there is enough money to buy whatever food there is a craving for . . . it is one of those southern meals that can be varied in so many ways.  The meal is not complete without a batch of corn bread that I love to crumble in the rice and beans.

Today I was on a quest to find different variations of rice and beans and I ran across the AandE Channel's pages for Duck Dynasty, which includes some of the Robinson family's recipes.  You can find the link to Miss Kay's recipes at the end of this post.  

The Captain and I are Duck Dynasty fans and I always love their references to food . . . except that I would never ever, even if offered huge sums of money, eat squirrel.  Squirrels are like little outdoor pets for me!  The Captain, on the other hand, tells me it was a favorite childhood meal after a day of hunting down squirrels in the woods and bringing them home for Mom to cook.  

Here is an excerpt from the write up on this recipe, followed by the recipe . . .

"The family subsided on rice and beans, cornbread, and whatever fish and game the boys could catch. Rice and beans was a staple dish at the Robertson dinner table. A hundred-pound bag of rice and several cans of beans would last for weeks. There are dozens of ways to prepare rice and beans, and the recipes could be altered by adding a simple gravy or squirrels, quail, or fish so it was a perfect meal for the struggling Robertson family.

You can be creative with this. Don't worry about doing it exactly the way it is written, try stuff, if you don't have an ingredient make it anyway. I make beans every time we make or buy a ham — the ham bone is the key. You will find hunks of that ham when it cooks off the bone that you never knew existed and they are delicious. NEVER throw ham bone away!"

INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound dry kidney Pinto beans
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 6 cups water
• a couple of slices of bacon, cut up
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (less if you are feeding kids)
• 2 bay leaves (if you don't have it in your cabinet don't worry about it)
• a pinch of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Phil Robertson's Cajun Style Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes (again, don't sweat it if you don't have it)
• 1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced (Add more if you like sausage, or a different kind if this is too spicy.)
• Ham bone with as much ham left on it as you want (I buy one that is honey glazed, take the ham off for sandwiches, then use what's left for beans)
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups long grain white rice
• Louisiana Hot Sauce

DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse beans and transfer to a large pot with ham bone six cups of water. Make sure the water is covers all the beans.
2. In a skillet, heat olive oil and cut up bacon over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery for three to four minutes.
3. Stir cooked vegetables into beans.
4. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, parsley, and Cajun Style Seasoning.
5. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook 4 to 6 hours, or until beans are soft and done. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
6. Cut sausage into slices and brown in skillet on medium heat with a teaspoon of olive oil.
7. Stir sausage into beans towards the end of cooking time and continue to simmer for thirty minutes.
8. Add a pinch of brown sugar to taste.
9. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice and add plenty of Louisiana Hot Sauce.

For more family recipes, visit our Kay's Recipes page.