Posts

, , ,

Easy Cheesy Spanish Rice

I have thing for rice. Or noodles. Whichever. I love them.

Or bread. Or potatoes. Maybe I actually just  have thing for carbs?

My husband thinks I am such a weirdo, but I could literally sit down and eat a whole bowl of rice/noodles and butter. Super unhealthy, but super delicious!

So anytime I can add rice to a meal, I’m all for it! A yummy, easy Spanish rice recipe is perfect for Mexican dishes! This dish is so easy and I almost always have all of the ingredients just sitting in my pantry!

This could probably be made into a complete dish with some beans… hmmm… Maybe that recipe will be coming soon!

Anyway, this dish can be made in about 30 minutes. The most difficult part of this recipe is adding the rice straight to the skillet. I had never done that to rice before and the first time I made this I was really nervous!

But don’t be nervous! It will be okay! Just let the rice cook in the skillet until it is becoming translucent or a little brown, but not burned. It is better to add the vegetable broth early than burn the rice.

You can also choose to make this rice as spicy or mild as you want! I usually prefer on the more mild side, so I usually have mild salsa. But if you like it spicy, add some hot salsa to kick up the flavor!

Quick Cheesy Spanish Rice

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp chopped onion

1 ½ c uncooked white rice

2 c vegetable broth

1 c chunky salsa

½ c shredded cheese

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cooked until tender, about 5 minutes.
  2. Mix rice into skillet, stirring often.
  3. When rice begins to brown/become translucent (but not burned), stir in vegetable broth and salsa.
  4. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until liquid has been absorbed and rice is fluffy.
  5. Turn off heat and add cheese. Cover until cheese is melted.
  6. Serve!

 

/0 Comments/by
, ,

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

I’m just going to say it. I hate cauliflower. I don’t like the smell or the taste or the texture. I don’t even really like the color. I don’t know why, but I’ve always had an aversion to cauliflower.

But my husband loves it. He is a really good vegetarian because he loves all vegetables. Me? I’m like a child… I have to hide vegetables in the food I make so I will eat them. Fruit I could eat all day, but vegetables… I’m pretty picky.

So to ensure I am getting enough veggies and to please my husband, I make recipes that I love and replace unhealthy items with veggies. Like this lovely Cauliflower Mac and Cheese!

Truthfully, when I first started making this recipe, I thought I was going to hate it… Because, I mean, how could you replace cauliflower with delicious macaroni and it taste good?

I will tell you that I honestly can’t even tell that the cauliflower is there. This dish is so good that it has really opened my eyes (and mouth) to other cauliflower dishes like cauliflower mashed potatoes and cauliflower alfredo sauce.

I have made this as a side for regular dinners as well as Thanksgiving dinner.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

cauliflower mac and cheese in dish

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

1 c milk (can use cow milk, but I use almond or cashew milk)

1/4 c cream cheese

1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 c plain Greek yogurt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp melted butter

2/3 c Panko bread crumbs

1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Cut cauliflower into small pieces (florets and stems) and place in a casserole dish.
  3. Roast cauliflower 15-20 minutes, until the edges are turning brown and it is easily pierced with a fork.
  4. While cauliflower is roasting, put the milk, cream cheese and shredded cheddar into a saucepan on medium high.
  5. Slowly whisk cheese as it melts until well mixed. Add yogurt to thicken.
  6. Stir in garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  7. Remove roasted cauliflower from oven and pour cheese sauce over cauliflower.
  8. Combine melted butter, breadcrumbs and parmesan. Spread on top of the cauliflower.
  9. Roast uncovered for 15-20 minutes until crumbs and golden brown and cheese is bubbling.
/1 Comment/by
, ,

Ranch Roasted Potatoes

I love potatoes and I love ranch. So this recipe is one of my favorites. Maybe even THE favorite.

You take some delicious red skin potatoes and throw a little Ranch seasoning on them and boom! Party in your mouth!

My husband and I lived with his mom for a few years before we got married and bought our own house. I would make dinner quite often because she worked until late at night. I’ve never been a fancy cook. I’ve always been about dishes that are quick, simple and easy to throw together.

So I was always a little nervous cooking dinner for my mother-in-law because she is Persian. When she (or any other Persian) makes dinner, it is an elaborate feast. There will be 10 plates and bowls spread out across the table to choose from. Rice, meat, sides, salad. Tons and tons food that takes a long time to prepare.

However, she went crazy when I made these potatoes (and a lot of other quick and easy dishes too)! I was so excited that I could make something that impressed her. Now, okay, these aren’t THAT impressive. They don’t require much skill or prep, but they are SO good!

Even though we haven’t lived with her for years, she still asks that I make these and bring them over… In addition to her full Persian dinner!

P.S. They are really good as leftovers too! Make sure you reheat them in the oven or toaster oven to maintain the crispiness!

Ranch Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and seasoning mix

2 lbs of small red skin potatoes

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  2. Cut potatoes into small cubes (I like to do bite size)
  3. Put potatoes in a container with lid or large baggie
  4. Add oil and Ranch powder
  5. Toss until coated
  6. Spread potatoes evenly onto a foil lined baking sheet (You do not have to foil line the pan, but I hate scrubbing the pan after making these potatoes)
  7. Bake for 30-35 minutes (We like for the potatoes to be a little burned on the edges, so I will them in until about 40-45 minutes)
/0 Comments/by
, ,

Quick and Easy Refried Beans (From Canned)

Usually I make refried beans in my Crock Pot using black beans and pinto beans, but it requires a lot of planning and time. Sometimes I just don’t have that! 

So this quick and easy refried beans recipe is awesome if you are in a pinch and need some refried beans! You can easily make yummy refried beans using a couple cans of beans! 

Why not just use a can of refried beans? Sometimes I don’t have that either! Also, my refried beans in the Crock Pot are SO much better than the canned version, that I hardly ever buy cans of refried beans any more. Plus, this easy recipe is probably healthier than the canned version. It certainly tastes fresher! 

However, I always have cans of beans in my pantry just waiting to be used! This recipe is so quick and so easy and really tasty!

This is really good served as a side for Vegetarian Crock Pot Fajitas for extra protein!

Quick and Easy Refried Beans (From Canned)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp oil (I used olive oil)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans (do not rinse)
½ an onion, diced small (if you prefer your beans smooth, leave this out)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat
  2. Add garlic and cook until soft, just a couple of minutes
  3. Add pintos with liquid and all spices to pan and cook until beans are heated thoroughly, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally
  4. Take off heat and mash bean mixture with a potato masher to desired texture

.

/0 Comments/by
,

Quick and Easy Sweet Potato Mash

Hi there!

When I was growing up, my food level was very plain Jane. We didn’t eat a lot of “weird” foods or spices. It was a lot of meat, potatoes, pastas… So when I started dating my husband, his family really opened my eyes to all these amazing foods that I was missing out on! One of those things were sweet potatoes. Can you believe that as a kid I never had sweet potatoes?! I know, it sounds like crazy talk. But it’s the truth. No sweet potatoes. I had never even had sweet potato casserole. I mean, that is seriously nuts. So one of the things I really like to rotate into our meals is sweet potatoes because I mean, hello, you can eat vegetables that taste like candy. Um, yes, please.

One of my favorite recipes is this quick and easy sweet potato mash. It is one of those recipes that you can quickly memorize and one that it is really customizable for specific tastes, meal pairings or group size. And did I mention how easy it is? Seriously, you can make this in about 20 minutes and the leftovers are just as good!

Quick and Easy Sweet Potato Mash

(This recipe yields about 4 servings. I usually estimate 1/2 a sweet potato per person)

Ingredients:

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed (I usually do about bite size. The smaller the pieces, the faster they will soften)

2 tablespoons of milk

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Optional:

Cinnamon – to taste.

Other – I have also added nutmeg and pumpkin pie spice to change it up.

Directions:

  • Put potato cubes in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Continue to boil until potatoes are soft and can easily be punctured with a fork. 
  • Drain potatoes.
  • Add potoates to large mixing bowl and mash either by hand or with a mixer.  (I usually just mash by hand. I like them a little more “chunky” but if you prefer smooth, you can use a hand mixer)
  • Add milk, butter and maple syrup. (Add cinnamon and/or other spices)
  • Mix until blended. 
/0 Comments/by
,

Parmesan Baked Potato Wedges

Since I’ve been pregnant, I love carbs! Bagels, bread, pasta, and potatoes! I seriously can’t get enough!

I saw this recipe and NEEDED to make these! And they were AH-MAZING. Seriously. So good. We almost ate them all before I could take a photo!

They go perfect with ranch for dipping. My husband also liked them with ketchup and BBQ sauce. He really loves sauces. 🙂

Ingredients:

3 Russet Potatoes

4 tbsp olive oil

½ c. grated parmesan cheese

2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 tsp garlic

2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Cut potatoes into wedges
  • Coat potatoes in olive
  • Mix dry ingredients separately
  • Add dry ingredients to  potatoes and mix well so potatoes are coated with seasoning
  • Place a single layer of potatoes on foiled baking sheet
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 40 min, until golden brown and crisp
/2 Comments/by

Trees ‘n Cheese

 

Today I am bringing you a recipe from my mom’s cookbook. Growing up, my mom cooked everything in the microwave. We had this giant microwave that you could literally fit a whole turkey inside… It took up so much space on the counter and sounded like an airplane taking off in our kitchen. My mom claimed it lived to be a ripe age of 25 years old.

This particular recipe can be made in the oven or microwave, but to be honest, I’ve never had it or made it in the oven.

I usually try to stay away from foods that have a lot of preservatives or foods that aren’t “real,” but when you have a recipe like this, sometimes you just have to. Someday I might try and make it more healthy, but for now, when I’m remembering my mom and her Thanksgiving’s, this is the dish.

This was her signature dish. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

 

Trees ‘n Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. jar Cheese Whiz
  • 1 can mushroom soup
  • ½ c. chopped onions
  • ½ c. chopped celery
  • ½ c. melted butter
  • ½ c. Minute Rice
  • 20 oz. chopped frozen broccoli

Directions:

Option 1:

  • Melt butter
  • Mix all ingredients together
  • Spread into a greased baking dish (any size will work)
  • Cover and bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes

Option 2: (Easier and my mom’s preferred way)

  • Melt butter in a casserole dish/microwavable dish
  • Add all other ingredients, mix well
  • Cover and microwave on high for 17 minutes
/4 Comments/by
,

Guacamole

I was under the impression that I hated guacamole… I’m not that big of a fan of avocados. However, when I tried this recipe that one of my good friends made, I fell in love!

I have tweaked it a bit and you should too!

Peel and seed avocados. Then mash. This is much easier if you do it before you add anything else!

 

I do not measure anything our for this recipe, I just eyeball it. This is how much onion I used.

 

And how much tomato.

 

Try not to eat the whole thing!
Ingredients
3 ripe Avocados
1/4 of an onion
1/2 of a tomato
Lime juice (about 1/2 of a lime per avocado- this is an estimate. Keep tasting until it’s right!)
Salt and pepper to taste (Do not forget this! I almost always do and you can tell something is missing.)

 

optional: chopped jalapeno
              cilantro

 

*This amount of ingredients is based on my taste. If you don’t like that much tomato in your guac, reduce it.

 

Also, the original recipe called for cilantro. My husband and I do not like cilantro that much and I was sick of buying a whole bundle for just a few sprigs, so I just left it out and it tastes totally fine without it.

 

Directions
1. Peel and seed avocados. Mash them up.
2. Add chopped onion, tomato, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir it up!
3. Taste to make sure you like it – add more salt/pepper/lime juice if necessary.
4. Enjoy!
/0 Comments/by