Taco Rice/Spanish Rice

TACO RICE MIX
In a quart-sized ziplock bag combine the following ingredients:

1 cup long grain brown rice or white rice
2 teaspoons chili powder (wimpy white girl halves this)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon each oregano & cumin & garlic powder
2 tablespoons dry onion
Dash red pepper flakes (and you know I omit this)


Seal & Label the bag. Store on the pantry shelf.

To Prepare:
1 package of Taco Rice Mix
1 or 2 tablespoons oil
8 oz can reduced sodium tomato sauce or 1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
2 cups water

Get out a 2-quart saucepan. Heat the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the contents of the Taco Rice Mix. Sauté the rice and seasonings in the hot oil until the rice is toasty and slightly opaque. Add the tomato sauce and water. Stir it up and bring it to a boil. When it starts to boil, cover the pan with a good lid and reduce the heat to very low. Brown rice will cook in 45 minutes. White rice will cook in 20 minutes. Serve topped with cheese for a main dish, or just like it is as a side dish. This recipe doubles easily. Cook it in a 3-quart saucepan if you double it.

Makes 4 servings.

Variations

To make Taco Style Beans & Rice add a 15 oz can of kidney or pinto or black beans (1-1/2 cups cooked beans) well drained and rinsed, along with the tomato sauce and water. Cook as directed.

To make Taco TVP & Rice Mix add 1 cup of plain TVP and 2 bouillon cubes to the rice mixture. Use the flavor of bouillon that you prefer. When you prepare the dish, increase the water to 2-3/4 cups. Otherwise, proceed as directed. This is a great main dish mix to keep on hand for busy days.

Note: I keep the bag of Taco Rice Mix in a small brown paper bag along with the canned tomato sauce, and sometimes a can of kidney beans too. This keeps the items together in one spot so I don't have to hunt all over the kitchen for that "can of tomato sauce that I know is around here somewhere". You may be more organized than me and always know where that extra can of tomato sauce is, but in case you're not this tip will save some work. Be sure to label and date the paper bag so you know what it is when you see it sitting there on the shelf.

Crash Hot Potatoes

First off - Best Name Ever! Having family in Aussie land I knew right away that the recipe must have originally come from there as well. I laughed when I saw it! Wondering what it means? "Crash Hot" is like "super". My mom always uses the phrase "crash hot keen" as in "I'm just not crash hot keen on the idea of you getting a tattoo." :)

I found the original recipe at Pioneer Woman and it is truly heavenly! Click here to find the original recipe.

Here's what I did:

Baking potatoes (however many)

Olive Oil

Salt

Nuke those taters until done. I placed them around the edge of the turntable and cooked for 5 minutes on high. Cook until tender - you may need to adjust the time depending on how many potatoes and how hot your microwave cooks.

Brush olive oil on a baking sheet and place your potatoes on the sheet - evenly spaced. Take the potatoes and smoosh them with a potato masher. Don't smash them all the way down. Leave a bit of height (at least an inch) so they still stick together as a unit and don't fall apart when you lift them to serve.

Now brush the tops with more oil. Season to your taste. Rosemary, S&P, parmesan, whatever you like.

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or so or until they are golden, crunchy and delicious!

Macaroni Salad

from the Polynesian Kitchen

1 lb elbow macaroni

1/2 medium yellow onion, minced

1/2 medium celery stalk, minced

1 medium carrot, shredded

1 small can of sliced olives

1 c. mayo

2 dashes curry powder (or 1/2 t)

season to taste with 1/2 - 1 t of pepper, garlic salt, celery salt, celery seed

Cook macaroni and drain. Mix all ingredients, adding more mayo if needed. Cover and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Corn Dog Muffins

3/4 c cornmeal

1 c flour

1/3 c sugar

3 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1 c milk

1 egg, beaten

2 T oil

4 hot dogs, cut into thirds

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray muffin tin with baking spray.  Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients.   Combine all and mix just till blended.  Put a spoonful in a muffin cup, add hot dog, then more batter.  Cook 12-15 min till bread is cooked through.

Bacon and Swiss Impossible Pie

12 oz can evap. milk

1/2 c water

4 eggs

1 c biscuit/baking mix

1/2 c bacon bits

2 c shredded Swiss

1/2 c green onions

Mix milk, water, and eggs.  Beat with mixer for 2 min until smooth and set aside.

Grease 9x9 pan.  Scatter bacon bits on the bottom.  Top with cheese, and then add onion.  Carefully pour eggs on top.  Press top of onions/cheese if floating.  Bake at 400 for 30 min.

Dill Dip

from Heather

1 c sour cream

1 c mayo

1 t dried parsley

1 t onion salt

1 t Bon Appetit seasoning (sub: 1/2 celery salt, 1/2 onion powder)

1 t dill weed

Mix and chill at least one hour before serving.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

2 lb baby spinach

2 pints strawberries - washed, stems removed and sliced

1/2 c mayo

1/4 c milk

1/4 c sugar

2 T white vinegar

1 T poppy seeds

1 chopped red onion (optional)

Mix spinach and strawberries and place in serving bowl.  Whisk together remaining ingredients for dressing.

Jessica's Salad

Jessica brought this when I had my 3rd baby and I loved it!

1 bag of spring mix bagged salad greens

toasted pecans (broil pecans for 5 min) to top

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 c mayo

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c milk

2 T white vinegar

Mix together and serve over greens.

Elegant Cheese Fondue

from The Pampered Chef

1 -10.75 oz can condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup

1 c shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/4 c apple juice

1 small garlic clove

1/8 t Tabasco sauce

Combine and heat through - use a crock pot if desired. Can melt in microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring after each minute.

Dippers: French bread cubes, bite-size veggies or cooked ham cubes.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thighs with Applesauce

from Amy

1 T balsamic vinegar

1/4 t salt

8 small skinless chicken thighs (~1 1/2 lb)

2 lb apples, cored and chopped coarsely - Rome Beauty, McIntosh, Gala

1/2 c apple cider or water

1/4 c dark raisins 

1/4 c sugar

1/4 t cinnamon

8 slices bacon

In medium bowl, w/fork, mix vinegar and salt.  Add chicken thighs and toss to coat; set aside.

In 3-qt saucepan, combine apples, cider, raisins, sugar and cinnamon; heat to boiling over high heat.  Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 min. or until apples are very tender.

Meanwhile, wrap 1 slice bacon around each thigh, securing with toothpick.  Heat nonstick 12" skillet over medium heat until hot.  Add thighs and cook 30 min or until bacon is browned and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with knife, turning over thighs once.

With potato masher, coarsely mash apples.

To serve, discard toothpicks, spoon applesauce on four dinner plates; top each with 2 thighs.

To make it from the pantry only:  Use canned chicken - marinate with same sauce as in original.  Warm with bacon bits in skillet.  Use canned applesauce or make applesauce from dried apples and season as directed. 

from Everyday Food Storage's site:

To reconstitute apple slices use equal parts of dried apples to boiling water. 

For example:
2 cups dried apples 2 cups boiling water
Let: this set at least 5 minutes.If you put this mixture through the blender you will have applesauce. For variety add 3 tbsp. Cinnamon Heart Candy to the mixture before you let it set or try some Cinnamon (about 2-3 t.) and Sugar (about 3-4 T.) mixture in it.