My mom has been making her signature Spanish rice forever (all my life at least)! My family loves it! While I doubt its authenticity, I don’t question its mass appeal. I was surprised how easy it is to prepare and am eager to make it a staple in my own home. We ALWAYS serve it with our New Mexican Sopapillas (recipe yet to come), although I’m sure it would enhance any Mexican-inspired meal.
Mom’s Spanish Rice
INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
14 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water (or low-sodium chicken broth)
3/4 cup long-grain brown rice
1/2 cup prepared salsa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic until tender but not brown.
2. Add tomatoes, water, rice, salsa, salt, brown sugar, W. sauce, and pepper. Cover and simmer 45 minutes- 1 hour (I used par-boiled brown rice which only took 25 minutes) until your rice is tender and the water has been absorbed.
I find that I don’t talk much about my non-food life here on this blog. I do spend my time in ways other than grocery shopping, cooking, baking, eating, and food blogging. Like going to school, for instance. But only for 7 more months! In December I’ll be graduating from nursing school and become an RN! That part of my life is also busy and somewhat more interesting than what I eat. But sometimes nursing and food don’t mix so well. It can be unappetizing. Luckily, I’ve grown accustomed to it. Nothing tastes as good on a hospital floor scarfed down in the 15 seconds between a soiled bed change and catheter insertion. But when I get home I can down a plate of pasta while simultaneously describing the sacral ulcer debridement I saw in the OR that day. My husband (who spends his life in people’s mouths- which I find much grosser) doesn’t appreciate my stories during dinner so much. And it would be counterproductive if you, my readers, left here nauseous rather than salivating.
So I stick to the food. And throw in tidbits here and there about what else I do. My summer semester started last week and tomorrow is my first day back in the hospital. I get to survive my first 12-hours shifts in the STICU (surgery trauma intensive care unit) and the rest of my hours will be back on L&D (labor and delivery). I won’t be delivering any babies this time around but rather shadowing a nurse clinician/manager for a leadership class. No matter. L&D is my only love so far and I’m thrilled to be back on that floor in any form (except as a patient- I’m not quite ready for that yet)!
Oh, yes, about this salad. It’s awesome. My friend Heather shared the recipe with me, which I believe she got from her mom. I could go on and on about how good it is, so just believe me. This unique vinaigrette features green onion and pretty poppy seeds. I reduced the sugar by half from the original recipe and it is still very sweet.
Heather’s Smoked Gouda, Pecan, and Cherry Salad with Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
INGREDIENTS
spring mix + spinach
pecans, whole or chopped
dried sweetened cherries
red onion, thinly sliced
smoked Gouda, grated
Green Onion Poppy Seed Vinaigrette:
1 whole green onion, ends removed
2 Tbsp. organic cane sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/6 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. poppy seeds
DIRECTIONS
1. In a blender or food processor, puree onion with sugar, mustard, salt, and red wine vinegar. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Add the poppy seeds and pulse to combine.
2. Toss spring mix and spinach and top with pecans, cherries, onion, and cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.
This creamy side dish combines two of my favorite veggies- zucchini and onions- in a cheesy gratin. It’s another Ina Garten recipe, so of course it’s splendid! She tends to douse food in butter, so I chose to lighten it up a bit by using less. It wasn’t missed. This casserole contains A LOT of onions- so if you find soft sweet onions repulsive than maybe it isn’t for you. But I love them! Dustin is somewhere in the middle and he managed just fine. I was amazed that just a few basic ingredients produced such outstanding flavor. Maybe it’s the nutmeg, or perhaps the Gruyere?!
Be sure not to overcook the zucchini in the skillet. If you let it get too soft before the dish goes into the oven then you might end up with zucchini mush. So barely tenderize them before baking. Since the dish is already cooked, it only needs a few minutes in the oven to become brown and bubbly. It serves better after settling for a few minutes on the counter.
I served it alongside a balsamic roasted turkey tenderloin. The meat was incredibly moist and yes, tender! I just wish more of the balsamic flavor had come through in the marinade. I’ll be perfecting that recipe in the future and then sharing it with you.
Sweet Onion and Zucchini Gratin
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter + 1 Tbsp. for topping
1 lb. ( 2 large) yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 lbs. zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tsp. kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk (warm in the microwave or on the stove top)
3/4 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (I used dried but fresh would have been much better)
3/4 cup Gruyere, grated
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a very large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, reducing the heat as necessary, until soft and sweet (about 20 minutes). Add zucchini and cook for several minutes until they begin to soften (and no longer or the zucchini will turn to mush in the oven). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Stir in the flour. Pour in the hot milk and cook for a few minutes until it forms a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8×10 baking dish (I managed to fit mine into an 8×8 dish).
3. In a small bowl, toss the breadcrumbs and cheese together. Sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with the remaining Tbsp. of butter cut into small bits.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and browned on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.
The first time I had a roasted carrot was last month when I made Classic Roast Chicken with Vegetables. Those were the best carrots I’ve ever eaten. And I like carrots. I eat them by the bagfuls raw. Or shredded on salads or steamed soft. But coated in fruity olive oil and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, they are sensational! This time I cooked them alone on a sheet pan and the result was similar. Exposed to the high heat of the oven they develop a crisp caramel crust, while the inside turns soft and delectable. And they develop such a rich flavor. Roasted is by far the best way to eat a carrot!
Roasted Carrots
INGREDIENTS
12 large carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley (or dill), chopped
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In a large bowl, toss carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, until golden and caramelized on the outside and soft on the inside. Toss with parsley (or dill) before serving.
I made a similar version of this last January. But I’ve improved on it since then. So here is my new republished Italian Sausage and Orzo Soup- now including Canellini beans and even more veggies! This soup contains sausage, so of course it is hearty, rich, and delicious! It’s packed full of fiber from the beans, whole grain pasta, spinach, carrots, and zucchini. Something you can definitely feel good about. (And will keep your stomach feeling full a lot longer!) I went ahead a made a whole pot-full this time and didn’t regret it. We were eating soup all week, but nobody here minded. It was just as tasty and satisfying on day 3!
1/30/09: Nothing is more comforting than curling up with a piping hot bowl of soup on a cold winter day. I blame all the rain for my recent soup obsession. Serve it with a loaf of honey whole wheat or sourdough bread and you have a well-rounded, irresistible meal! This recipe is simple and ready in just under an hour. If you are feeding a family as small as ours (2), I would definitely cut the recipe in half. I did, and we will still have enough leftovers for several lunches.
Italian Sausage, Vegetable, and Orzo Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage (or spicy Italian)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (I used fire-roasted)
32 oz. low-sodium beef broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can cannellini (Great Northern) beans
1/2 cup whole wheat orzo pasta
2 small (or 1 large) zucchini, halved and sliced
4 cups packed fresh baby spinach, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated for serving (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Brown sausage and onion in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and carrots and continue cooking for several more minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beef broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Add the beans, pasta, zucchini, and basil. Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, until the pasta is soft and the zucchini is tender.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).
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