Spanish Rice

My daughter is having a girlfriend over and she wants to make rice like her mama makes.  So, here is the way a Tex-Mex mama makes her Spanish Rice!Add small amount of canola or veg. oil.

Add 1 cup of long-grain rice, and lightly brown.

Add 1/4 cup diced onion and 1 minced garlic clove.

Brown rice, onion, and garlic together.

Add 1 small can Hunts tomato sauce, and 2 1/2 cans water.

Season with salt.

...And cumin

It should look like this.  Stir well.

Cover with foil and a lid.  Bring to a boil.

I put my gas stove dial inbetween Med-lo and Med.  Let simmer for 15 min.  All the water should have evaporated.  Let sit covered for at least 5 min.  Enjoy!

Coconut Cream Pie

Did someone say Coconut Cream Pie? That sounds delicious!  

THAT... it is! This is the easy version.  I don't even like coconut, but somehow I like it in this pie!  

This is best made the day before, but at least make it ahead of time to give it a few hours to set.  

Use your food processor to make the crust.  It is a fast way to make a crust.

Press the moist crumbs into a pie pan using a measuring cup!

 Soak the coconut in warm milk.

Mix the filling together.

Add  mixture to strained milk.  

Add vanilla, cover and chill.  

Brown coconut in oven.

Pipe whipped cream or Cool Whip on chilled pie filling and top with toasted coconut!

Coconut Cream Pie

For the crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1 stick butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (4 oz.), divided

2 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

3 large egg yolks

Cool Whip Lite OR...

Whipped cream- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream whipped in mixer with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Make crust:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, sugar, & salt until moist crumbs form, transfer to a tart pan or pie plate.  Press lightly with a measuring cup into bottom and up sides of pan.  Freeze until firm, 15 minutes.

Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake, until golden, 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Make filling: Spread 3/4 cup coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 5-7 minutes. Set toasted coconut aside.

In medium saucepan, heat 2 cups milk and remaining 3/4 cup coconut until milk begins to simmer. Remove from heat, cover; let stand 10 minutes. Strain through sieve, and return milk to saucepan; discard coconut.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, & remaining 1/2 cup milk until blended. Gradually whisk into saucepan. Bring to simmer over med-low heat, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken, about 3 min.  Cook, whisking, 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, add vanilla.  Cover and refrigerate until cool, 45 minutes. 

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat cream on medium until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. (Note: I use Cool Whip Lite)

To assemble the tart, sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted coconut on crust. Spoon on cooled filling, mounding slightly in center. Top with whipped cream, and garnish with remaining coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pasta Primavera

 

This is so easy to make!  I made it using whole wheat pasta!  Yes, you better believe it!  I found it at Whole Foods, but it may not be available in your store.  If you want protein, add a grilled chicken breast or sausage.

 

This is the package of pasta.  Boil the pasta and drain. 

Grill the veggies.  I just season them with salt and pepper and then toss them in a little bit of olive oil.  You might want to use a variety of vegetables.

In a saute pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and then toss the pasta in the butter.  

    

Add the veggies and then toss the pasta again.

It is soooooooo easy!

                                                      

Whole Salt-Crusted Trout

This is a quick dinner that I made if you love fish!  I used trout, but you can use any whole fish you like.  (It does take a little planning to have the few special ingredients on hand.) The fish is sooooooo moist and the vinaigrette on top is quite flavorful! I know that it seems like that combination would go together, but my family loved it!

These are all the ingredients that go inside the fish. 

Just lay the fish on a sheet pan and stuff!

After mixing the salt and egg white mixture, pat on top of fish and bake.

While the fish is baking, make the vinaigrette.

Carefully remove the hard salt shell and peel off the skin.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve with a salad!

Whole Salt-Crusted Trout

(adaped from Todd English)

For fish:

1 - 2 medium sized whole trout

1 - 3 lb. box of Kosher Salt

6 egg whites

3 cups water

1 orange, sliced

6 cloves garlic

3 star anise

1 small handful whole allspice

1 Tablespoon dried fennel

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For vinaigrette:

4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped

1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together.

Preparation:

Preheat over to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine fennel, star anise, black pepper, garlic and allspice and mix to incorporate. Lay whole fish on a sheet pan and stuff cavity of fish with spice mixture then orange slices.

In another mixing bowl, mix salt, egg whites and water.  Pack salt mixture over the top of fish, covering thickly and completely, and place in oven to bake.  Bake about 35-40 min. (factor 10 to 12 minutes per pound of fish).

Serving:

Remove fish from oven and crack the salt crust.  Gently peel back the skin of the fish and carefully, with a spoon, scoop out the meat of the fish and place onto serving plates.  Dress with vinaigrette.  

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

Omigosh!  These donuts are the perfect beginning to a Labor Day weekend!  My workout partner and I enjoyed these this morning after a fat burner workout.  With our coffee, these were the perfect celebration to the beginning of fall!
I started at 4:22 am this morning.  We usually rise early to begin our 5:30 am workouts.  I had prepped everything the night before and it was in the oven in 15 min!  Another 12 min later, the donuts were being brushed with melted butter and rolling around in cinnamon sugar!
(I got this recipe from the blog CanYouStayforDinner.com.)

Mix all the wet ingredients and the brown sugar.

Whisk together the dry ingredients, and them combine them.

I just love my new donut pans! I sprayed them with coconut oil spray.

Pop them out of the pan while they are hot and then brush them with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar!

Delish!

Oh!  I forgot to tell you the best part...no oil or butter added in the donut recipe!  Only 170 calories each!

Baked Pumpkin Donuts

(adapted from BlueEyedBakers)

For Donuts:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 cup applesauce, (I used a Mott's applesauce cup)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

For Coating:

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees F.  Spray 2 donut pans with coconut oil cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together applesauce, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until combined.  

Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix.

Carefully spoon the batter evenly around the circles of the donut rings.  Fill each nearly to the top.  Bake for 12 min. Turn donuts out onto a wire rack and allow to cool for a few minutes.

While the donuts are cooling, melt butter in one bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another. 

when donuts are still hot, use a pastry brush to spread a thin layer of butter onto each donut before rolling each into the cinnamon sugar, turning and swirling to coat.

Chicken Cacciatore

I made Sunday dinner for close friends who are moving away.  I wanted to make some comfort food that would make them feel like home.

You start by roasting the tomatoes, mushrooms, & red onion with a little vinegar & olive oil.  Season with salt & pepper.

In the meantime, season the chicken & saute in olive oil in a Dutch oven.

Remove chicken & deglaze with red wine.

Add a can of Italian tomatoes, a chicken bouillion cube and a little water.

Simmer and sit down and have a glass of wine while you wait.

Serve with cooked pasta, some french bread and a green vegetable! 
Yum-o-licious!


Chicken Cacciatore (adapted from Tyler Florence)
1 1/2 Lbs. plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (scant 4 cups)
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms (crimini)
1 lg. red onion, thinly sliced
5 T. olive oil, divided
2 T. red wine vinegar (you may use any type of vinegar)
8 pieces of chicken, skin removed & excess fat trimmed
1 1/2 T. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 c. red wine
1/3 c. thinly sliced basil
1 T. capers, rinsed & drained
1 chicken bouillion cube
12 oz. pasta, cooked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Combine plum tomatoes, mushrooms, and onion in lg. bowl. Add 3 T. olive oil and vinegar; toss to blend.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Spread vegetable mixture in single layer on a large rimed baking sheet.  Roast about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.  
Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 T. rosemary.  Heat remaining 2 T. oil in heavy Dutch oven.  Add chicken and saute until golden brown, about 6 min. per side. Transfer chicken to bowl.  Add wine to Dutch oven and boil until wine is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 1 min.  
Stir in canned tomatoes with juice, 1/2 c. water and chicken bouillion cube. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 min. to blend flavors.  Return chicken to pot with sauce and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 25 min.  
Stir in roasted vegetable, remaining rosemary, half of basil and half of capers.  Simmer over med. heat until vegetables are heated through.  Season with salt and pepper.  
Place pasta in large shallow bowl.  Top with chicken and sauce.  Sprinkle remaining basil and capers over all.