Spanish Rice Bake

Adapted from Allrecipes

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get into a cooking rut. I get comfortable with a few recipes and after a month or so I stop and realize I have been eating the same 3 things for weeks! Anyway, I wanted something new and easy, with not too many strange ingredients that I would have to hunt around for. This was just the ticket. Familiar flavors, hearty and with a little hot sauce it really sings.

Plus, I imagine you could add all sorts of beans and veggies to this and even make it vegetarian if you so desired.

Makes enough for 4-6 people

1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion
2-3 bell peppers
1 can (14 oz or 400g) canned tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 cup water
1 cup rice
1/2 cup chile sauce (or salsa)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C)
Brown the meat and onion in a large skillet. Drain excess fat and stir in peppers, tomatoes, water, rice, chilie sauce, salt, sugar, and spices.
Let simmer for about 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally. Check to see that the rice is cooked through, and if it is pour entire contents into a large casserole dish. (if not, wait a little longer, add water if needed and then pour it into the dish) Press down firmly and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
Bake at for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Lime Chicken Soup

Adapted from Sea Salt with Food

This soup was so light and fresh tasting. An amazing soup if you are on a diet but want something special and filling. This will be a soup I'm going to make again and again!

Serves 6

For the Broth

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

8 cups chicken broth

2 limes, juiced

salt

1/2 cup rice

For the Garnish

2-3 tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 small cucumber, diced

2 jalepeno chilies, minced

4 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 limes, cut into wedges

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add rice, chicken, salt and lime juice and reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, chop up your garnish ingredients and mix together in a bowl.

Once the broth is done, ladle it into serving bowls and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of garnish on top. Season with lime wedges and top with cilantro.

Pineapple Black Bean Salsa

In an effort to eat a little healthier, I made this salsa to bring to a world cup party with some friends. It was great, spicy and sweet from the pineapple and combined with the salty chips it was wonderful.

1 cup pineapple, chopped into chunks

1 bell pepper, chopped roughly

1/2 red onion, finely minced

1-3 jalapeño, minced (Add according to your heat preference. Removing the seeds keeps it mild)

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup corn

1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice if using canned pineapple)

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp ground chili

1/8 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

Chop and combine all ingredients in a large bowl. I find that making it a few hours in advance helps the flavors to mingle a little better. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use. Serve with tortilla chips.

7-Layer Dip

from my mom.

I love 7-layer dip! It is so tasty and easy to make. There are endless variations out there, some with ground beef or different types of beans (black, pinto or kidney) and cheeses. So feel free to add anything that could add to the mexican flavors. I'm sure you could make some healthier substitutions to make it a little lighter without sacrificing too much taste.

2 cups refried beans*

4-5 tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup cheese, grated

1 jar black or Spanish olives, sliced

3-4 stalks of green onions, thinly sliced

1 cup sour cream

1 cup guacamole or 1-2 avocados, diced
1 bunch of cilantro, minced

*I also sprinkle a little chili powder or add jalepeños on top for some spice

1 bag of tortilla chips

In a large casserole dish, lay down a thick slab of refried beans until covering the bottom evenly. Then add the sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, olives, green onions and cheese. Garnish with cilantro and sprinkle chili powder on top. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

*In Europe it is difficult to find refried beans. SO, you can make your own by heating up 2 cans red kidney beans with 1 Tbsp butter and 1/3 cup salsa, then puree.

Brazilian Black Mango Soup

from Allrecipes

When I first saw this recipe I was pretty skeptical because of all the random ingredients. Mango in a stew? Are you crazy? But I really love mango. And black beans. And sweet potatoes. So I thought I would give it a try. So glad I did. And while I loved the ham, it would be great with out it as well.

1 Tbsp oil

1/4 lb chorizo sausage

1/3 lb cooked ham, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 large bell pepper, chopped

2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 hot chili pepper, finely minced (optional, add for heat)

1 1/2 cups stock

2 (16 oz) cans black beans

1 mango

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

salt to taste

First, heat oil in a big pot. Saute onion and garlic and once softened, toss in the chorizo and ham. Then add in the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, the cans of tomatoes with juice, minced chili pepper, and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer for 5-10 more minutes. Lastly, mix in mango and cilantro, season with salt and serve.

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Adapted from Mom

Enchiladas are one of my favorite meals. It reminds me of mom and living in my childhood home, and it is great comfort food. I have changed her original recipe over the years to add more spice and heat, but it still has the same elements and tastes great.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp butter

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp dried cilantro (or 1 bunch of fresh), divided

1 can green chilies

2 cups cubed chicken

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup *

16 tortillas

1 cup cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can green enchilada sauce

1 bell pepper, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C)

Saute onion, garlic, chili and half of your cilantro in butter until clear and fragrant. Add chicken pieces, cook through. Add cream of chicken soup, can of green chilies and sour cream, stir until smooth.

Pour 1/2 the can of green enchilada sauce on the bottom of your baking dish (I ended up using one 9x13 inch casserole pan). Take one tortilla at a time, add a scoop of creamy chicken filling and roll it up inside of the tortilla. Start lining up the filled and rolled tortillas in the casserole dish and keep squeezing them in until they are packed tight and you are out of sauce. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top of the dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese, the rest of your cilantro and diced bell pepper.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with fresh salsa.

*if you need to make your own cream of chicken soup like I do in Finland, here are the ingredients:

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock

Melt butter in a sauce pan and whisk in flour. Then add salt, milk and broth slowly and heat until liquid is smooth.

Black Bean and Feta Quesadillas

adapted from What's for Lunch Honey

Quesadillas were a staple at my house growing up. They are so quick and easy to make, plus the variations are endless so you can really just make do with whatever you have on hand. I loved this unique combination of the spicy beans and creamy goat cheese.

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 can (about 1 1/2 cups) black beans

1 cup corn

1 large tomato, diced

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

12 oz goat cheese (about 300 grams) I used Feta

1 bunch of fresh cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

8-10 tortillas

guacamole

sour cream

lettuce

Heat the oil and saute garlic and onions until soft - about 5 minutes. Then add beans along with spices and stir. Then add corn and tomatoes and cook mixture for 6-8 minutes. (Add water if necessary) Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro and set aside.

In a frying pan on medium heat, place one tortilla at the bottom, add a thin layer of beans and sprinkle the top with the goat cheese, leaving about 1/2 inch from the edge clear. Then sandwich it between another tortillas. Brown each side for about 2 minutes. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve with guacamole or sour cream and a side of lettuce.

Bean Burritos

adapted from Martha Stewart

These turned out so great and had so much flavor that you didn't miss the meat at all. The best part about it is you can make extra and freeze them individually for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week.

This picture doesn't show off many beans, but they are in there!

Beans:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 medium onions

4 cloves garlic

1 jalapeño

1 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper

1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes (about 1/2 can)

3 cans beans (black or pinto)

1 bag (about 3 cups) corn

Mexican Rice:

3/4 cup rice

1 chicken (or vegetable) bullion (or 1 1/5 cup broth)

1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes (about 1/2 can)

1 cup cheese

1 head lettuce (or other leafy greens)

8 burrito sized tortillas

salsa

sour creme (optional, but recommended)

1. Cook rice using broth or drop a bullion cube in the water. Once done, mix in canned tomatoes and set aside.

2. Saute onions, garlic, jalapeño, chili powder and salt and pepper in a large pot until soft and golden. Add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 more minutes, then add beans and 1 1/2 cup water. Once boiling, turn heat down to low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes to reduce the liquid. Add corn to bean mixture and cook until heated through.

3. Grate cheese, chop lettuce and warm up tortillas according to package instructions (or make your own)

4. Assemble burritos: mound 1/4 cup rice, 1/2 cup bean mixture and sprinkle cheese on one side of the tortilla. Fold and hold in sides. Start from the filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly rolling it into a bundle. Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream, or wrap individually in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat from frozen with a microwave:

Remove from plastic wrap and put in microwave on a plate, covered in with a microwave safe bowl. Defrost on high for 3-4 minutes, uncover and microwave on high for 3-4 more minutes

To reheat from frozen using oven:

Remove burritos from plastic wrap, and cover them with foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 450 (230 C) for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake to a crisp 5-10 additional minutes.

To reheat from defrosted:

remove all coverings and bake at 450 (230 C) for 10 minutes or microwave on high for 3-4 minutes.

Kate's Tortillas

From my sister Kate

I have tried many flour tortilla recipes and none of them come out as soft and pliable as these ones. I really like how simple the ingredients are and the fact that it doesn't use butter or lard. It does take a bit of practice to make them look good, but by the time we had rolled out a few we were definitely getting the hang of it.

Makes about 8 nine inch tortillas

2 1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp oil

3/4 cup (approx) hot water

Mix together flour and salt, then blend with oil. Slowly add the hot water, a little at a time until the dough starts together. Knead dough until it becomes smooth and stretchy, but not sticky.

Cut the dough into about 8 segments and roll them out on a floured surface until very thin, almost transparent.

Heat a frying pan on high. Take the tortilla and cook it on the frying pan for only 10-15 seconds and then flip it over. Wait an additional 10-15 seconds, take the tortilla off the heat and set it aside.

White Fish Tacos

I am trying to incorporate more fish into our diet and experimenting with different ways of preparing it. These reminded me of the ones you get on the beach in California. We will definitely be making them again sometime soon!

Fish

2-3 fish filets (white fish)

1/2 Tbsp lemon pepper

1/2 Tbsp butter

Pico de Gallo

5 large tomatoes

1 cup of diced onion

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

salt (to taste)

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juice only

jalapeños or chili powder (optional, to taste)

Other Additions

1 cup black beans

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups prepared rice

1 lime, juice and zest

lettuce

tortillas

Preheat the oven to 350. Place fish in a baking dish and put a small cut of butter on each filet, then sprinkle with lemon pepper and a little salt. Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the fish is flaky.

In the meantime, start the pico de gallo. Dice and deseed the tomatoes and put them in a medium bowl with 1 cup diced onion, minced garlic, 1 lime (juice only), most of the chopped cilantro and salt (to taste). I often will add some chopped jalapeños or chili powder for a little heat as well. Set aside.

Begin cooking the rice as per directions. Add salt (to taste) and the other lime, plus the lime zest and any remaining cilantro.

Saute the remaining 1/4 cup of onions with a 1/2 Tbsp olive oil until soft, then add the black beans. Roughly chop the lettuce and put it and the rice and beans in separate serving bowls.

Once the fish is done, create your tacos by layering the ingredients. Close your eyes and pretend you are in sunny California.

Cafe Rio Pork Salad

Adapted through trial and error from Cafe Rio

Living in Finland, we are pretty hard pressed to find good Mexican food. There are some restaurants that make a stab at it, but it's just not the same. The best way to truly recreate it is to make it ourselves. The Tex-Mex style dish I crave the most is the Sweet Pork Salad from Cafe Rio in my native Utah. There for only 7 bucks you can get a huge delicious meal that will haunt your dreams.



Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork
4 lbs pork loin
1 liter Coke (not diet)
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1 can (7 oz) green chilies or 3-4 fresh chilies, minced
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1-2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground mustard
salt to taste

Marinate the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc back with 1 1/2 cup Coke and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Marinate for a few hours to over night.

Put marinade and pork in a crock pot (or in a large pot on the stove). Add the rest of the brown sugar, chilies, garlic, cumin, and mustard, plus enough Coke to cover most of the meat. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 8 hours. We usually start it late at night and it is done by the next morning. The pork should be tender and shred easily. Check on it every once in a while to make sure there is enough juice (you don't want it to get too dry).

Cafe Rio Style Cilantro-Lime Rice
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
1 tsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp + 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime, plus the grated rind
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro

In a saucepan, combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp lime, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and cook on low for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender. In the meantime combine 1 Tbsp lime juice plus the rind, sugar and cilantro. Once the rice is done, mix the two together

Cafe Rio Style Black Beans
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c tomato juice
1 /12 tsp salt
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

Pico de Gallo
6 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
2-3 fresh jalapeño, seeded and minced *optional
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch:
1 packet Traditional Hidden Valley Ranch mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk
2 tomatillos, husks removed
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalepeño

or you can use my personal favorite dressing,

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Enjoy!

Also needed:
lettuce (Romaine or other leafy green, not iceburg)
guacamole (optional)
sour cream (optional)
Parmesan cheese
large tortillas

Ok, I know this looks like a huge ordeal. But it is definitely worth the effort.
You will have to start the day before to get the meat going (although in a pinch, you could probably do it in 4-5 hours). Then prepare the rice, beans and pico de gallo as directed.

When you are ready to eat, start with the tortilla. Warm it gently on the stove, then put it on a plate and add a scoop of warmed rice and beans, and a generous helping of pork (also warmed up). Add the lettuce, pico de gallo, a small scoop of guacamole and sour cream and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Serve the dressing of your choice on the side. Eat, and repeat.

Taco Soup

from a Relief Society program

This soup is so easy and you can add or substitute many of the ingredients depending on your preferences and what you have on hand.  It's a perfect meal when you don't have much time, plus it's a great way to use food storage.  

2 garlic cloves

1 medium onion

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground beef 

1 can black beans

1 can kidney beans

1 cup corn, drained

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 14 oz  can Mexican style tomatoes

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 14 oz can tomato juice

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 packet ranch dressing mix (optional)

1-2 chili peppers (optional, if you want some heat)

corn chips

sour cream

In the bottom of your soup pot, brown the ground beef, garlic and onion.  Drain excess fat, and add tomato juice, canned tomatoes, beans, corn, seasonings and simmer on low heat for about an hour.  Serve with a side of corn tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.  

Empanadas

Adapted from Laylita's Recipes and from Argentina with Love

The dough in this recipe is great and easy to work with.  The great thing about making Empanadas is you can make any filling you want.  I ran out of beef filling, so I chopped up some apples added some cinnamon and sugar and used the rest of the dough to make little apple tarts for dessert.

  

Empanada Dough:

3 cups Flour

1 Egg Yolk

1/2 cup Butter

1 cup Milk

1/2 tsp Salt

Beef Filling:

2 lbs Ground Beef

3 medium Onions

3 Tbsp Paprika

4 tsp Cumin

Green Olives, cut into slices (I used 1/3 of a jar)

3 hard-boiled Eggs, cut into rounds

Salt and Pepper to taste

1-2 Chili Peppers, minced (optional)

1 egg white, whipped

Mix flour and salt, add butter and blend well.  Add egg yolk and the milk in small amounts (set aside egg white).  Knead for a few minutes until dough is evenly combined.  Cut dough into two, roll into balls and flatten.  Chill for about 30 minutes.  

While the dough is in the fridge, begin making the filling.  In a large frying pan cook beef, onions and garlic until browned.  Then add paprika, olives, salt and pepper and chilies.  Let this meat mixture cool.  

Preheat the oven to 400.  Roll out the dough on a floured surface and flatten with a rolling pin to 1/8 of an inch.  Cut into largish rounds using a cup or small bowl.  Spoon some meat filling into the middle of the round and add a piece of hard-boiled egg on top.  Fold the dough in half to create a half-moon shape, pinch the edges shut.  To see a great video on how this is done, click here.   

Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the reserved egg white, it makes them really pretty and brown as they bake.  Put into the fridge for 30 minutes, then bake for about 10-15 minutes on a prepared cookie sheet.  

These are best served with a sauce or salsa of some kind.   I sauteed some garlic, onions and tomatoes and added a bit of cream to eat with ours.  Here is another recipe:

Chimichurri sauce:

1 1/2 cup fresh Parsley

6 Basil leaves

3 sprigs of Oregano

4 cloves of crushed Garlic

3 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar 

6 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp Chili Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender, until the sauce is smooth.  Use the same day-- does not keep well.  

Brazilian Fish Stew

adapted from Elise Bauer's Simply Recipes

Fish is easily found in Finland, and in experimenting with different methods of cooking it I stumbled upon this recipe.  While not a Scandinavian recipe, it was easy to find the ingredients and DIVINE.     

Marinade:

The cloves from 1/2 a head of garlic, peeled, crushed, minced

2 Tbsp fresh Lime Juice

3/4 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Paprika

2 1/2 tsp dry Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper

1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Stew:

1-2 lbs of White Fish, or Salmon, cut into large bite-sized peices

Olive Oil

2 medium Onions, sliced

2 Bell Peppers, sliced

2 Tomatoes, sliced

1-2 Chili Peppers, diced (optional)

1 14 oz can of coconut milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Bunch of fresh Cilantro, chopped (1-2 cups)

Fresh cooked rice, for serving

Mix together marinade ingredients, and let salmon marinate for at least two hours.  The longer, the better!  In a large pot, (dutch oven or deep skillet) coat the bottom with olive oil.  Then add a layer of onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  Place the fish pieces along with the leftover marinade atop pile, and begin layering again: onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and add diced chili peppers.  Add about half of your fresh cilantro on top, and pour on coconut milk and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil.  

Bring to a boil reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 30-45 minutes (until the vegetables are cooked through).  Serve atop rice and garnish with cilantro.