by Kimberly | Jun 11, 2012 | food, Uncategorized
My husband is a fan of the cilantro rice at chipotle. So, instead of buying expensive burrito bowls all the time (though I did give him a gc at Christmas time which he has graciously shared with me and baby)…I thought I would work at perfecting my own cilantro rice, especially now that I have cilantro growing in a pot on the back porch.
So, after 3 tries, I think we have done it. Here you go. Enjoy!
2-4 T olive oil
2 cups Jasmine rice
3 cups water
1 T orange zest
1/2 lemon zest and juice
1 lime zest and juice
cilantro handful (depending on your taste level for cilantro)
Just like you do risotto, add the rice to the olive oil and coat the rice BEFORE you add the water. Essentially you are toasting the rice, which makes a big difference in taste! Then add the water and juice and zest (and additional s/p if you care to add any). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed into the rice. Take off the burner and add in the finely chopped cilantro.
Enjoy with black beans or chicken or meat of your choice. So yummy!
by Kimberly | Jun 6, 2012 | food
Sausage, eggs, potatoes, cheese…need I say more?
1 box au gratin potato mix
1 lb sausage
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
3 cups HOT water
1/2 cup HOT water
6 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
Chop onion. Dump potatoes into a bowl and cover with HOT water before you begin cooking the sausage. (Set aside the powder cheese packet, you’ll need that later.)
Cook sausage and onions together until done. Drain. Drain potatoes. Mix potatoes, sausage mixture, green pepper, mushrooms, and seasonings. Dump into a greased 2 qt casserole dish.
in a medium bowl, add 1/2 cup HOT water with the au gratin cheese packet. Stir till completely mixed. Add in the milk and 6 eggs. Whisk. Pour all over the sausage mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350. For the last 10-15, top with cheese.
**The only thing I would do differently next time is stir my mixture better. Some of the potato slices didn’t get cooked well enough and some got crispy because they were sticking out on top. I loved the rustic nature of this dish, and oh so comforting.
by Kimberly | Jun 4, 2012 | food
Comfort food, church cookbooks, and cheese. Any complaints? None here. This recipe isn’t quite where I want it yet, but it was yummy for dinner and I got no complaints from the husband.
Sloppy Joe Casserole – feeds 6
8 ox whole wheat small shaped pasta (I used medium shells)
1 lb ground sirloin – because I don’t like fatty meat in casseroles – nor does it like me
1 sloppy joe mix packet
1 small can tomato sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 small can tomato paste
1 1/4 cup water
16 oz small curd cottage cheese
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
Start your water boiling. Saute chopped onion in a pan. Add meat and cook until done. Cook pasta once the water has begun to boil. (I’ve learned that seasoning pasta water really is important, so please for the sake of your pasta dishes, season!)
Drain meat and pasta (seperately). Put the meat back in the pan and add seasoning packet, both cans of tomato products, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Combine pasta, meat mixture, and cottage cheese to a greased casserole. Add cheese on top.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.
Enjoy with vegetables of your choice.
This recipe will satisfy simple comfort food tummies or kiddos who are picky eaters.
by Kimberly | May 17, 2012 | food, Uncategorized
The taste of summer – at breakfast!
I went strawberry picking the other week, got about 6 lbs and was exhausted. That’s what being pregnant will do for you. Well, I had some left and they were just about to be gone (meaning, they were going bad) so I wanted to use them up. So, I woke up one morning and thought I’d look up a recipe.
I tweaked one I found on the internet and came up with these. Light and fluffy, perfect with some added berries on top and some real maple syrup. This batch made 10-12 pancakes depending on how big you want them. Enough for the hubs to have some leftovers the week I’m out of town.
Enjoy the fresh summer taste!
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup skim milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 3/4 cups sliced strawberries
Mix dry ingredients, then wet ingredients and combine. Spray griddle pan and cook the pancakes (I used 1/4 cup to scoop out the batter) over medium heat until bubble form around the edge of the pancakes.
Enjoy warm with butter, syrup, or whipped cream, and if you are a strawberry freak like me – more strawberries!
by Kimberly | May 2, 2012 | food
I was inspired on Friday afternoon to make a key lime pie. I should have let it chill more, but other than that – its pretty tasty!
1 pre-made graham cracker crust
2 key lime pie yogurts (6 oz)
1/2 cup coolwhip
1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup lime curd
Topping
1 pint heavy whipping cream
3 T sugar
lime zest
Hershey’s Special Dark ice cream topping
Mix filling, pour into crust. Whip cream until desired stiffness, then add in sugar. Set it atop the filling. Zest the lime on top as a pretty garnish. Heat syrup in microwave and then swirl on top of pie for an elegant finish (and I loved the bitterness with the tang of the lime!)
For best results:
Let it chill overnight. This helps with the stiffness of the filling
Use a cold clean knife and a pie server to get out a clean slice
by Kimberly | Apr 26, 2012 | Books, food
I am so thankful for the public library – they have some great cookbooks.
Tyler Florence, as I’ve said before, is one of my favorite cooks, and this is one of his first cookbooks (if not his first). So, I can tell he’s come a long way in his writing style and use of photography, but the recipes are still stellar! This is a great beginner cookbook but one who has knowledge of cooking and money to spend. The recipes aren’t generally “cheap” but he does tell you why these ingredients are important. He also tells the beginning what to stock her kitchen and pantry with to be able to cook creatively!
I want to make these:
Cherry Poppy Seed Muffins (which I made and they were delicious)
Creamed Chicken with Mushrooms
Green Curry Chicken
All the sushi (when I’m not pregnant) – I love it how he teaches one how to make sushi and dim sum!
Chicken Cacciatore (I love Sara Foster’s – so I might see if its better)
All of his side dishes (which often make a meal.
Pick this up and cook through it. You will expand your cooking repertoire and eat good at the same time!
