So, you have burritos or tacos, and you just want a little something to go with them, right?  Or perhaps you are one who likes to have rice inside your burritos… well, here is a great rice that’s a cinch to make!

Ingredients:

• pre-cooked rice (we use leftovers) about 1-2 cups is good
• 1 can Herdez Salsa Verde (not a jar, a can)
• 1/2 sweet onion – chopped
• garlic – minced
• diced fire-roasted chilies – optional
• olive oil – for the pan

Pour some oil into a large skillet or saute pan.  Saute the garlic and onions (and chilies if using) until they just start to carmalize.

Add the cooked rice to the pan, stir a bit, and pour the salsa verde over it.  Stir again.  Cook until it’s warmed throughout.

Serve, eat and enjoy!

Told you it was easy…

This also transports very well, and it’s even better after it sits for a day or so.  Some people don’t like any spice, but for those that do, you can easily substitute a diced jalapeño or two for the can of chilies.

After looking through a myriad of sites for the perfect daal recipe, I stumbled across the following recipe over at route79.com and I assure you it is a keeper.  Better than most of the daal I have had at restaurants!  Even the kids had thirds…

Yellow Daal

• 1/2 cup split yellow daal lentils (mung beans)
• water to cover by 1″
• 1/2 large sweet onion – finely chopped
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1.5 tsp. turmeric
• 2 tsp. garam masala
• 2 tsp. coriander
• 1/5 tsp. ground cumin
• 4 cloves garlic – diced
• approx. 1 tsp. shredded ginger
• 7 oz. diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. butter

The original recipe has some approximations, but I have given you what we used.  It also called for chilis, which would have been a great addition, but the girls wouldn’t have eaten it.  It also calls for fresh coriander leaves to put on top, but I don’t have any of those around.

Wash the daal in cool water and strain off.  Put it into a pot with enough water to cover it by an inch.  Add all of the spices, onion, garlic and ginger (and chilis if using) – basically everything but the butter.

Cook it over medium-high heat, at a vigorous simmer for about 1 hour, checking it often to stir and add water as needed.  It will cook off the water quickly, so you’ll need to add more.  Our dal was softened after an hour, but yours may need more time.  Cook it this way until the dal is softened and the sauce is thick.

When it’s done, add the butter (or ghee preferably) and let it melt in.  Stir and serve!

~~ Some changes I will try next time:  add potatoes.  I really love daal with potatoes in it, but I’m not sure how traditional yellow dal is with them.  I contemplated carrots too, but I actually stayed pretty strict to the recipe this time.

This is a wonderful fragrant rice to serve alongside any dish, but especially Indian cooking.

• 1.5 cups basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 whole cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick (or ground cinnamon)

Wash the rice thoroughly.  Put it into the rice cooker with the water and spices and let it soak for 30+ minutes.  Cook it until the water has all evaporated off.

That was easy.

If you want rice pudding, however, keep some of it aside.  In a heavy-bottomed pot warm some heavy cream until it almost begins to curdle.  Add vanilla extract, the rice and some strongly brewed chai.  Boil down until it gets to the consistency you want – some like it thicker, some thinner.  I usually add some dried fruit and slivered almonds to it also.  Golden raisins are good, as are cranberries or cherries.

Ta-da – dessert is served as well!

While we were camping, I made my favorite corn on the cob… and was surprised that no one else had heard of doing it this way! Obviously, I have to share this simple & delicious way to make fabulous corn!

Corn on the cob – as many as you want to fix
Your fav. seasoning blend
~Montreal steak seasoning
~ Mrs. Dash
~Cholula Seasoning
butter
aluminum foil

Shuck the corn & clean off the silk. Lay out a sheet of foil for each cob, and spread about 1/2 Tbsp. of butter on each. Sprinkle seasoning blend on top of the butter.

Lay the cob down on the butter & spin it around once like a top to spread the butter around. Roll the foil up around the corn & cook on the grill for about 10 minutes, turning over once. Check for doneness.

Unwrap and eat! The corn is pre-buttered & pre-seasoned for you.

If you are cooking this on a campfire, know that it may take a bit longer. Just toss the corn down around the hot coals to cook. Make sure you have tongs to pull them back out again!

Quinoa is an ancient grain that is making a huge comeback! It has a nutty flavor and is full of protein! Just make sure that you rinse it 5-6 times in a bowl of water before you cook it, as it has a naturally occurring coating that repels bugs and makes it a bit bitter.

1 cup quinoa
1 cup water

1 small heirloom or roma tomato
1 small zucchini – sliced
1/3 cup broccoli florets
1/3 cup sliced cucumber
1/8 cup sliced hot Asian radish
1/4 cup diced green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs*
~ mexican oregano, chives, rosemary, basil, sage, savory…

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (white or dark)

1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
3/4 cup leftover roasted chicken – cut up

Rinse the quinoa 5-6 times, or until the water is clear. In a small pot with headroom, boil the quinoa as you would rice and allow to cool.

When the quinoa is cooled, add in the vegetables and herbs. Combine the oil, vinegar and crushed red pepper and pour over the quinoa and stir.

I generally make this the day before, so that the flavors have time to blend. If you are serving it the same day, add in the cheese and chicken, otherwise save them to add in about 30 minutes before serving. For a vegan salad, leave them out.

This is a great salad for hot weather, as the vinegar and veggies have a wonderfully cool flavor! It is great for picnics.

*to chop the herbs, roll them up like a cigar and slice across the roll.

1.5 cups rice
2 cups water
3 cardamom pods
1 whole clove
1 star anise pod
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup black currants
1/4 cup slivered almonds

olive oil
3 potatoes
3 carrots
1 radish
2 cloves garlic – crushed
1 small zucchini
1/4 cup peas

1 medium onion
1/8 tsp ground cardamom
1 clove
1 small bay leaf
fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp ground coriander seed
dash ground mustard powder

dash red chili powder
1/8 tsp salt

In a rice cooker or pot, put the rice, water, dried fruit, nuts, cardamom, anise, clove and cinnamon.  Allow to soak for 20 minutes before cooking.  Cook until water is evaporated, around 20 minutes.

Heat some oil in a skillet. Peel and dice all vegetables, and individually fry in the oil.  When they begin to caramelize, remove them from heat and set aside in a bowl.

Adding more oil if necessary, toast the spices for 1 minute.  Add the onion, and cook until the onion turns translucent.  Add the chili powder and salt to taste.  If desired, remove the clove and bay leaf at this time.

Add the vegetables back into the pan.  When the rice is finished cooking, gently add it to the pan and stir to mix – it may not take all of the rice.

Serve immediately!  This makes a great side dish, or add in some cooked chicken, pork or shrimp for a filling main dish.

This is an old family recipe that has been handed down for at least 4 generations – with little changes with each generation. I changed it to sourdough bread, but you can make it with any bread – I often mix half sourdough and half whole wheat bread.

This year Thanksgiving almost snuck up on me – I started the chicken carcass last night to make the broth. Can you make the broth using a can? Yes, but it will not have the depth of flavor that homemade will. The longer the stuffing sits before you bake it, the better the flavor it will have.

Grandma’s Stuffing

Requires a minimum of 3 days. Preferably 5 including day you are serving.

4+ loaves Sourdough Bread
4-5 stalks Celery
1 Med to large onion – white
1 can sliced Mushrooms
3 carrots – chopped
1 4 lb chicken
1½ sticks butter
100 oz broth (make your own from chicken)
2 bay leaves

Suggested Spices
Savory
Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
White Pepper
Garlic
Oregano
Italian Seasoning
Poultry Seasoning
Salt (if needed)

Day 1
Roast Chicken in oven. Strip most of meat and set aside. Cook carcass in pot on stove with herbs & seasonings overnight. Add Bay leaves.

Day 2
Check chicken on stove. If broth is forming well, remove all bones and bay leaves. Add celery. Carmelize onions and mushrooms, and add to broth. Add some of the chicken meat (dark works better). Let the broth cook for the rest of the day.

Cube and dry your bread. In a large bowl, mix bread and broth in small quantities until you get desired consistancy. Press into a 2 or 3 qt. Baking dish. Cover with aluminum foi and refrigerate for at least 1½ days.

Day 4/5
Cook stuffing in oven at 325 for 30-60 minutes, depending on moistness. Remove foil after 30 minutes.

Makes 2 3qt pans.

These delicious fries are sure to be a hit with your family and friends. Since they are baked rather than fried, they are more healthy too!

2 large sweet potatoes – orange or white
olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp. grated parmesean cheese
3 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

Peel & juliene the sweet potatoes. If you aren’t using them right away, place them in a bowl of cold water.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

In a bowl, drizzle potatoes with olive oil – enough to cover them. In a smaller bowl, combine salt, parmesean and rosemary. Sprinkle the seasonings over the potatoes and mix with your hands. Lay the potatoes out on the baking sheet with space around each of them so they will crisp up nicely.

Bake the fries in the over 5-7 minutes per side – flipping them halfway through baking. Watch them closely to make sure they don’t burn.

Remove and serve immedietly with Garlic-Chive Aioli or ketchup.

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Update!
We made these for a BBQ on Memorial Day, and I used rosemary and spicy oregano instead of parmesan, and used a mixture of sweet potatoes, yams and russet potatoes – they were fabulous!

2 packets dry Italian or Zesty Italian dressing mix
Water, Oil & Vinegar to make 1 packet of above dressing

1 box pasta – cooked (we use bow ties, shells or radiattori)

dry salami – about a 1″ long section

1/2 lb Cheddar cheese, cubed*

1/2 lb Monterey Jack cheese, cubed*

1 head broccoli, washed & divided into florets

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 cup carrots, sliced

fresh ground black pepper, to taste (or a dash of white pepper)

Make 1 packet of Italian dressing according to package directions, then pour the contents of the other packet into it & mix well. This gives the dressing a little extra punch!

Combine all ingredients in a bowl & mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Some alternate vegetables are listed below.

*If you are planning to have lots of leftovers, or not planning to eat it for a couple of days, leave the cheese on the side for people to add – it can get slimy if it sits too long in the fridge.

You can also add olives, pimentos, capers, onions, etc. Use the veggies your family prefers! We will often add more cheese, as we all really like cheese! Mozzarella works well too.

This recipe is deceptive in its simplicity, but it is the perfect side dish for meat and poultry. It is the most requested side dish in our household!

5 med. Yukon Gold potatoes (red, white or purple potatoes will work too, however russet’s do NOT!)
1 med. turnip*
1 large sweet onion (Walla Walla or Mayan sweets are good)
4 carrots (peeled), or 1+ cups baby carrots
4 cloves garlic – minced (or use the garlic paste found in the cold produce section)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Suggested Seasonings – to taste

pepper – ground

pinch of salt

oregano

thyme

¼ tsp (or less) Sage

Chop all vegetables into small (1/2 inch) chunks. Place large skillet on burner & add olive oil. Add onions and garlic & reduce for 2 minutes. Add all other vegetables, butter and seasonings (I usually sprinkle to cover once & stir) and cook until tender. Scrape the bottom of the pan often, as it will stick. You can add more butter, if needed. We like to let it stick a little & get the browned bits to mix into the rest.

Typically serves 6, depending on how much they like it!

*If you don’t have a turnip, leave it out & it tastes great. They just add a little more flavor & nutrition. Turnips are our usual addition – most people don’t even know they are there! Sweet potatoes are also a very tasty addition.