Mexican Rice

Ingredients:
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 medium white onion, peeled, trimmed and quartered
2 cups long grain white rice
1/3 cup canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
3 medium jalapenos, ribbed, seeded and minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and move a rack to the middle position.  Process tomatoes and onions in the food processor until smooth and thoroughly pureed, about 15 seconds, scraping down the bowl if necessary.  Transfer the mixture a liquid measuring cup; you should have 2 cups (if necessary, spoon off excess or add water so that the volume equals 2 cups).   

Place the rice in a large fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Shake rice vigorously in strainer to remove all excess water.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed oven-safe Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the rice and fry, stirring frequently, until it is golden and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium; add the garlic and minced jalapenos; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, chicken broth, tomato paste and salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.  Cover the pan an transfer to the oven; bake until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes.

Stir in cilantro (if desired) and serve with lime wedges.  

Source: adapted from Dinner and Dessert, originally from Cook’s Illustrated, September 2004

Southwestern Chicken

2-3 lbs. chicken

2 cups rice

4 cups water

2 cups salsa

1/2 cup taco seasoning

1 can black beans

1 can corn

Bring 4 cups water to boil in small saucepan.  Add 2 cups rice, stir in and cover with lid.  Simmer on low for 20 minutes.  While the rice is cooking cut chicken into bite size pieces.  Cook the chicken in both the taco and salsa.  When the chicken is done, add drained beans, and drained corn to the chicken. Add the rice to all.

Source: Harvest Hills 4th Ward

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. There is no magical date to make changes in your life, and if you want to make the changes, you can put forth the effort on any day of the year. There’s no time like the present! However, if you are trying to make some healthier choices (whether because of a New Year’s resolution or not), this side dish might be a good thing to incorporate into your menu plan. It has whole grains in the form of brown rice, veggies, and beans to provide some protein. Bridget suggested using two cans of black beans, so that is what I did. I liked it this way because I love black beans, but I think if you’re wanting a rice dish, it might be a little heavy on the beans. I suppose it just depends on if you’re in a rice kind of mood or a bean kind of mood With all the beans, I think topping with a bit of salsa and shredded cheese could make this a light meal all on its own. It would also be great with some spicy grilled chicken mixed right in. I served it alongsidehoney chipotle glazed chicken, and it was an excellent pairing. Brown Rice with Black Beans Printer-Friendly Version Ingredients: 4 tsp. olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped fine 1 red bell pepper, chopped fine 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 2¼ cups water 1½ cups long-grain brown rice 1 tsp. salt 1-2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed ¾ cup corn kernels (fresh from cob, or frozen and thawed) ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ¼ tsp. ground black pepper Directions: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and tender, about 12-14 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and water to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the rice and salt, and cover. Bake until the rice is tender, 65-70 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and uncover. Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the beans and corn, and replace the lid. Let stand for 5 minutes. Mix in the cilantro and black pepper. Serve. Source: adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cook’s Illustrated

Cilantro Lime Rice

Posted in Side Dish

As much as I love the traditional Mexican rice and refried beans that are often served alongside Mexican food, sometimes it is nice to change it up a bit. Recently I made these shrimp enchiladas, an old favorite I just can’t get enough of. Instead of refried beans, I made these spicy citrus black beans, and instead of Mexican rice, I made this cilantro lime rice. This was a great variation on a theme and the citrus flavors paired well together. Another perk of this recipe in my mind is its simplicity. If a side dish is complicated, I’m not likely to make it, especially when the main dish is fairly involved (as with enchiladas). This is as simple as cooking the rice, blending up the cilantro-lime mixture, and stirring it all together. That’s the kind of side I can handle!

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
½ tsp. salt
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped

Directions:
Combine the rice, 2 cups water and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stir briefly, cover and reduce the heat to low. Let cook, covered, until the water is absorbed and rice is fluffy and tender, 16-18 minutes. (Cooking time can vary depending on the brand of rice. Check the package directions.)

While the rice is cooking, combine the cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Stir the mixture into the cooked rice and fluff with a fork.

Source: adapted by Annie's Eats from My Baking Heart, originally from Everyday Food, April 2008

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Pineapple Rice

1 cup long-grain white rice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

Lime wedges, for serving (optional)

Cook rice according to package directions. Once cooked, mix in the scallions, pineapple tidbits, and ginger. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork. Serve the kebabs with rice and lime wedges.

Source: adapted from Martha Stewart Living

Jambalaya

2 1/2 c. white rice

5 c. water

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 green pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

A lot of garlic (probably 5-6 cloves), minced

1/2 lb. high-quality smoked sausage(approximately; you can actually use a little less if you buy, say, a 14-oz. package of sausage)

1/2 lb. ham (you can also substitute leftover fauxtisserie chicken, shrimp, or other shellfish; however, you’ll also need to compensate for the smokey flavor and the salt from the ham, so be prepared with liquid smoke and salt to taste. And you’ll want it to have a distinct smokey flavor.)

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (you could use another Cajun or Creole seasoning, but this brand is widely accessible and cheap) to taste

Combine rice and water in a medium-large saucepan and cover with lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook 20 minutes or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to stand an additional five minutes.

While rice is cooking, finely chop sausage and ham (in your food processor if you have one)

and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat in a very large skillet. When butter is hot and bubbly, add onion, green onions, green pepper, celery and garlic and cook until tender. Add chopped meat and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and then add cooked rice. Now start seasoning with the Cajun seasoning. It’s hot, I won’t lie, so if you find that it’s getting spicy enough for your taste but it’s still not salty enough, leave the Cajun seasoning alone and just finish seasoning it with Kosher salt. Cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Serve and enjoy! And be sure to save some leftovers–it tastes even better the next day!