Ezzy Chezzy Rice

by Lisa Gillespie

 

Cooked Rice

Butter

Frozen peas and carrots

Grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to tast 

We like Jasmin or Calrose rice.  Rice can be cooked in any quantity just double the water to rice.

2 cups rice to 4 cups water etc.

 

To make rice ,bring to boil in any pot the rice and water, cover with lid and remove from heat.  Water will absorb in 15 min or so.  Keep covered until time to serve.

 

Melt butter and veggies in a wok or pan, add rice and cheese, serve

 

***We like to make Arroz Con Leche with left over rice.  This is basically brown sugar and milk.

*** I also use teriyaki sauce on a lot of veggie and rice dishes.

Teriyaki sauce is just butter, ginger, garlic, soy and brown sugar with a touch of water

Chicken Poppyseed Casserole

by Linda Baugh

Boil 4 chicken breasts until fully cooked.  Pull apart in pieces and place in  Pam-sprayed 9X13 casserole.  In pan on stove place 2 cans cream of chicken soup and 1 1/2 pints sour cream.  Heat and pour over chicken.  Crush (with hands) a cellophane package of Ritz Crackers (while still in package).  Melt 3/4 cube butter and stir in crushed Ritz Crackers.  Add 2 T poppy seeds and mix together.  Sprinkle cracker mixture over chicken casserole and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it is bubbling around the edge.  Serve over rice..

Quick Enchiladas

by Melinda McMillan

1 lg or 2 sm cans of black beans or refried beans
1 8 oz pkg of a favorite kind of shredded cheese
1 pkg of your family's favorite tortillas (white, whole wheat, or corn)
1 container of salsa
1 lg can of enchilada sauce

opt: sliced or diced tomato, fresh basil, cumin, cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gather your assembly line workers & set up their stations around the table! There will be a bean spreader, cheese sprinkler, salsa applier, & tortilla roller-upper.

Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9" x 11" cake pan.  You will place filled & rolled tortillas parallel to the short end of the pan. Set out your first tortilla, spread a 2" wide layer of beans in a stripe in the middle of the tortilla from one side to the other. Pass to the next assembly line worker who will sprinkle cheese on top of the line. (Our family is very generous with our cheese application.) The salsa worker does the same and then the tortilla worker will roll the tortilla up and place it tightly on the small end of the pan. Continue spreading, sprinkling & rolling until the pan is filled. Cover the pan of filled tortillas with the enchilada sauce and top with more cheese. At this point, let everyone choose a favorite garnish & make the enchiladas beautiful. Tomato slices, sprinkled cumin, cut basil & cilantro, more salsa, etc. Cover with aluminum foil & bake for 40 minutes. The time can be almost cut in half if you warm the tortillas, beans, & enchilada sauce. Take the foil off for the last 10 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Cut into 12 squares & serve with sour cream. To continue the theme, add a side green salad topped with broken tortilla chips & a dressing of ranch with taco seasoning added to it. This entree can be prepped the beforehand & stored in the refrigerator for several days--it's a great one to take to someone because they can cook it up at their leisure. The dish can also be frozen, but its best to add the garnish just before baking.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Streusel topping, recipe follows
• 1/2 cup caramel topping

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping.

Streusel Topping:

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.

Yield: approximately 3 cups

Cafe Rio Recipes

SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours.


CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.


CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender.