and more recipes....

This picture doesn't do it justice...but I've been searching for a Spanish or Mexican rice that would rival our local Mexican restaurants. Steve will barely eat rice but LOVES Mexican rice. Soooo I tried this recipe and man alive..it's awesome. Not too sticky, not dry...just tastes like I got takeout!
  3 Tbsp veg oil 1 cup uncooked white rice
1 tsp minced garlic (one clove of garlic diced small)
1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup tomato sauce (just reg ole can sauce or your own home canned...don't use tomato spaghetti sauce!)
1 14oz can of chicken broth 3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  Heat 3 tbsp veg or canola oil in your skillet. Add 1 cup of white rice (I use GV white rice quick cook). Stir the rice around in the oil and let cook till it begins to brown slightly (I won't lie..mine didn't turn too brown but it still came out great!). Add in  garlic, kosher salt, and cumin. Stir to mix and then let cook till it turns a golden shade. Add tomato sauce and broth and turn your heat up to bring it to a boil. Stir often. Add cilantro, reduce heat and let cook about 20 to 24 mins stirring occasionally. This rice is awesome!

    Of course no Mexican meal is complete without tortilla chips and white cheese sauce ;)  We fried up our own chips (much to Kaya's amazement) and we found a cheese sauce recipe we all gave a big thumbs up.
   White Cheese Sauce1/2 lb White American cheese (you can use sliced in the cheese section or get it at the deli in a large chunk. I used the sliced and it worked fine)
1/8 cup green chilies (I used canned chopped ones)
2 to 4 slices of pickled jalapenos, diced
1/3 cup whole milk (I used 2% and added a bit of heavy cream to it..worked fine)
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 oz pickled jalapeno juice (I just tipped a bit in it and didn't measure)
    Dice up the white cheese and put in a microwave safe bowl. Add milk to it. Microwave in 30 second intervals until cheese melts. Stir together with cold water. Really get your whisk into it. Add all the other ingredients and whisk till fairly smooth. As for the chips..simply get your oil to 350 degrees (I used a candy thermometer to keep my oil right at temp). Take a tortilla and cut into desired size chips making sure to cut in triangles. I simply cut across, then the opposite way and made say 12 chips or so out of each shell. Drop into oil and let it begin to turn golden. BE QUICK. It takes mere seconds for it to cook, flip once and then put into a towel lined bowl. Salt as desired. Again..be fast or you'll get some ugly nasty chips LOL
  We decided for New Years eve this year to have these dishes and it was awesome. Not a ton of prepping and cooking and everyone loved the recipes :)

White cheese sauce

homemade tortilla chips