Mexican Rice

We LOVE Mexican food at our house! For quite a while now I've been trying to copy a recipe for the rice at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, and I think I finally succeeded! Even Buckaroo #1, who claims to not like eating there (yeah, right!), said it tasted awesome. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did!

Mexican Rice

1/4 cup butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced (I use a garlic press...♥ it!)

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

2 cups long grain white rice

1 Tbs cumin

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

(Diced green pepper, diced green chilies or diced jalapenos optional) 

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. 
Add garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in rice and  cook for about 3 minutes.
Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Stir then cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.
Super yummy stuff!

Here's my menu for this week... 
MONDAY - Santa Fe Chicken Salad
TUESDAY - Coconut Shrimp, Angel Hair Pasta & Mizithra, Steamed Veggies
WEDNESDAY - Leftovers
THURSDAY - Chicken & Dumplings
FRIDAY - Ham & Cheese Mini Frittatas
SATURDAY - Pigs in a Blanket, Mac & Cheese, Fresh Veggies & Dip
SUNDAY - Chicken Enchiladas Verde, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Pineapple

Have a happy week!

Menu Monday - Broccoli Salad

I'm sure getting excited for summer. It's so nice to have a more relaxed schedule everyday, the kids can play outside, hardly a cough can be heard and I get to change my menu up a bit with some cool and refreshing comfort foods. Broccoli salad is one of my favorites during the summer and luckily I've been getting broccoli in my Bountiful Basket orders lately, so I've already made it twice to get us in the mood for summer even though it's having a hard time even acting like spring around here lately. Another plus to this simple salad is that my kids love it. Even The Trail Boss, who claims to hate broccoli, will eat it. That makes it a winner in my book!

BROCCOLI SALAD

1-2 bunches broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces (I blanch them to brighten the color)

1/2 red onion, diced

1 1/2 cup cheddar-Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 lb diced bacon, cooked and drained

1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds*

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use light)

1/4 cup sugar (I've substituted Splenda before and I could taste much difference)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

Mix dressing and combine with remaining ingredients. It tastes best after it's been able to chill in the fridge for a while, but we don't always wait that long. Ü

*To toast the almonds, put them in a non stick pan and sprinkle about 1 Tbs of sugar over the top. Cook over about medium to med. high heat until the sugar starts to melt and almonds start to turn a golden brown. Move them around in the pan a bit so they don't burn.

Now for Menu Monday...I know I'm a few days late, but Buckaroo #3 hasn't felt very good for a few days and has been attached to my side (or my lap if he's having his way) and neither of us has had much sleep. But, better late than, roght?

MONDAY - Crunchy Asian Chicken Wraps, Fresh Fruit

TUESDAY - Baked Penne with Mozzarella, Green Salad, Cheesy Bread Sticks

WEDNESDAY - Leftovers

THURSDAY - Sloppy Joes, Pasta Salad, Fresh Veggies/Dip

FRIDAY - Breakfast Burritos, Fresh Fruit

SATURDAY - Homemade Corn dogs, Onion Rings, Fresh Veggies/Dip

SUNDAY - Chicken Pot Pies, Spinach Salad, Fluffy Jell-o

Hope everyone has a wonderful MOTHER'S DAY!

STEAKHOUSE POTATO SALAD

3 lb. small red potatoes (about 9), quartered 1/2 cup Water 1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing 1/4 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing 6 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled 1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese 4 Green onions, thinly sliced Make It


PLACE potatoes in 2-qt. microwaveable dish. Add water; cover with lid. Microwave on HIGH 12 to 15 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Place in large bowl.



REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until completely cooled.



MIX dressings. Add to potatoes with remaining ingredients; mix lightly.

ANGEL HAIR with BROWN BUTTER & MIZITHRA CHEESE

Around here most any kind of noodle is a pretty safe bet. Buckaroo #4 is the only one who doesn't care for them much, which I always thought was a little strange since sometimes it was all the other 3 would eat when they were that small.
One of our favorite ways to do pasta is with a SIMPLE Brown Butter and Mizithra cheese on top. ---Mizithra cheese is a traditional Greek, unpasteurized fresh cheese made with milk and whey from sheep and/or goats.--- Just in case ya were wonderin'. :)
But honestly, how can you go wrong with butter? And the sweet, creamy flavor of the Mizithra with the saltiness of the browned butter are sooo good together. I also ♥♥♥ the fact that there are only 3 ingredients. Unless you want to throw in a clove of pressed garlic, which is also delish. (Mmmm...my mouth is watering.)
Buckaroo #1 would eat it for every meal if I let him. So you definitely need to give this a try.
By the way, you can find the Mizithra in the specialty cheeses. It's not super cheap, but a little goes a long way and it stays good for quite a while. So worth it!

1 cup butter
Mizithra cheese
Angel Hair pasta (or whatever you prefer, I used thin spaghetti in this pic)


Cut 2 sticks of butter into 8 pieces and place in a 2-quart sauce pan. Place the pan of butter on a burner on medium heat. Bring butter to a slow boil (about 5 minutes).
Once the butter begins to boil, stir constantly to prevent residue from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As the butter cooks, it will start to foam and rise. Keep on stirring, otherwise the butter foam could overflow (about 5 minutes) and catch fire.
Once the butter stops foaming and rising, cook until it's sort of an amber color (about 1 to 2 minutes). It will have a yummy caramel smell.
Turn off the heat and take the pan off the burner. Let the sediment settle to the bottom of the pan for a few minutes.

Pour the brown butter through a strainer into a small bowl. Try not to disturb the residue at the bottom of the pan. 
Boil your Angel Hair until Al Dente. Drain the pasta and divide into servings. I use a small grater and put about a Tbs of cheese on each serving and then pour some of the brown butter over the top.
(A little of both goes a long way.)
Enjoy!

Cheese Toast

If something had cheese on it or in it, it's pretty much a guarantee that my family will eat it.

This toast is so yummy and easy. It's a great addition to any meal. It reminds me of the kind you get at Sizzler.

You will need:

1 loaf Texas Toast

1 cube butter, softened

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (I just use the stuff in the green can)

1/4 - 1/2 tsp garlic salt (depending on how much you like)

Mix butter, cheese and garlic salt. Spread some on each slice of toast (don't be shy). Place in cookie sheet and put under broiler until toast starts to brown and the buttery cheese is all melted. Serve warm.

I've tried using a clove of pressed garlic instead of garlic salt and it was just as good. It just depends on if you're a garlic lover or not. Hope ya like it!