Mexican Rice

Mexican rice is the perfect side to go with my many Mexican recipes. It tastes like something from a restaurant and meets my requirement of being easy to make!

















Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup rice
1 tsp chicken bouillon
2 cups water
1/2 cup corn


Directions
Saute onions and garlic in a olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add in spices. Mix in rice. Add in water and bouillon. Bring to a boil and then simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in corn. Serve.

Beef Quesadillas

I have had my quesadilla maker for years and it's one of my favorite cooking tools. Typically I make chicken enchiladas but I'm glad that I tried out beef ones. They are great!

Ingredients

4lb boneless beef chuck roast
2 tbsp taco seasoning
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped
1/2 cup water
Tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese


Directions
Place beef in crockpot. Add in all other ingredients (not tortillas and cheese yet). Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred meat and return to juices. Place meat on tortilla and top with cheese. Place second tortilla on top and place on quesadilla maker. Cook for five minutes.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

I don't eat tuna so I used chicken instead and it still tasted great. I thought that I would miss the Cream of Mushroom soup that is used in so many tuna casserole receipes but this from scratch version is even better!

















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Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
8oz egg noodles
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, finley chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
8oz mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans tuna drained (or chicken!)
3 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese



Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Butter a medium baking dish with 1 tbsp butter. Bring a large pot of lighty salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles. Cook for 8 minutes until al dente and drain. Melt 1 tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, and garlic and cook five minutes until tender. Add mushrooms. Cook another five minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed. Melt 4 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually mix in milk. Continue cooking 5 more mintues until sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in mushroom mixture, noodles, tuna/chicken, and shredded cheddar. Transfer to a baking dish. Melt remaining butter and mix with bread crumbs. Top casserole with bread crumbs. Bake 25 minutes.

Focaccia Bread

Finally I am back to blogging! The first trimester did wonders for my taste buds and the blog suffered as a consequence. Now I'm feeling better which means I'm back to cooking and blogging!

I love making bread and wanted to switch it up a bit from my typical loaf. I am amazed at how delicious this bread is AND easy! The aroma filled the house and the bread tasted just as good. It's perfect as a side to an Italian meal!

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Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp white sugar

1 tbsp active dry yeast

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

Pinch black pepper

1 tsbp vegetable oil

1 cup water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsbp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add in flour, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, pepper, and vegetable oil. When dough has pulled together, knead until smooth and elastic. Oil a large bowl, place dough in bowl, and cover once to coat. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for thirty minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Punch dough down. Place on a greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch rectangle. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cut into rectangles and serve warm.