Chipotle Beans and Rice

Rice is always a great side dish that can be cooked up in so many different ways. When I came across this recipe in Elly's blog I knew that I would have to make it sometime. The rice, paired with the spicy chipotle and black beans is a great side dish and just as awesome stuffed into a burrito or enchilada.

I tripled this recipe just so I would not have half a can of black beans in my fridge and I am glad that I did. I ate this as a side to dinner one night, then added it to some grilled chicken burritos for dinner the following night. Very delicious and versatile.

Chipotle Beans and Rice
Adapted from: Elly says Opa!

Ingredients
1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup uncooked rice
2/3 cup water or broth
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper

Directions
Heat the oil in a shallow pot/saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic, chipotle, and bay leaf, sauteing an additional minute. Stir in the rice, and toast it until just a little golden. Add the water (or broth), black beans, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, and then turn the heat down to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat (but keep the lid on) and let sit for about 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Herbed Rice Pilaf

Usually when I get a new cooking magazine in the mail I read it over then toss it to the side and forget about it. But when I received my most recent issue of Cook's Country, a magazine produced by the authors of America's Test Kitchen, I found seven recipes in there that really caught my attention. This rice recipe happens to be one of them.


This is a really simple recipe that calls for basic ingredients that any well stocked pantry should have. I decided to cut the recipe in half since I would only be serving my husband and myself but that was a mistake. This rice was so good I wish that I would have made the entire recipe so I could have leftovers for today. I will be making this recipe time and time again and I encourage you to do the same. :) I even think this would be a great addition to the Thanksgiving or Christmas table. You know, there are only 98 more days until Christmas. Eeek!!

Herbed Rice Pilaf
Source: Cook's Country, Oct/Nov 2008, page 23

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
salt
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges begin to turn translucen, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf and fluff rice with fork. Stir in almonds and parsley. Season with salt. Serve. (Rice can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1 day.)

Chicken Fried Rice

I had planned on making stir-fry for dinner tonight but while searching for recipes I came across a recipe for chicken fried rice. It sounded pretty good and I had never made it before so I figured that I would just go ahead and make it for dinner. Maybe you think it wasn't a well balanced meal but hey it had protein (2 kinds in fact), a starch and veggies so my husband and I were ok with that. I am not sure how authentic the recipe is but oh well, it was great!

My husband and I both enjoyed this dish (AKA we went back for seconds) and I think I will be making fried rice more often. It took minimal prep time and cooked rather quickly. It would be the perfect solution to leftover rice they may be sitting in the fridge, actually I might make extra rice more often just so I can make this. :)


I did make a few slight modifications to this recipe but nothing to drastic or serious. I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder before cooking it. I also left out the onion and subbed low sodium soy sauce for the teriyaki sauce.

Chicken Fried Rice
Source: Bakespace, motherof2boys

Ingredients
6 ounces cooked diced chicken
2 tablespoons water
1/4 c. low sodium chicken broth or bouillon
1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
Pinch white pepper
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 1/2 cup cooked white rice
1/2 c. frozen peas

Directions
In small bowl, combine chicken, 2 tablespoon water, chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, ginger and pepper. Set aside. In large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add eggs; cook, stirring until set but moist. Remove egg to warm plate. Add remaining oil and heat. Add onion and carrot. Stir fry 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Stir in rice and peas. Cook until rice begins to brown. Add chicken mixture and egg. Cook 5 minutes longer until heated through.

One skillet wonder

Last week a fellow blogger and friend Chelle made this dish (Parmesan Chicken and Rice) and it looked wonderful. I decided that I would give it a try this week. The big bummer is that I had to leave out the mushrooms because my husband does not like them. It would have been so much better with them.

My husband really enjoyed this dish and even though I enjoyed it, I thought that it needed a bit more something. I might add some chili powder or red pepper flakes next time I make it to give it a little bit of a kick. The great thing about this meal is that it takes little to no time to cook and only dirties one pan. Less dishes is always a good thing in my kitchen. :)


Parmesan Chicken and Rice
(Source: CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 395(18% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 29.9g; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 656mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.4g

Double yum!!

I had a craving for teriyaki chicken but have been to scared to make it at home. There is only one place that I have tried and actually liked it. So I was afraid that whatever I made would be a disappointment compared to that. But to my surprise this recipe actually turned out very good. It was originally an allreipes.com recipe. But I changed a few things around so I figured I would just re-write it the way I made it.


Baked Teriyaki Chicken

(Source: Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
1) In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the cornstarch, cold water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and ground black pepper. Let simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Let sauce cool.

2) Pour cooled sauce into bottom of greased 9x13 casserole dish. Dip one side of each chicken piece into the sauce and then place piece, sauce dipped side up, into the pan. Let marinate in fridge for at least one hour.

3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

4) Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until internal temp is 165 degrees. Baste the chicken with sauce every 10 minutes during cooking.

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The baked garlic rice pilaf was awesome. I would probably add a few more cloves of garlic next time :) but it was so easy and a great recipe for anyone that is scared of making rice.

Baked Garlic Rice Pilaf

(Source: Jessica at What's cooking in the orange kitchen?)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*.

Heat butter in a skillet; add garlic and rice and cook until both are golden brown.

Add 1 cup of broth and the salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and pour into a covered casserole; bake for 25 minutes.

Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups broth; cook for another 45 minutes.

**This can be doubled without increasing the cooking time.

Delicious!!

I have been on quite the Mexican food kick lately. I have really been craving chips and salsa but I will satisfy that craving another night. Tonight it was rice and quesadillas.

What an awesome dinner this was! I will definitely be making both of these recipes again. Everything was so quick and easy to make. It was perfect for a late dinner like we had this evening.


Chicken Quesadillas
(Source: Amber's Delectable Delights )

4 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, marinated, cooked and sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded monterey-jack cheese
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

-Preheat grill pan to medium heat
-Lay one tortilla out flat and place an thin even layer cheese on one half of the tortilla. Arrange 1 sliced chicken breast on top of the cheese and then place desired amount of cheese on top of the chicken and fold in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Spray grill pan with oil and place 2 quesadillas at a time on there. Pressing down to ensure even cooking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes then spray top with oil and flip over to cook for another 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chipotle's Chicken Marinade
(Source: PoliticsChick)

1 (2 ounce) package dried ancho chiles
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, quartered
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 chicken breasts (6 ounces each)

Soak dry chilies overnight in water, until soft. Remove seeds. Add all ingredients except meat in food processor. Puree until smooth.
Spread mixture over chicken, or other meats and refrigerate at least one hour, up to 24 hours.
After marinating, heat grill to about 400 degrees F, or if cooking inside, heat small amount of oil in skillet or grill pan over high heat. Salt meat to taste (optional), and grill lightly, turning only
once, until done. 4 minutes per side of chicken.
Recipe will make four burritos



Mexican Rice II
(Source: Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

My modifications:
*Omitted onion but added onion powder
*Added some chili powder to give it a kick