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Sunday, March 23, 2014

Southwest Rice and Bean Salad


 Let me tell you, this stuff is AMAZING! My sister in law made it for me when I had Jonah. I was eating it and thought I must have had five days of hospital food because this stuff is unreal. But I have made it again and again and it just really is that good. Anyone I make it for raves and chows it down. As one of the missionaries said the other day, "I thought I thought I was going to  hate that but it was like the best thing I've ever had". Have I convinced you yet, let me finish by saying it comes together really fast and easy, make great for left over and did I mention it is delish! 

:side note, it is called salad, yet its a warm dish, you figure that one out:

Ingredients
    Salad:
  • 5 cups cooked rice, warm or at room temperature (white, brown, wild rice or a combination!)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
  • 1 (12-oz.) can corn, drained
  • 4 green onions, chopped
  • Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 4 pickled jalepeno pepper rounds (found in the glass jars next to the olives, usually)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
Directions
  1. Combine all of the salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
  2. Combine dressing ingredients in blender until peppers are finely minced. Toss with salad. Serve warm or at room temperature.
    Now this is the strange ingredient of the batch. But don't be afraid and skip it. They are not hot and adds a great flavor. And trust me, once you make this, you will have not problem using up the whole jar. Fun fact: this company is a client of Jons-true story.

    I think all my current favorite recipes include this beauty.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Pasta Al Forno

As mentioned this is a great go-to dish when making meals for someone. I often double it, or just freeze half so I have a meal for another day...Marianne made this for me after I had Raleigh, she was given the recipe by Natalie Paul. This is my version, I believe Natalie makes her own marinara so the original is a bit different.

PASTA AL FORNO


1 jar of your fav. marinara (I use Newman's Own Marinara)
1 box penne pasta
1/2 lb ground beef
fresh mozzarella

White sauce:
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 1/4 c milk
pinch nutmeg
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)

Start water boiling for penne, then make white sauce in separate pan: Melt butter. Then add milk, and flour. Whisk constantly until boiling. Once boiling turn temp. down to simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally. Let cool 10 min.

Cook penne and drain. Brown meat and drain, then mix in marinara sauce w/ meat.

In a 9X13 casserole dish layer penne, white sauce, a couple handfuls mozzarella, then marinara/meat and mix all together. Top with mozzarella (I always put a little shredded parmesan on top too!) and cook uncovered 25 min @ 350 or until a bit crispy on top and heated all the way through.