Freezer friendly!

   So last week I promised you an explanation of why my life is crazy busy recently. Well, here it is: we have no kitchen due to the renovation! Actually we have no kitchen (because we are getting a new one), no family room (because contractors are using it as their storage) and no dining room (because we store our kitchen and family room in it). No kitchen and a toddler - deadly combination, but I keep telling myself it's all going to be worth it at the end when I get my dream kitchen. So since our new sink is in the family room and the stove is in the dining room, there is no cooking happening for the next couple of weeks, but it is not a problem because we still have a big freezer! I was prepping for this renovation for a while, so I made bunch of freezer friendly dishes, portioned them into lunch/dinner sizes and I'm ready!
   First dish out of the freezer - cashew chicken with broccoli and raisins. It may not be the most photogenic dish, but it just came out of the freezer, so let's give it a break!

Ingredients:

* 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces 
* 12oz frozen chopped broccoli
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 8oz cashews
* 1 15oz can of crushed tomatoes
* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* salt and pepper 

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and brown chicken thighs for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add onions and raisins, season with a little bit of salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and cook for 15 minutes.

3. In a food processor, combine cashews and crushed tomatoes and blend until it forms a smooth paste.

4. Add to the chicken and cook for additional 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time.

5. If the chicken is tender, add frozen broccoli, adjust seasoning to your liking and cook for additional 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

   Delicious! Tender chicken, sweet raisins and creamy cashew sauce. You can freeze it by itself, you can freeze it together with the rice, or you can just not freeze it at all!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Hiding veggies!

   If you are thinking that this post will be about hiding veggies so your kid will eat them, you are wrong! My son loves his veggies, especially broccoli, asparagus and cauliflower - no need to hide anything. But I do have to hide them if I want my husband to eat them! Yes, that's right, I trick a thirty something year old man to eat veggies! He usually knows that they are hidden somewhere in the dish, but because I make it impossible to pick them out or leave out on the plate... all the veggies end up being eaten! Hey, there could be worse things I could be tricking my husband to do, so I absolutely don't feel guilty about this one!
This time I hid broccoli and bunch of herbs in the sauce that covered Justin's beloved chicken, served it over his favorite Basmati rice (to give him some incentive to eat it) and ... he loved it! Winning!

Ingredients:

* 2 large chicken breast, cubed
* 1 large onion
* 0.5 bunch of cilantro, large stems removed
* 1 small bunch of fresh dill, large stems removed
* 2 cups of broccoli florets 
* 1 garlic clove
* 1 lime, juice
* 2 tbsp butter
* salt and pepper

* Basmati  rice, cooked

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt butter and sear chicken breast until lightly browned.
2. In the meantime, in the food processor, combine broccoli, onion, garlic, cilantro and dill. Run the processor adding a little bit of water (2-3 tbsp) until the sauce is smooth.
3. Add the sauce to the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add lime juice to your liking. Serve over Basmati rice.

   What a vibrant color and an amazing aroma!
   Depending on the amount of water you add, the sauce might be more or less thick, but if you don't like the consistency, either add some more water or cook it for longer to reduce it. If you go overboard with water, add a little bit of cornstarch  and it will nicely thicken it(I know, it's cheating, but sometimes it's unavoidable!).

Enjoy,
Magda

Recipe swap.

   This is a dish that I made long time ago (before the vegetarian approach) and I never had a chance to post it. It's so simple and delicious that I think everybody who eats meat should try it at least once... I promise you won't be disappointed! Me and my friend Shannon always share and swap recipes and ideas for some great family meals. Recently she bought a "Flat Belly Cookbook" and she tried out few of their recipes and liked them a lot. One of them, an Indian chicken with a cilantro and cashew sauce, sounded like something I would love, so I decided to try it as well. Quick, easy, healthy and delicious. Only a few ingredients, but lots of flavor, I'm sure you will like it. The recipe serves 4:

Ingredients:

*  1 lb chicken breast, cut into long thin strips
*  1 cup cilantro (packed)
*  1/2 cup cashew nuts
*  1 cup chicken broth
*  salt and pepper
*  juice of 1 lime

*  rice

Directions:

1. Place cilantro, cashews and chicken broth into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer into a skillet and start cooking. When the sauce is boiling, add chicken and cook for 10-15 minutes until chicken is completely cooked. If the sauce is too thick add more chicken broth or water.
3. Season with salt and pepper, add lime juice and serve with rice.

   Smooth, creamy, light sauce paired with lean chicken is a great combination. You can also add red pepper flakes if you like some heat, but since I'm not a heat fanatic I decided to skip them all together. I think it might be one of my favorite quick chicken dishes... Justin loved it too.

Enjoy,
Magda.

No skimpy shirmp!

   What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Chinese food? Shrimp fried rice - that's my choice! So simple, but so delicious! I love to make my own at home because I can pack it with whatever ingredients I want and with as much ingredients as I want (no skimpy restaurant shrimp portions). I load mine with lots of veggies (especially snow peas - love, love, love), scallions, and pile it with a mountain of freshly cooked shrimp. I know your mouth is watering right about now... I know mine is! Here it is (serves 4):

Ingredients:

*  1 lb raw shrimp
*  2 cups brown rice
*  1 cup snow peas
*  1 cup froze carrot/peas mixture
*  1 red bell pepper, chopped
*  6 scallions, chopped
*  2 eggs
*  2 tbsp butter
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  salt

Sauce:
*  1/4 cup soy sauce
*  1 tbsp hoisin sauce
*  1 tbsp agave nectar
*  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice in salted water for 30 minutes, drain and set aside.
2. In a deep skillet melt butter, add shrimp season with garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes until pink and cooked. Remove the shrimp from a skillet and set aside.
3. Into the same skillet add olive oil and when it's hot add bell peppers, snow peas, carrots/peas, and scallions. Saute for 4-5 minutes on high heat. Add prepared sauce and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
4. Add eggs and cook for 2 minutes constantly mixing.
5. Add cooked rice and shrimp and mix everything to combine.

   Oh that juicy, juicy shrimp! Crispy veggies, juicy shrimp, super flavorful sauce... how can you not like it? You add what you like, as much as you like, and no need to pay for a second helping... perfect (homemade) takeout!

Enjoy,
Magda

Baked and beautiful!

   Another dish which proves that you don't need meat and that you won't even notice it's not there. The secret is simple... you need to make the dish delicious, satisfying and loaded with proteins. I took two of the most common vegetarian ingredients: brown rice and black beans, and transformed them into this rich and flavorful Mexican-style rice casserole. Lots of beans, lots of cheese, and lots of cilantro... and I have to admit, it's pretty good! Recipe serves 8:

Ingredients:

*  4 cups brown rice
*  1 tsp ground cumin
*  1 tsp five spice
*  1 tsp salt
*  2 15oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
*  1 15oz can tomato sauce
*  2 cups frozen corn, thawed
*  1 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
*  2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
*  4 eggs
*  1 cup milk
*  2 McCormick packets of Original Taco Seasoning
*  1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. In a large pot boil rice with salt, cumin and five spice. Cook for 30 minutes, drain and set aside to cool down.
2. In a large bowl whisk eggs with milk, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Add corn, drained beans, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, and cilantro.
3. Add cooled rice, mix everything to combine and transfer into a deep baking dish.
4. Top with remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and panko bread crumbs. Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes. Let is stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

   Smells awesome! Cheese and bread crumbs on the top create a nice gooey crust (yes, crust can be gooey!), cilantro and taco seasoning give it this distinguish flavor that just makes you want to eat more and more. If you want to convince your carnivore partner to eat some vegetarian dishes... this is the way to go!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Burrito Madness!

   Today's dish really proves that you can be a vegetarian and still enjoy hearty and delicious Mexican-inspired, loaded with flavor burritos. If you think I am biased because I made it, you should have seen (and heard) Justin during the dinner. Lots of "hmm, om nom nom, yummy" must be the best possible complement of all. Not only delicious, but also super good for you. I found these wheat tortillas that have 26g of fiber per serving, that's like 104% of your recommended daily intake - you can't go wrong with that! As always, I made more than needed for one dinner (it actually makes 8 of them), so we packed all the components separately to make a "fresh" burrito every night.

Ingredients:

*  8 whole wheat tortillas

*  2 cups brown rice
*  1 lime (zest and juice)
*  1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

*  1 15oz can fire roasted tomatoes
*  2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
*  1/2 red onion
*  1 tbsp red wine vinegar

*  1 15oz can black beans, washed and drained
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 tsp ground cumin
*  pinch of cinnamon
*  1 tbsp olive oil

*  1 cup shredded lettuce
*  1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 
*  salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook rice in salted water for 35 minutes (or until soft).
2. Drain the rice and mix with finely chopped cilantro, lime zest and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.
3. In a sauce pen heat the olive oil and saute chopped white onions for 5-6 minutes. Add drained black beans, cumin, pinch of cinnamon, salt, and pepper and cook everything for 2-3 minutes until beans are warm. Set aside.
4. In a bowl combine drained fire roasted tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, red onion, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.
5. To assessable burritos, lay down the tortilla on flat surface, place a little bit of lettuce, rice, beans, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese along one side of tortillas. Fold over the ends and roll burrito up.

   I'm telling you they are awesome! If you want, you can serve them with a little side of Greek yogurt or sour cream and with some hot sauce if you like to live on the edge!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Different rice cakes!

   I am so proud of this recipe. I have no idea how I came up with it. I wasn't really inspired by anything, I never saw or heard about it, I just thought that these things would work well together. I was trying to plan a cheap and healthy dish that would be completely different from what I usually cook and that's how I came up with these rice and sauerkraut cakes. Man, are they delicious or what? The recipe makes 12 nice-size cakes.

Ingredients:

*  2 1/2 cups brown rice
*  2 cups sauerkraut
*  10 scallions, chopped
*  1/3 cup chia seeds (optional)
*  2 eggs
*  panko bread crumbs
*  3 bay leaves
*  4 juniper berries
*  salt and pepper

* vegetable oil for cooking

Directions:

1. Cook rice in salted water with bay leaves and juniper berries until the rice is al dente (about 35-40 minutes). Drain, remove bay leaves and berries and set aside.
2. Drain all excess juice from sauerkraut and finely chop it.
3. Add 2/3 cup of water to chia seeds and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. I added chia seeds to add more nutrients to the dish, but you can skip it.
4. Combine rice, sauerkraut, scallions, chia seeds, eggs, and 2 tbsp of panko bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, and mix utill everything is combined.
5. Form big patties, roll them gently in panko bread crumbs and place on a large plate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. In a skillet heat couple of tablespoons of oil to high temperature and fry the cakes for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

   Super crunchy on the outside and soft and flavorful on the inside. I'm telling you, this stuff is delicious. I served them with some chunky mushroom sauce and a side salad.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Oppan Indian Style!

   Well, it should be Casserole Indian Style, but since "Gangnam style" is so popular recently, I couldn't resist. Can you believe that I actually learned the dance they are doing in a video? I know, I know... I surprised myself as well... but it's actually a lot of fun and a great workout, so what the heck! But, lets go back to food! I kind of feel guilty calling this dish "Indian" because, not only there is beef in it, but also none of my Indian friends ever heard of it. I can't really blame them since I made this whole dish up, used lots of lentils and Indian spices...and called it a Casserole Indian Style! Sorry guys, I know I'm bad... but to me it tastes so Indian, I have to call it that! Here is the recipe:

Rice layer:

*  2 cups red lentils
*  2 cups white rice
*  1 medium tomato, chopped
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  2 garlic clove, minced
*  1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
*  2 tsp turmeric
*  1 tsp curry powder
*  salt
*  1 tsp chili powder 

Meat layer:

*  2 lbs lean ground beef
*  1 cup mixed frozen vegetables
*  1 tbsp curry powder
*  1 tbsp Garam Masala
*  1 tbsp coriander powder
*  1 tbsp ground cumin
*  salt and pepper

*  1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. In a pot combine 2 cups of red lentils, chopped onion, minced garlic, tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt, pepper and 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until lentils are cooked. You can adjust the amount of water, to get a thick and dense mixture without burning it.
2. Cook 2 cups of rice, mix it with lentils, add fresh cilantro and set aside.
3. In a non stick skillet, brown the beef, add vegetables and all the spices and cook for 5-6 minutes.
4. To assemble the casserole, grease  a large baking dish, spread half of the rice/lentil mixture on the bottom, top it with the meat layer, and cover with remaining rice and lentils. Top the casserole with a mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 350F.
5. Let the casserole cool and firm up for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it.

   Wow, the recipe makes a huge batch of casserole! We might be eating it for a while, but it's actually really good so I'm not complaining.  It has some kick from the spices and chili powder, just a perfect amount to keep it "interesting", but not too hot! 

Enjoy,

Magda

Mexican note!

   We love Mexican food! There is something special about the spice blend and flavors of this cuisine that just makes it super addictive. Mexican restaurants are, next to Chinese take-outs, one of our favorite "go-to" places when we are craving something "bad". I mean what's not to like, great prices, great flavors and big portions! Oh and lets not forget about a bucket (or two) of tortilla chips and salsa! And those chips are exactly the reason why we try to avoid going out there too often, they just awake the animal instincts in us! So to avoid chips chow down, I make my own version of "Mexican" enchiladas... at least nobody sees how many of them we can eat :)). Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

*  20 corn tortillas
*  1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
*  2 cups cooked rice
*  1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
*  1 cup fresh chopped cilantro
*  2 10oz cans enchilada sauce
*  1 package McCormick enchilada spice
*  1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine chicken, rice, black beans, cilantro and enchilada spice.
2. Cover the bottom of a baking dish with 1 can of enchilada sauce.
3. Warm corn tortillas in a microwave so they wont crack.
4. Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
5. Pack all enchiladas tightly next to each other, cover with the remaining sauce, sprinkle with cheese and bake in 350F for 20 minutes.

   Such an easy, fast and delicious dish. If you like your food spicy you can add some hot sauce and serve it with some sour cream... perfect combination!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Vietnamese memories.

   We all have our favorite restaurants. They don't have to be super fancy or to be the best restaurants in town, but they are special to us for one or another reason. There was (maybe still is) this "Vietnamese" place in Krakow, where me and my sister Dorota used to go all the time. We would order this chicken dish (I don't even remember the name of it), which was absolutely the best (and the cheapest) dish ever. Every time we would want comfort food, we knew where to go. I almost forgot about it, but then my sister found a "Vietnamese chicken" recipe on one of the cooking blogs and she said I have to try it! Oh, she was right, this dish is definitely a must to try. Sweet, salty, spicy and very, very similar to the dish from our favorite restaurant. Check out the recipe (serves 4):

Ingredients:

*  2 chicken breast, cubed
*  1 large onion, thinly sliced
*  1/4 cup soy sauce
*  1 tbsp olive oil
*  2 tbsp sugar

Spice blend:

*  1 tsp garlic powder
*  1 tbsp sweet paprika powder
*  1 tbsp smoked, spicy paprika powder
*  1 tbsp curry powder
*  pinch of salt 

Direction:

1. In a bowl combine all the spices (garlic powder, paprika, curry and salt). Toss the cubed chicken breast and coat all the pieces piece.
2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil, add sugar and cook for 1-2 minutes to create the caramel. Add spiced chicken and cook everything together for 6-7 minutes making sure that all the pieces of chicken are coated with caramel (you can add some water in necessary).
3. Add thinly sliced onions and soy sauce and cook for 3-4 more minutes. 
4. Serve it with white or brown rice.

   Sweet, spicy, and a little bit exotic. The caramel and soy sauce gives it a nice and rich brown color. Smoky paprika and curry give it a kick and an exotic flavor. It definitely brings back the memories of our favorite comfort restaurant. 

Enjoy,
Magda

Puerto Rican note!

   I cannot even express how much I love Puerto Rican dishes made by Justin's Grandma. All grandmas' cooking is so special, they cook with only a few ingredients, toss everything together and what you get is just amazing. So simple, so flavorful, so authentic... and you cannot get the same dishes anywhere else but their kitchen! Forget fancy restaurants and famous chefs, there is absolutely nothing better than grandma's dinner. Here is another one of Abuela's Puerto Rican dishes, cracked and decoded by my sister-in-law, Rachel. It's fancy called Habichuelas con Arroz Blanco (at least I think so), but it's simply rice and beans... well, amazing rice and beans I should say! Recipe makes 4-6 servings:

Ingredients:
*  1 29oz. can of kidney beans
*  1 8oz. can tomato sauce
*  1 packet of sazon
*  2 Tbsp sofrito
*  7-10 green olives
*  1-2 tsp capers
*  2 potatoes, cubed
*  2 tbsp olive oil

*  3-4 cups of cooked rice

Directions:
1. In a deep pot, heat the olive oil, add sofrito and cook for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the tomato sauce, sazon, olives, and capers. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the beans along with all their juices, potatoes, 1/2 water and stir everything together.
4. Once boiling, cover, turn the heat down and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
5. Serve over rice.

   Man, I love Puerto Rican cooking!!! Such different flavors than the ones I grew up with. Lots of beans, capers and olives, that's my kind of food. It's salty and tangy from the capers and olives, the big chunks of potatoes give it some "hardiness", and the sauce-covered rice is just a perfect combination.

Enjoy,
Magda.

Homemade takeout!

  A long weekend is here! I love Fridays for many reasons, but mostly because it's our comfort food day! We eat yummy comforting dinner, and we eat a lot of it. All bets are off, all diets forgotten and there is no guilt! Fridays in our household are famous for Chinese takeouts full of egg rolls, wontons and shrimp, but this time we decided to make our own takeout dish, featuring one of my favorite nuts. I made cashew chicken with celery and pineapple. Here is the recipe that was supposed to make 4 servings, but... well Friday servings somehow are much bigger and we ended up with only two!

*  2 cups cooked rice
*  1 chicken breast, cubed
*  3 celery stalks, chopped
*  1 small can pineapple chunks
*  1 large onion, chopped
*  1 garlic clove, minced
*  3/4 cup cashews
*  1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce:
*  1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
*  pineapple juice (from small can)
*  1/2 cup red wine
*  1/4 cup honey
*  2 tbsp red wine vinegar
*  1 tsp corn starch
*  pinch of salt

1. Whisk all the ingredients of the sauce together, set aside.
2. In a skillet, heat the olive oil, add onions and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add chicken,celery,pineapple chunks and cashews, and cook everything for 5-6 minutes.
4. Add sauce, reduce the heat and simmer everything for few minutes until chicken is completely cooked and sauce thickened.
5. Serve over a bowl of rice.

   I think I cheated a little bit and took majority of the cashews. What can I say, those are my favorite nuts and they make dish super yummy. Pineapple is a little tangy, honey is super sweet, and the wine is so aromatic! I just couldn't resist seconds...and thirds...and ... yeah, definitely comfort Friday!

Enjoy,
Magda.

Not as tough as they say...

   One of the many advantages of me writing this cooking blog (besides all my wonderful fans!) is that I take risks, I keep challenging myself and I always try new recipes. I heard so many opinions about how tricky and difficult the perfect risotto is, and I took it as a challenge onto myself to perfect it! In every cooking competition I've watched they always are super surprised that somebody chose to make a risotto, because it's just the easiest way for a ticket home. I just couldn't take it any more and I decided I am going to conquer this "monster" and prove to myself that it's not rocket science! I was debating between mushroom and asparagus and my choice was an asparagus and lime risotto. Here is the recipe (makes about 6-8 portions):
 
*  3 cups Arborio rice (short grain)
*  7 cups vegetables or chicken stock
*  2 cups  dry white wine
*  2 cups asparagus
*  1 large onion (chopped)
*  1/3 cup Parmessan
*  1 lime
*  2 tbsp olive oil
*  2 tbsp butter
*  salt
*  2 tbsp chopped parsley

1. Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces, put into boiling water for 3 minutes, and transfer into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the water and set aside.
2. In a meantime heat the broth and simmer it to keep it warm.
3. In a large heavy skillet heat the olive oil and saute the onions for 3-4 minutes. Add the rice and cook until lightly roasted for about 3-4 minutes. Add white wine and and cook until completely absorbed.
4. Stir in 1 cup simmering broth. Cook until broth is almost completely absorbed, stirring frequently, then add another cup of simmering broth. Repeat until the rice is slightly firm in center and looks creamy.
5. Add butter, salt, lime zest, lime juice,  and parsley and cook for 2 more minutes stirring constantly. 
6. Add Parmesan and asparagus, mix everything together and serve it!

   I promise you it's super easy! I don't know why people are so scared to make it and keep scaring others! I love the addition of  a lime zest and juice, it makes the dish refreshing and light. Wine is an obvious plus! You have to try it, it's delicious!


Good luck.
Magda.

Sushi Sous Chef!

   Let me tell you a story about my husband, or actually a story about how awesome my mother-in-law is. Once upon a time, when my husband was a young and wild bachelor, his mom told him that he has to learn how to make at least one "real" dish, so he can cook it for his future wife (God bless her heart for that!). She took him to the Sur La Table (a kitchen store) and told him that she is not leaving until he chooses all necessary items to make something from the scratch. How lucky am I that he chose a sushi kit? She got him books, a bamboo rolling mat, spoons, sushi molds... you name it, he got it! And from that moment sushi became his signature dish. First time he made it for me (a couple of weeks after we met) I was so impressed that I was ready to marry him there and then (but don't tell him that!). So every time we have home made sushi, I take my executive chef hat off, hand it to Justin, and become a sous chef for the night! You can put any combination of fish and veggies inside of the rolls, but this is what we did this time:

*  2 cups sushi rice
*  3-4 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
*  pinch of salt
*  10 sheets seaweed
*  smoked salmon
*  cucumber
*  avocado
*  fat-free cream cheese
*  crab legs

For serving:
*  soy sauce
*  wasabi paste
*  pickled ginger

1. Using a rice cooker, cook the rice according to the instructions. Pour rice vinegar over cooked rice, mix together, and let it cool.
2. Place one sheet of seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat, cover the seaweed with prepared sushi rice (don't stuff too much on) and leave an inch of the seaweed bare at the top.
3. Cut fish and veggies into long, thin pieces and place ingredients length-ways in the center of the rice (use any combination you like, make it your own creation)
4. Using the mat, roll the rice around the filling and press lightly to seal. Cut into small pieces and serve with wasabi, ginger, soy sauce, and some beer!

   We love sushi and we could probably eat it all the time. It's not easy, it's not quick either, but it's so worth it. Unfortunately, I can't take any credit for it! All I did is cut the ingredients and took the pictures, everything else was done by my top chef  husband!

Good luck.
Magda

Which side do you prefer?

   I'm not talking about your right of left side (hopefully you like both of them equally)... I'm talking about starch or veggies! Some people mostly focus on the main dish (usually meat) when planning a dinner party but for me the side dishes are equally as important. I always serve two of them, one being a starch and the other one a salad (again one of those Polish habits) and I try to keep them different and original each time. This time I decided to change the old and boring rice into a healthy, fun, fresh, and flavorful dish, full of fiber and vitamins. It might not be the most inventive and sophisticated dish but it definitely is super delicious. Here is what you need:

*  2 cups basmati rice
*  1 cup wild rice
*  1 cup fresh green peas
*  1/4 red onion (finely chopped)
*  1/2 tsp powdered ginger
*  1 tbsp soy sauce
*  1/2 stick of butter (melted)
*  1 tbsp lemon juice
*  salt and pepper

   Cook the basmati and wild rice separately in salted water with ginger. I usually boil my rice in an excess of water and when it's soft, but still a little bit al dente, I drain it in a strainer. Mix the cooked rice together, add fresh peas, chopped onions, melted butter, lemon juice, and season with soy sauce, pepper, and salt as desired.

   It's delicious! Ginger and lemon juice give it a fresh and exotic flavor, peas gives it sweetness, and red onion gives it a crunch. Justin is not a starch eater but he loved this one so much that he even had seconds!

Enjoy.
Magda

Abuela's secrets!

   I'm sure everybody has at least one favorite dish that can only be made by your Grandma and nobody can repeat it and make it taste exactly like hers. Reason # 4582 why I love to be married to Justin is that I gain a Puerto Rican Grandma (Julia) who is an amazing cook and makes the best "Arroz Con Pollo" in the entire world! There is no way anybody can ever make it taste the same as hers, but we can definitely keep trying. My sister-in-law, Rachel, was trying to get Abuela's recipe for years and all she got was: it's so easy, you add a little bit of that and a little bit of that, and when it feel like that you add a little bit of that! Yeah right, good luck with that! So she took matters in her own hands, watched Abuela making it all the time, writing down the "observations", and trying it out over and over again until she got it pretty close! And guess what, she was super nice to share the recipe with me, so now I'm sharing it with you! The list of ingredients is:

*  chicken (I use 4 drumsticks and 2 tights)
*  Adobo seasoning
*  2 cups long grain rice
*  1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
*  1/4 cup manzanilla olives (stuffed with pimientos)
*  1 tsp. capers
*  1/2 cup Sofrito (I got the red one)
*  2 cloves garlic
*  1 envelope onion soup
*  1 envelope Sazon seasoning
*  1/3 cup oil
*  3 cups water (you may need to adjust it depending on how you like your rice)

   OK, don't be afraid of all those "exotic" names, you can find all of this in the International/Latin section of any supermarket (GOYA makes all of them). Here is what you do: sprinkle the chicken with an Adobo seasoning and keep in the fridge for a couple of hours. Heat the oil in a pan, brown the chicken on both sides, and remove from the pot. Into the same pot add sofrito, tomato sauce, olives, capers, and garlic and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until the flavors "marry" together. Add the onion soup, sazon, and rice and cook everything for 5 more minutes, stirring it often so it won't stick to the bottom of the pot, and then add water and cook on low heat until half of the water evaporates. Return the browned chicken to the pot, "bury" it in the rice, cover with the lid and simmer for about 30-40 minutes. I was afraid that the rice will burn a little bit on the bottom so I used the dutch oven as my pot, covered everything with the lid and baked in the oven at 350F for 40 minutes. It turned out just right.

   It's hard for me to judge the authenticity of the dish, but I think I did a good job because Justin told me he was not hungry and then he had a huge bowl of my Arroz Con Pollo! I think I still need to adjust few things to make it more "Abuela's like" but I think that as for a first try I did good! Thank you Sis for sharing the recipe!

Hope you like it.
Magda