Lentil & Rice Salad

A sister in our ward brought this to a potluck and it was delicious!  Wonderfully filling - garlicky and fresh tasting.

 1 1/2 cups lentils (cooked)

 1 1/2 cups rice (cooked)

 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Pinch of basil

 Juice of one lime

2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook lentils according to package. Set aside to cool.
Cook rice according to package. Set aside to cool.
When cool, combine lentils, rice and remaining ingredients in bowl. Toss gently.
Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

This recipe was inspired by one I found on Pinch of Yum.  I love Alfredo Sauce, but it is so rich that I am never able to eat very much of it.  This recipe has all the flavor but feels a lot lighter, so it's easier to eat and enjoy.  My kids say it smells funny (probably the cauliflower), but they all agree that it tastes great!

1/2 head cauliflower
1/2 to 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoons butter
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Steam cauliflower until completely tender.  Place in blender with milk and 1/2 cup broth.  Blend until smooth, adding more broth as needed.  Add salt, butter, Parmesan and garlic and blend to mix well.  (You can also add a couple of handfuls of spinach at this point to make a green alfredo sauce!)  Toss with pasta, veggies, or rice and sprinkle with mozzarella or parmesan to taste.

Thai Chicken Soup with Rice

I like my chicken soup to be a little on the creamy side - usually I get this result by adding a can of cream of chicken soup to the pot, but yesterday I happened to be out so I had to get creative. The only creamy anything I had in my pantry was a can of coconut milk - this is what I came up with:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
3-4 carrots, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons red thai curry
3-4 cups cooked rice (great way to use leftovers!)

Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Add onion, celery, carrots and saute until softening (you could add other vegetables here as well - maybe snow peas or broccoli) Add garlic and ginger and saute a few more minutes until aromatic. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro or fresh mint.

Kimbap (aka Korean Sushi)

I first saw this made by Andrew's stepmother who is from Korea. More recently, I learned to make it from a group of international students (or their spouses) who meet for a weekly culture group. You will be amazed at how easy and tasty it is! Most of the ingredients mentioned below can be found in an asian market - some of them may even be available in the ethnic section of your local grocery.

Start by making a batch of sushi rice. One of the best step by step tutorials on how to do this can be found here. One of the major differences between Korean and Japanese sushi (aside from not using raw fish) is the flavor of the rice. While Japanese sushi uses rice vinegar to flavor the rice, Korean sushi uses a couple of tablespoons of sesame oil. Start off small and add to suit your tastes.

Lay one sheet of roasted seaweed (sushinori) shiny side down on a bamboo sushi mat.

Using the back of a spoon (or fingers well oiled with sesame oil) press the sushi rice in an even layer on the seaweed, leaving about 1/2 inch at one end.

Place your ingredients at one end of the sushi roll. We used pickled daikon, pickled burdock (often packaged together at asian groceries), steamed spinach (not pictured), and imitation crab. You can use pretty much anything you like. Some popular combinations can be found here.

Using two hands (when not taking a picture), roll the sushi tightly. Use the mat to get started, then let it fall back and just roll, pressing lightly so the rice will stick to the seaweed as you roll. When you get to the end, use a little bit of water to moisten the seaweed and seal the roll.

Voila! Here is your finished product! Using a sharp knife cut the roll into 1/2 inch slices.

And serve with your favorite dipping sauce - we especially like Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
Enjoy!

Tomato and Egg Curry

I got the idea for this delicious dish from our budget minded friends at Fun Foods and of course couldn't resist adding a few tweaks of my own. I wish I had remembered to take a picture earlier since our dinner plates looked much yummier than this tupperware that I put together for my hubby's lunch.
This is one of those recipes that relies on your tastebuds rather than measurements, but I'll try to approximate what I used.

2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can cannelini beans
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp Indian curry
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric

hard boiled eggs
brown rice

Combine tomatoes, beans, cornstarch and spices in saucepan over medium heat. Adjust spices to suit your tastes. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle chopped hard-boiled egg over the top.

Once my kids got the first bite of this in their mouths (always something of a challenge), they thought it was great as well. My daughter cleaned her plate while my son couldn't "get past the tomatoes" at first. My brother also sauteed some yummy broccoli greens with ginger and sesame oil to serve alongside and it turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to the flavor of the curry.

Chicken Tangier

Skinless chicken breast of your choice, can be boneless (up to 8 pieces)

1 Tbsp oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp ground turmeric

dash tabasco

2 whole cloves

Brown chicken in heated oil in a large frying pan with cover; set aside. Cook onions and garlic until soft. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, parsley, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, Tabasco and cloves; stir to mix well. Add chicken back into pan in a single layer. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and cook for 45 mins, turning chicken a couple of times. Uncover and cook 15 minutes longer or until sauce is slightly thickened. Sauce is excellent over brown or white rice. Be sure to remove the cloves before serving.

Cafe Rio Salad

This dish has been served at the dinner our stake provides before the RS Broadcast each year. It's always a big hit and the recipe is much requested. There are two different versions - chicken and pork. Choose your favorite and the rest is the same. The chicken tends to be a bit drier than the pork, but once you add the salsa and dressing, you would never know! Caution: This recipe makes a lot of food - you can easily serve 10-15 people with one recipe so adjust accordingly.

Just like Café Rio Pork
5-6 lb Pork roast

1 Tbs cumin

1 cup brown sugar

12 oz bottle Taco Sauce
20 oz bottle coke

Cook roast on low for 12 hours in Crock Pot with water covering half the roast. After 12 hours, drain water off roast and add remaining ingredients. Continue cooking 4 hrs. Then shred the meat and cook for 2 hours more. (I prefer cooking my roast in the oven, place in oven at night and cook at 220 degrees 8-12 hours. Drain, shred and add all other ingredients. Put in Crock Pot for about 2-3 hours to blend flavors)

Just like Café Rio Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. cumin
3 cloves garlic
5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

Pour all ingredients in crock-pot on low for 4 hours. Shred meat and cook for 1 hr more.

Just like Café Rio Creamy Ranch dressing
1 pkg. dry Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic
3 tomatillos (peel off paper skins)
1/3 cup buttermilk
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. If you can't find tomatillos, you can replace both garlic and tomatillos with 3/4 cup green salsa.

Just like Café Rio Rice
4 tsp garlic
½ bunch cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 can green chilies
¾ tsp salt
1 Tbs butter
½ chopped onion

Blend all ingredients in blender then put in pan and add 6 cups water, bring to a boil add 3 cups rice, simmer 25 -30 minutes. (Use the directions on your rice package for the amount of water, some rice calls for a 1–2 ratio, some have 1-1½ ratio)

To Serve
Place a tortilla shell on a plate; add rice and beans, meat (pork or chicken), shredded lettuce, cheese, and tortilla strips. Serve with guacamole, Café Rio Dressing, and Pico de Gallo.

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

1 6 oz. package long grain & wild rice
3 cups cooked diced chicken
1 cup mayonnaise
1 10 oz. box French cut green beans, thawed
1 can cream of celery soup
1 small onion, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, sliced

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook rice according to package directions. Combine rice and remaining ingredients in large casserole dish. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake 45 minutes. Freezes well before baking.

Substitutions... you can use any condensed cream soup with good results, also if you can't find frozen french cut green beans, the canned variety works just as well - they're just not as firm.

Broccoli Stir Fry

This recipe is easily adaptable for whatever meat or veggies your family will eat. I happened to have only broccoli and onions on hand so that's what I used. The thing that makes the dish work is the sauce:

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp cooking wine (can also use grape juice or apple juice)

2 Tbsp water

2 tsp cornstarch

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp minced ginger

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Blend the above ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet. If you are using meat, cut into bite size pieces and cook until brown. Remove to a plate. Add veggies, cut into small pieces, to the skillet (you may need to heat a bit more oil first). Cook until firm tender - you still want them to have a good crunch. If using multiple vegetables, add the crispier ones first (like broccoli or carrots) and the softer ones (like snow peas or scallions) after the other vegetables have been cooking for a few minutes. Return the meat to the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes. When the vegetables are cooked to the desired crispness, move them towards the outside of the skillet. Mix the sauce and pour in the middle of the skillet. Stir it around until it begins to thicken and then toss with the meat and vegetables. Serve over rice.

Curried Chickpeas with Herbed Barley

We usually eat Indian curry, which isn't really my favorite, but this recipe calls for Thai curry - and I loved it! It's definitely spicier though, so I have to tone it down for the kids.

I used the meat that was leftover from the lettuce wraps, added a can of chickpeas, 1 tbsp red curry paste, and 1/2 cup water. Saute for a couple of minutes to mix in the curry and let simmer for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Wilt a bag of baby spinach and mix in with the bean/meat mixture. Serve over barley.

Herbed Barley

Heat 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp oregano, 1/4 teaspoon thyme until boiling. Add 1 cup quick cooking barley. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until tender.

Tomato Paella

I served a mission in Spain where paella is more work than it is worth, in my opinion. However, this paella is super easy and is probably my favorite way to cook luscious homegrown tomatoes during the summer. It's okay with grocery store tomatoes, but for the best flavor either grow your own or visit the farmer's market.