My favorite quick, one pot meal…

We all need a go to meal.  Something that we have all the ingredients on hand at all times and is fast and easy to prepare right? 
This is mine.  It take me about 28 minutes from start to finish but longer if I use brown rice and guess what?  Everyone in the house will eat it!!!  That’s what truly makes this one pot dish a winner to me!
Bean and Rice Stew
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1 can drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup of frozen corn
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked rice (brown rice will increase the cooking time)
1 tsp Better than Bouillon beef flavored
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat Olive oil in a large, deep skillet.  cook onion and garlic til apaque and softened.  Cook the ground meat over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain excess fat. Stir in water, rice, beans and corn.   Season with beef bouillon and salt and black pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked and water is absorbed.
***this recipe is super flexible.  Add to it what you want.  I have a friend who adds salsa to it to give it a different touch.  Use green peppers, add zucchini…really whatever you want to add.
****You can use brown rice with this.  It will increase your cooking time but what I have done before is to cook the rice in the morning and throw it in when everything else is cooked and just heat it through.

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Roasted Duck Risotto

It's my day off and tonight I wanted to make something special for dinner. My husband has been working every day for the last couple of weeks as a result of a new job. He's been doing great as a newly licensed leasing agent and I'm so proud of what he's done in such little time. To celebrate a few recent successes, I made the following for dinner...

Roasted Duck Risotto
original Joelen recipe

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 1/2 cups homemade duck stock, warmed
1/2 cup frozen spring peas
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until softened. Add the arborio rice and stir until it begins to toast slightly.

Add the wine and the 1/2 teaspoon salt to the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the wine has been absorbed.

Add about 1/2 cup of the warm stock and italian seasoning and cook, stirring frequently, until it has been absorbed. The rice and broth should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb it before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice in this way until tender, 25 to 30 minutes in all. The broth that hasn't been absorbed should be thickened by the starch from the rice. You may not need to use all the liquid, or you may need more broth or some water.

Stir in the frozen peas and the Parmesan and heat through. Serve the risotto with additional Parmesan.

To make my duck stock, I took all the bones and carcass of a roasted duck...
... and boiled it with whole garlic cloves, chopped onion, poultry seasoning and water for a few hours until a rich, deep stock has come together. I then strained the pot from all the big pieces and remove any remaining meat from the bones which I added into the strained stock. What you have after it's all said in done is a flavorful duck stock with delicious bits of duck, perfect for risotto!

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Shiitake Mushroom Brown Rice Pilaf

Each month, friends and I come together to swap meals we've prepared. These events are known as my "Brunch & Barter" swaps which have gotten some press recently in Pittsburgh's Post Gazette. Similar to traditional holiday cookie swaps, we apply the same concept to entrees. This makes for a fun gathering of friends who like to cook and who like to share their dishes with others.

For April, we met up for brunch at one of my favorite Cuban restaurants and grocery store, La Unica. After catching up with friends and perusing the grocery section for authentic Cuban, Peruvian and Columbian ingredients, we swapped dishes that we made. I prepared the following dish, which I put together based on ingredients I had on hand.

I love making fried rice/pilaf dishes because anything goes when tossed with rice in a wok. Using some shiitake mushrooms and scallions I had on hand, this was a great side dish or on its own.

Shiitake Mushroom Brown Rice Pilaf
original Joelen recipe

2-3 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups cold, cooked brown rice (I used Korean brown rice)
1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
garlic salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 bunch green onions, sliced - both white and green parts

In a nonstick or seasoned wok, heat oil on high heat.
Add the garlic and mushrooms and saute for about 1 minute.
Add the rice and crumble into the wok.
Add the soy sauce, garlic salt and pepper to taste and stir fry the rice for about 5-7 minutes, until rice begins to warm through and slightly crisp up.
Once warmed through, add the green onions and toss to combine.
Serve hot.

I served this with one of our fave Filipino dishes, chicken adobo.

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Bokkeum Bap (Kim Chee Fried Rice)

For our Korean Wine & Dine event, my friend Yumi prepared this dish. This was such a great and flavorful way to prepare fried rice... and I think I prefer this over the traditional Bibimbap, which is a traditional Korean rice bowl with sauteed and seasoned vegetables!

Bokkeum Bap
Kim Chee Fried Rice
recipe adapted from Aol Food

6 tablespoon canola oil, divided
3 1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 1/2 cup kim chee, drained and chopped
4 ounce firm tofu, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped scallions, green parts only
2 beaten eggs, plus 4 whole eggs
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili paste

Heat 4 Tablespoons canola oil in a wok or large non-stick pan over moderately high heat until almost smoking. Add cooked rice and toss to coat all the grains with a little oil. Fry rice for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add kim chee, tofu and scallions and cook for another 5 minutes.

Make a well in the center of the rice and add the beaten egg. Let egg cook until firm, breaking up the curds as the egg sets. Stir the scrambled egg back into the rice. Add soy sauce and chile paste. Keep warm.

In a medium non-stick pan, fry the 4 remaining eggs, sunny-side up in remaining 2 Tablespoons canola oil.

To serve, top fried rice with fried eggs.

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Basic Risotto

John is a dear friend who has a passion for cooking as I do. He prepared the following risotto for our Foodie Films Italian luncheon. The recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated and it came out perfectly! You can adapt this recipe by adding your choice of vegetables and other add ins.

Basic Risotto
recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peels & sliced
2-4 ounces pancetta
2 cups arborio rice, or medium grain rice
salt
1 can low sodium chicken broth, combined with 3 cups of water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or grated Asiago, plus extra for passing

Heat oil in a heavy pot, 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Add onions and ham; sauté, stirring occastionally, until onions soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt or to taste. Add 3 cups of the broth/water mixture and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pan bottom is dry when rice is pulled back with spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add wine, stirring frequently until absorbed. Then add 1/2 cup of the broth/water mixture at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed; cook until rice is creamy but still somewhat firm in center (add more water in 1/2 cup increments if broth/water mixture runs out), 10 to 12 minutes longer.

Stir in cheese. Serve on a wide platter or individual plates with additional cheese passed separately.

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Traditional Mandarin Fried Rice

For my Chinese New Year Dinner, my friend Yumi prepared this Ming Tsai dish. It's a wonderful fried rice recipe that is as easy as it comes! The ingredients include common items with the exception of Chinese Sausage. If you don't have Chinese sausage available, you can use bacon or even ham (which is what was used here).

Traditional Mandarin Fried Rice
recipe from Ming Tsai

4 tablespoons canola oil
3 eggs, beaten lightly
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
1 la chang (Chinese sausage), cut into 1/8 inch dice
1 bunch scallions, white & green parts chopped and separated
5 cups cold cooked rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
salt to taste (if needed)

Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil shimmers, add the eggs, which will puff up. Allow to set about 5 seconds, and using a wok spatula or similiar tool, add push the sides of the egg mass towards the tender to allow uncooked egg to reach the pan and solidify. Flip the egg, allow it to set about 5 seconds, and slide it onto a dish; do not over cook. With the edge of the spatula, break the eggs into small pieces. Set aside.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil to the wok and swirl to coat the pan. when the oil shimmers, add the garlic and ginger and stir fry until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the la chang or bacon, the white parts of the scallions, and the rice. Toss thoroughly until heated through. Add the soy sauce, pepper, and reserved eggs and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper; transfer to a platter and garnish with the scallion greens.

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Crispy Onion Topped Orzo

Rather than doing the usual potato or rice side dish, I wanted to do something a little different. I came across this Baked Orzo dish from several food blogs I read and thought it would compliment my herbed turkey well.

I made quite a few adaptations to Giada's original recipe to use ingredients I had on hand and it came out wonderfully. The flavors were rich, hearty and perfect with roast turkey. I used turkey stock which provided more flavor, imported Spanish mushrooms (thanks to fellow blogger, Nuria), spinach, roasted garlic, brie cheese and topped with french fried onions.

Crispy Onion Topped Orzo
with Mushrooms, Spinach, Onion & Brie
recipe inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis

4 cups turkey stock
1 pound orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter, plus more to grease the baking dish
1 onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (I used imported Spanish mushrooms)
1 cup diced brie
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup french fried onions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Bring the turkey (or chicken) stock to a boil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the orzo and cook until almost tender, about 7 minutes. Pour the orzo and the broth into a large bowl. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are beginning to turn golden around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the orzo in the large bowl. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Dot the top of the baking dish with brie and top the entire dish with french fried onions. Bake until golden, about 10-15 minutes.

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Congri

I made the following recipe for our annual Holiday Party where our menu highlighted Floribbean cuisine. This is a variation of a traditional Cuban dish. I chose this since there is a strong Cuban presence in Florida and it's also evident in Floribbean cuisine.

Congri
recipe adapted from CubanFoodRecipes.com

2 cups white long-grained rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
1 large white onion
4 large cloves of garlic
a pinch of ground oregano
1 large bay leaf
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 long link of chorizo
1 teaspoon salt

In a saute pan, cook chorizo until heated through. Add onion, garlic, peppers and oregano and sauté the onion is softened. Add the vegetable or chicken stock, the rice, the bay leaf and the salt. Cover.

Place the pot over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stir to prevent from sticking to the bottom of the pot, and keep cooking over low heat, until the rice looks completely dry. This process of drying the rice should take from 10 to 15 minutes. Stir again, remove from heat and let cool before serving.

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Arroz con Gandules

I made the following recipe for our annual Holiday Party where our menu highlighted Floribbean cuisine. This is a favorite Puerto Rican dish of mine. I like to think of it as a Puerto Rican fried rice dish that isn't quite fried. For this dish, I added bell peppers and corn for a more filling vegetarian option to my menu.

Arroz con Gandules
(pigeon peas & rice)
recipe adapted from FoodNetwork.com

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Sazon seasoning with cilantro
1 (15-ounce) can green pigeon peas (gandules), rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can sweet kernel corn, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced colored bell peppers
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups water
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Place a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat and add oil.
Add the onion and cilantro.
Continue to cook for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the rice, oregano, cumin, salt, achiote, pigeon peas, corn and bell peppers.
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the rice is opaque.
Stir in the tomato paste and water and bring to boil.
When all the water is absorbed, cover tightly and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.
Serve on a decorative platter and garnish with cilantro.

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Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo with White Rice

The following recipe was made for my Food Network Chefs Dinner. You can read about it and get other recipes made for the event HERE.

Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo with White Rice
(seen on the left below, in red pot)
shared at the event by Howard
(an Emeril Lagasse recipe, found HERE)

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces

4 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed

1 tablespoon Essence or Creole seasoning, recipe follows

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

3 bay leaves

9 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1 tablespoon file powder

White Rice, recipe follows

Hot sauce

In a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.

Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred, discarding the bones and skin. Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and file powder.

Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

White Rice:

2 cups long-grain white rice

4 cups water, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 bay leaf

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the rice, water, butter, salt, and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Discard the bay leaf and serve.

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Curried Rice, Bacon & Cabbage Pilaf

The following recipe was shared at my Caribbean dinner event. You can read about it and get additional Caribbean recipes from the event HERE.

Curried Rice, Bacon & Cabbage Pilaf

shared at the event by Yumi
recipe from HERE

4 bacon slices, chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, diced, divided
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 cups chopped green cabbage
1 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
1 cup chopped green onions

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels. Add 4 tablespoons butter to drippings in skillet; melt. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Sauté over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add rice, curry powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Stir, cover, and simmer until broth is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add cabbage; sauté 3 minutes. Mix in tomatoes and green onions. Season with salt and pepper. Stir rice mixture into cabbage.

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Spicy Sausage & Rice Casserole

The following recipe was shared at my Caribbean dinner event. You can read about it and get additional Caribbean recipes from the event HERE.

Spicy Sausage & Rice Casserole
shared at the event by Nick
recipe HERE

28 ounces fresh, ground spicy pork sausage
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 slice onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a skillet, brown sausage and drain grease. Stir in rice, onion, garlic and peppers. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Pour into 9x13 inch pan.
Bake for 1 hour or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Or, at this step, you can cover and freeze it.

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Seafood Jambalaya

The following recipe was prepared for my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting New Orleans chefs. You can read about it and get other recipes from the event HERE.

Seafood Jambalaya
shared at the event by Joelen
inspired by this recipe & adapted from here

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 red onions, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 jalapeño chili, finely chopped with seeds
1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound andouille sausage or hot Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 pound ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
1 16-ounce can plum tomatoes, diced, with liquid
3 cups long-grain rice

Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red onions, 4 green onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, jalapeño, Creole Seasoning, cayenne pepper and oregano. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add sausage, ham, broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring mixture to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Garnish with remaining green onion and serve.

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Red Beans & Andoille Over Rice

The following recipe was prepared for my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting New Orleans chefs. You can read about it and get other recipes from the event HERE.

Red Beans & Andoille Over Rice
shared at the event by Teresa
recipe can be found here

1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
3 tablespoons bacon grease
1/4 cup chopped tasso, or chopped ham
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 pound smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound smoked ham hocks
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
10 cups chicken stock, or water
4 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup chopped green onions, garnish

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)
Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

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Black Beans and Rice

Black Beans and Rice

Now I am not going to tell you that these are typical Cuban, Puerto Rican, or any other Hispanic countries beans. These are just something that I have some up with that works really well for my family. I have tried them a bunch of different ways and this is what I keep coming back to. It's really all about the toppings anyway isn't it???

This really isn't a recipe but I just throw in what I have and to the amount that it tastes good. Last night I put in a bit too much cumin but that isn't a bad thing in my books!


Chop up an onion and some garlic and saute in some heated olive oil. When the onion and garlic are cooked add 2 cans of black beans or 1 lb of dried beans cooked per the directions on the bag. Add about 1/2 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and salt/pepper to taste. Cook to allow the the bean and sauce to thicken (about 20 mins) serve over hot rice. Top with tomatoes, pico de gallo, jalapeños, onion, sour cream or anything else you want!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Leftovers Aren't So Bad...

One of our staple dishes I resort to whenever we have leftovers is fried rice. It's a dish that we make to use up leftover veggies and meats we have on hand... and the rice we use is always cold. That's key for perfect fried rice, just like what you'd get at Chinese restaurants and how my parents made theirs for their catering business. Here's my recipe for fried rice:

1 cup leftover meats - pork, chicken, beef, seafood
1-2 eggs
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 onion finely diced
3-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped vegetables (fresh or frozen)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1-2 tablespoons light or dark soy sauce
1-2 cups prepared rice, cold (or day old)

In a hot skillet or wok, heat oil.
Add garlic and onions & stir.
Add leftover meats of your choice, chopped up in bite sized pieces.
Stir fry meats until you get them a bit crispy.
Push the meats aside and crack eggs into the pan.
Scramble the eggs into the pan until cooked.
Add cold rice over the eggs & meat into the pan, making sure to crumble it in your fingers. (Dumping a large chunk of rice is not going to work here. You need to crumble it so it separates nicely).
Add salt, pepper, onion & garlic powders and soy sauce; toss.
Allow the rice to heat up and absorb the spices and soy sauce, tossing to help it along.
Add the fresh or frozen veggies and toss into the rice.
Continue cooking it all on high heat until rice is heated through and veggies are cooked.

I used leftover grilled chicken and some frozen veggies for lunch and served this with some homemade eggrolls - which I'll be dedicating a whole post to in a couple of week. I'm teaching an eggroll class so I'll save the details and recipes on making eggrolls then!

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Seafood Paella

The following recipe was made and shared at my Tapas party. You can read about the event and view links to the other recipes shared HERE.

Seafood Paella
shared at the event by Joelen
recipe adapted from here

3 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil

1 large head garlic (or 12 cloves), peeled and chopped
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/4 cup chopped roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup julienned carrots (matchstick)
2 cups frozen green peas, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound shrimp
1/2 pound calamari rings
1/2 pound sea scallops, halved
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, to garnish

Ingredient Options: If you don't care for mussels or any of the other seafood ingredients, simply substitute more of your favorite.

In a paella pan or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add rice and sauté for about 4 minutes or until rice becomes translucent, stirring frequently. Add 3 cups of the broth and 1 cup wine, saffron, paprika, marjoram, red pepper flakes and flakes and salt. Cover pan and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes. Check occasionally, keeping moist with broth if needed. Add all seafood, peas, red peppers, carrots, roasted tomatoes and the remaining broth and wine. Squeeze lemon over entire dish and sprinkle with parsley. Serve straight from the pan.

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Mango Sticky Rice

The following recipe was featured for my Thai Cooking Class. You can read and view other recipes from the class HERE.

Mango Sticky Rice
Joelen's recipe

2 cups Thai sticky rice
water for cooking rice
1 can coconut milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 can lychee in syrup, with syrup reserved
2 large, ripe mangos, chopped

Prepare rice as directed.

When rice is cooked, place in large bowl.
Add coconut milk, sugar, can of lychee fruit and 1/4 cup of reserved lychee syrup; stir until sugar is dissolved.
To serve, place sticky rice on platter and garnish with sliced chopped fresh mango.

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Cold Paella Salad

The following recipe was shared during my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting recipes of Chef Wolfgang Puck. You can view other recipes and pictures of the event HERE.

Cold Paella Salad
shared at the event by Robert
Original recipe here

1 small whole chicken (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1/2 red onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, de-veined, and diced
1 green bell pepper, cored, de-veined, and diced
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1/2 pound chorizo, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups rice
4 cups chicken stock or water
1 pound mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
Fresh Herb Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Season chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Add oil to a large, heavy, oven-safe skillet and heat over high heat. When oil is almost smoking, carefully add chicken to pan and sear until almost cooked through; remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add shrimp to oil and sear until almost done; remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add more oil if needed, reduce the heat to medium, and then saute the onions and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes; do not let onions and garlic brown. Add bell peppers and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add saffron and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chorizo and brown for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes. Add rice, and stir until the rice is well coated, about 1 minute. Add stock, return the chicken and shrimp to the pan, and add mussels and peas.

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle vinaigrette over. Refrigerate and serve chilled or at room temperature. If serving at room temperature, refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving and then bring to room temperature.

Fresh Herb Vinaigrette: 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1/4 cup minced chives 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/4 cup sherry vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put chopped herbs in a medium bowl. Add garlic and vinegar. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Whisk in olive oil until combined. Set aside until paella is ready.

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Drunk & Grilled

Poor little bird.... sitting on a plate, cold and shrink wrapped in plastic. I think it's time to set this bird free! I've had a whole chicken fryer defrosting in my fridge for a couple days and my husband thought it would be fun to have "beer can chicken" for lunch. I thought it was a great idea since a few of my fave blogs featured beer can chicken recently.

There are countless recipes out there for Beer Can Chicken, but my husband decided to take the reigns and wing it (pardon the pun). Of course, there were no specific measurements but here's essentially what he did:

Montreal Chicken Seasoning (McCormick Grills Mates)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
16 oz can of beer
1 tablespoon of olive or canola oil
1 whole chicken fryer

To prep your chicken, rinse and pat dry.
Coat the chicken with the spices to your taste - both outside and inside the cavity.
Drizzle the oil over the chicken and rub to coat.
Drink about 1/4 of the beer and poke holes around the 1/4 top of the can with a small knife.
Carefully place the chicken over the top of the beer can through its cavity.
Place on a medium high grill and cover, allowing it to cook for 45-50 mins. Don't peek!
Before serving, allow the chicken to rest at least 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute.

To accompany our Beer Can Chicken, I served it with some leftover Portobella Mushroom & Spinach Pilaf, marinated tomatoes and a key lime tart. Because I forgot to share the recipe for my Portobella Mushroom & Spinach Pilaf yesterday, here it is:

3 medium sized portobella mushroom caps, stemmed removed & chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups prepared, cooked brown rice

In a skillet, melt butter, add onion and garlic.
While onions soften, rough chop the mushroom caps.
Once the onions become translucent, add mushrooms.
Saute until mushrooms soften and release their juices.
If the mushrooms are a little dry, add a touch of olive oil or another tablespoon of butter.
Add the prepared, cooked brown rice to the skillet* and stir until warmed through & serve.

* I recommend using a nonstick skillet when preparing this to prevent the rice from sticking and to prevent adding more butter/oil when you add the rice.

One reason why I really like cooking a whole chicken is because I can use the leftover meat for other dishes. With the leftover chicken I have, I plan on making a chicken salad and a chicken alfredo lasagna... so stay tuned for those recipes later this week!

**I've also submitted this chicken recipe to the Hungry for Some Chicken blogging event where they are highlighting chicken recipes this month! Check out the Nutiferia site for additional recipes for other foods they've highlighted in previous months.**

**I've also submitted this chicken recipe to the Let Them Eat Chicken blogging event! Read the interesting article about free range chickens on the blog, A Merrier World.**

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