Not your Auntie Jane's Fried Rice

I have developed a staple food in my house that the kids love. Panko crusted chicken, fried. Is it delicious? Yes. I do I want to eat it every fricken Monday? No. So last night on my culinary adventure I opened the freezer in an attempt to avoid the P.C. and low and behold what do I find lurking in the depths? A nice non-frostbitten package of soy chorizo. I have visited this place many times before. I even have a blog for my soy chorizo chili, but what should I do with it tonight? After a search through the fridge I pulled out the ingredients for a Tex Mex style Fried Rice, and it was mighty good y'all.

For just a few dollars this is a great way to add variety to your menu.

I thought the tomatoes would sweat off and moisten the leftover
rice up a bit. It was perfect. And yes I know it is upside down after three failed attempts,
& the kids getting up it is Practically Perfect!

                                                            Ingredients:
1 bell pepper
2 tomatoes
1 large onion
3 eggs
1/2 a package of soy chorizo
1/4 of a glass of Chardonnay. I use the term glass because I am usually drinking wine when I cook dinner and I pour it straight into my dish from my glass.




3-3 1/2 cups left-over brown rice.
garlic
salt & pepper
olive oil

I roughly chopped the bell pepper and onion and sauteed it in the pan w/ some olive oil.
While that was cooking I ran the chorizo under the faucet  to defrost it, just enough to cut through it. I put that in the pan also.
Pour in some wine. I let the wine cook down, while the chorizo, BP, and onion browned a bit. Then I made a nice hole in the middle to scramble my eggs. 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites,and I plopped in 1/2 a spoonful of refrigerated chopped garlic.
While the eggs were cooking I chopped the tomatoes and seeded them. Then I put the rice and tomatoes in the pan and cooked until pipping hot, but so long that the tomatoes were mushy. Salt and pepper to taste. It turned out, well blog worthy. The kids were happy, my husband ate three plates of it and I was a little bummed, because it was gone and I wanted some for lunch.

The finished product.

I added cheddar cheese and red pepper to it.
I would have been better with a dollop of sour cream and cilantro.

Beef, It's What's For Dinner

Tired of making the same meat sauce, hamburgers, and tacos with your ground beef? Ya, me too.
Well I was perusing my latest addition of Cook's Illustrated mag. (which by the way I love & don't try to get the receipts for free on line, you need a membership ), & low and behold there is a great recipe for Cuban Picadillo made from ground beef.
What in the world is Picadillo you ask? I have no fricking clue but am so tired of eating the same kids friendly meals I go for it. It turns out it is this great home-style meat dish that is sweet and savory, and there are a thousand different varieties, just like our meat sauce. It can be served many different ways. I went with the brown rice & ramped up black beans version, but it can be put on a tortilla, a baked potato, in a taco, or whatever your little heart desires.
I glanced at the recipe & hit the market. I am notorious  for not reading my recipes all the way through before the market run & always do not have everything I need, so I wing it. All of the time, like I cannot remember that last time I actually followed a complete receipt. I cannot justify going the market and spending $50 just to try a receipt I may not even like, so, like I said, I wing it.

Check out the receipt that follows. It was similar to the CI receipt  I will note how mine differed, & why I made the choices I did.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Picadillo/

First off I would cut this baby in half. A serving for 12 is way to much for dinner, or a first time try on any recipe. Here comes the winging it part...

I use garlic from a jar, 1 big scoop

I did not have any capers

Switched out Apple Cider Vinegar for the Red Wine Vinegar which was in the CI recipe

1TBLS Cumin

1TBLS Fresh oregano, because it grows in my backyard

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

No bay leaves because I did not have any

No cloves

The CI recipe called for 1/2 C of raisins, for the sweetness, I did not have those so I picked some dried cranberries out of my trail mix, and that only surmounted to about three TBLS, so I added some dark chocolate and honey & a pinch of red pepper flakes. This recipe reminded me of a mole so I thought what the hell!!

 The result was a wonderful mild meat dish that had a great sweetness from the cinnamon, and a little tartness form the olives. It was delicious, and so not a hamburger. I made quesadillas  for the kids and everyone was happy. 

Happy Cooking! XX, Julia

Books, books, & More Books

Erin Morgensterns's debut novel Night Circus is a glorious and enchanting ride into the circus of our own imagination. If you are a dreamer at all you must read this book. I will be devastated when I finish it.

I have not been this excited about a book in years. It touches on so many of my personal sensibilities. Turn off  Pintrest now and step into this pure cerebral beauty. Amazing.

http://erinmorgenstern.com/the-night-circus/