Posts by admin:
- Whole Grain Brown Rice
- Basmati and Wild Rice
- Thai Jasmine Rice
- Basmati Rice
- Long Grain Rice
- Whole Grain Rice and Quinoa
- Red Beans and Rice New Orleans Style
- Chicken Flavored Rice
- Golden Vegetable Rice
- Thai Lime and Herb Rice
- Pilaf Rice
- Spanish Style Rice
- 1 (9.9 ounce) container of Veetee Whole Grain Brown Rice & Quinoa
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 3/4 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dill
- 1/2 teaspoon mineral salt
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
- balsamic vinegar
- Heat a non-stick on medium heat and add oil.
- Fry the red onions with the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas, garlic, dill, and salt and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat the rice in the microwave for 2 minutes and empty rice into a large glass bowl.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the rice.
- Remove bean and mushroom mixture from stove top and add to the glass bowl with rice.
- Toss ingredients together and serve immediately.
- Sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
- Website: http://www.veetee.com/en-us
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veeteeusa/?fref=ts
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veeteerice/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/veeteeusa/
- 1 14-ounce container Sabra mango peach salsa
- 1/3 cup tomato juice
- 20 pineapple pieces, thawed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- small bamboo skewers
- 1/3 cup Sabra garlic hummus
- 1 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese
- egg white wash
- paprika
- parsley
- salt
- 1/4 cup cheese for sprinkling
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1/2 an IPA beer , preferably Blue Moon Peach IPA Beer
- Sub lager for IPA
- Use Sabra Homestyle Salsa
- Grill cherry tomatoes instead
- Pour the salsa and tomato juice into a blender and blend until smooth, not chunky.
- Chill while preparing pineapple skewers and breadsticks.
- Place 5 pineapple chunks on a small bamboo skewer, repeat with the rest of the fruit.
- Heat a griddle and add olive oil on medium high heat.
- Grill the pineapple for 10 minutes, alternating during that time, ensuring griddle marks.
- Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.
- In a food processor, add all the ingredients from hummus to cheddar cheese and blend well.
- Dough will resemble wet sand.
- Place on a lightly floured surface and knead dough until dough comes together.
- Flatten dough to a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick and brush with egg white wash.
- Using a knife, cut about 8 strips width-wise.
- Twist each dough strip and place on cookie sheet.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Sprinkle with paprika, salt, parsley, and cheese over all breadsticks and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Cool and place in a long glass for snack time!
- Rim glasses with lime salt
- 4-ounces Bloody Mary mix
- 2-ounces vodka
- 1/2 a cold beer
- Serve with a skewer of pineapple and 2 hummus cheese breadsticks.
- Available on Amazon.com and other book sellers. If purchased from their Enchilada site, a portion of the sale goes to Lighthouse for the Blind in San Antonio, Texas.
- Check out the Enchiladas
- Special book offer on their website only: all the books are signed by both authors. Buy 3 get one free.
- 3 cups (390 grams) poached skinless, boneless chicken, shredded into bite sized pieces (use your favorite method of preparation, moisten with broth, cover, and refrigerate until needed).
- 4 guajillo chiles (approximately 35 grams), destemmed, deveined, and deseeded
- 10 ancho chiles (approximately 150 grams), destemmed, deveined, and deseeded
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons (18 grams) kosher salt
- 1 cup (237 ml) olive oil
- 8 ounces (227 grams) chorizo
- 1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled, medium dice, and simmered until barely
- tender, 5–7 minutes
- 1 large carrot, peeled, medium dice, and simmered until barely tender, 5–7 minutes
- 1⁄2 cup (65 grams) frozen green peas, defrosted
- 12 corn tortillas, preferably a day old
- Crema Mexicana
- Queso fresco
- Avocado slices
- Jalapeño en escabeche (pickled jalapeños)
- Place the prepared chiles a few pieces at a time on a comal (or iron griddle or skillet) over medium heat and dry roast until fragrant, about 30 seconds per side.
- (See How to Prepare Dried Chiles for detailed instructions).
- Place chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and 4 cups (1 liter) hot water in a blender.
- Let sit for 5 minutes to soften the chiles.
- With the blender running, add the olive oil in a slow steady stream and process
- until emulsified.
- Strain the sauce into a wide sauté pan over medium heat.
- Warm through, taste, and adjust seasoning. Cover and set aside (It does not need to be kept warm).
- Remove the casings and crumble the chorizo into a large sauté pan over
- medium-high heat.
- Cook, stirring frequently to break up the chorizo, until it begins to brown,
- about 5 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and carrots and gently stir to combine. Cook, gently stirring
- occasionally, until the edges of the potatoes barely begin to brown.
- Remove from heat, stir in the peas, cover, and keep warm.
- Gently warm the shredded chicken. Have the topping and garnishes ready
- and at hand.
- Warm 4 individual serving plates.
- Heat a 9-inch (23 cm) nonstick sauté pan over high heat. (The pan with
- sauce should be nearby.)
- Dip a tortilla in the sauce, making sure it’s well coated, place in the hot sauté pan, and quickly sear for about 3 seconds per side—just long enough for the sauce to begin to caramelize.
- Place 2 tablespoons shredded chicken on the tortilla, fold in half, and place on an
- individual serving plate.
- Wipe the sauté pan with a paper towel moistened with a little vegetable oil and reheat.
- Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas, slightly overlapping the
- enchiladas on serving plates, 3 per serving.
- When the enchiladas are plated, top with a drizzle of crema Mexicana
- followed by a generous scoop of the chorizo/vegetable mixture and a sprinkle
- of queso fresco.
- Place the avocado slices and jalapeños en escabeche to the side of the enchiladas.
- The sauce recipe yields more sauce than is needed for this recipe. The remaining sauce may be refrigerated for a week or frozen for up to a month.
- 4 cups whole milk (for non-dairy, use coconut milk)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 5 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 1 teaspoon good Madagascar vanilla extract, or ¼ vanilla bean, scrapped
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 star anise
- 2 Tablespoons orange rind
- 2 Tablespoons lemon rind
- 1/2 cup espresso
- 1 cup Chilean pisco, white rum, brandy or vodka
- Combine the milk, water, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, vanilla, and nutmeg in medium saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Boil for 20 minutes.
- Add espresso and stir to dissolve.
- Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Strain the coffee milk mixture through sieve to remove spices.
- •Add Pisco. We were able to find this in our liquor store so try to stay traditional by using traditional spirit. If you cannot find it then a brandy, rum or vodka works.
- Chill for at least four hours, or ideally overnight. Pour into a glass pitcher and serve with Chilean fruitcake - pan de pascua. Drink lasts for 2-3 weeks.
- Makes 6-8 portions.
- Note: I made this for a party by using a gallon of milk. I then quadrupled the recipe.
Quick Chickpea and Mushroom Rice Pilaf + Giveaway #VeeteeDineIn
January 21st, 2016I have joined a group of bloggers sharing recipes that are healthy and quick. Busy schedules do not mean take-out meals. Check out Veetee Rice USA as they introduce their ready-made rice in 2 minutes. Check out my recipe along with 6 other food bloggers.
This post has been sponsored by Veetee Rice. All opinions, ideas, and recipes are my own.
Is everyone enjoying their new year? I certainly am but it is certainly different from any year. This year we celebrated a late Christmas in January which made it an interesting holiday. Actually, I cannot believe we are already halfway past January! We have now officially unpacked, washed clothes, and put away our Christmas decorations. I guess it is safe to say that we are READY to get into our new year.
With the new year comes the enthusiasm and inspiration to get fit. I was never a person to stick to resolutions but I think it is safe to say that a resolution can be done anytime when really needed. our family has been resolved to get many things in order like our finances. Another that has been a long time coming has been our diets. My husband and I definitely are a match made in heaven when it comes to eating. We both enjoy eating but it has come time to make better choices and embrace portions.
One of the exciting things I am looking forward making are healthier meals on a consistent basis with minimal cheating. Mentally, I think we lie to ourselves when we say that healthy food is not tasty but it truly is. I have tried to share this with my husband and hopefully we can venture being resolved to change our eating habits.
I have teamed up with Veetee Rice USA who provides a dine-in ready rice in 2 minutes that are GMO-free, with 8 varieties that are gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan friendly. It comes in a recyclable BPA-free plastic container with a see-through seal showing the kind of rice and is shelf stable for 12 months. It can be heated in a microwave or the rice can be stir-fried for 2 minutes. 
We are definitely rice consumers but I sometimes forget to cook my rice for my meals and end up waiting a full 45 minutes for my brown rice to be ready. Veetee Rice to the rescue folks! I have already used a variety of packages that the company has sent me. Here are the varieties I received. We have so much of it too!!
I have tried both methods to reheat the rice and I believe I like it better microwaved because the rice is not mushy but it you do a fried rice recipe, I bet it would be perfect. I look forward using different recipes to use this rice because our schedule is so busy now that the school season is in season. Quick meals are a must in my home with 3 kids under the age of 5. It is never a dull moment.
Since I am always on the go or pressed for time, I created a quick vegetarian lunch option that can easily be consumed for dinner with a side salad. I am a big Mediterranean fan so anything with chickpeas and rice excites me so I made a savory dish that only require heating the rice in the microwave while I sautéed mushrooms, red onions and chickpeas to mix in with the rice. I split the meal with my husband and we were satisfied until dinner.
What a great way to start the new year with healthier and lighter options to a new you. I am looking forward having Veetee Rice help me with this goal especially with this delicious rice dish. Try it! It takes less than 20 minutes to make.
I am a mother of three girls under the age of 5. This is SUCH a quick meal and it is so filling. I also got my husband to enjoy it as well.
Ingredients
Instructions
Social Accounts:
For more quick, easy and delicious recipes using Veetee Rice as well as additional chances to enter the giveaway (by leaving a comment on each one), visit:
Chicken Fried Rice by We’re Parents
Lime Shrimp, Corn & Rice Skillet by Real The Kitchen & Beyond
Mediterranean Rice Pilaf by Courtney’s Sweets
Quick Chickpea & Mushroom Rice Pilaf by Opera Singer In The Kitchen
Chicken & Pepper Stir Fry by NEPA Mom
Mediterranean Rice Salad by The Farm Girl Gabs
Available at Shoprite, Walmart, Wegmans Kroger and other food markets across the USA. http://www.veetee.com/en-us/where-to-buy
GIVEAWAY ALERT
Want a chance to try Veetee rice in your own kitchen?
One lucky winner will receive ONE YEAR supply of Veetee Dine In Rice rice AND the winner will also have the opportunity to choose to donate the same amount of rice on their behalf to their local charity of choice.
Not only is this an awesome giveaway but Veetee donated roughly 80,000 trays (about 160,000 servings) of shelf stable, microwaveable rice to the Community Food Bank of NJ, part of Feeding America during the holidays. http://www.feedingamerica.org/ You have to love a brands that finds ways to give back.
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Bloody Beer Blitzes with Hummus Cheese Breadsticks
January 20th, 2016
For every party there must be that special drink to enjoy with all the amazing snacks, dips, and food. This version of a Bloody Mary will have your guests enjoying a game day cocktail with a lighter savory snack made with hummus. A special cocktail for game day is a must especially when using Sabra Salsa.
This post is sponsored by the lovely folks at Sabra. All opinions are my own. Make sure you check out the Buy, Snap, Score offer at the end of the post to find out how to score a $5 gift card.
When we were living in Michigan, we loved attending football games and meeting up with friends. Sometimes we would go for lunch afterwards at a local burger place that I would not normally go, but with urging was promised amazing fries and amazing beverages. Sometimes, going into a hole in the wall eatery is not so fun but once the food is experienced, opinions change. This burger place was known not only for their burgers and fries but also for the infamous long island tea. There was a LIMIT on the quantity one guest could have. Really. I had never heard of such a thing until I tried one.
Long island teas are my favorite but this version was almost too strong to enjoy. Many students were known to be found by a tree, taking a nap or passed out because of the drinks potency. I kid you not. When game day comes around, everyone just wants to have a little fun while enjoying the game. Some people go to parties to root for their favorite teams, others go to enjoy the delicious eats and beer. Food is just more enjoyable when shared with others and why not take advantage of it?
There is nothing like going into a kitchen and seeing the array of dips, appetizers, and snacks available for consumption. One of the things I make sure to have is a fun beverage to go along with my food. This year I decided to take my favorite seasonal beer and create a version of a Bloody Mary for my guests to enjoy.
When hosting a party, it is important to make your drink station appealing with a variety of options for guests. While beer is usually the choice beverage at tailgating and game day parties, I thought I would spruce up the drink station with my Bloody Beer Blitzes. I love having themed beverages because then my guests can truly enjoy a drink in anticipation of the event.
What is a blitz you ask? Well, in football it is when additional players are sent into a game to disrupt the quarterback’s pass attempt or to tackle the quarterback. Thanks to Wiki, the Defense can bring all 11 players to blitz the Quarterback. This would leave no one to follow and try to stop a target of a pass. So the defense chooses to bring a certain number of players to try and sack the Quarterback, and leaves the rest to protect against a pass. Bringing 4 players or less is not considered a Blitz. It is only considered a Blitz when the defense rushes more than 4 players.
Thanks to Sabra for amazing salsas because they helped me make my Bloody Mary base for my drink. I love how fresh the salsas are especially the mango peach salsa. When I tried all eight varieties, this particular salsa was a winner in my books. Even so, I have created two variety of drinks that can be made for your party, one with a seasonal peach IPA or one with a lager.
In addition to the drink, my guests will enjoy each drink with a pineapple skewer and a lighter version of breadsticks made with hummus instead of butter. I chose to use the Sabra garlic hummus because it is not only my favorite but it added so much flavor to this recipe. If you want a spicier version, try the Chipotle hummus for an extra kick. I think it would be great with this drink as well.
As you plan your parties, know that Sabra has a great promotion going on. When you buy Sabra products and Stacy’s Pita Chips together before 2/15/16 you can score a $5 gift card. Buy 2 of each product and follow instruction HERE how to redeem to receive your gift card. What a deal!
This is a tasty appetizer for guests as they arrive to continue to whet their appetites as the rest of the dips and finger foods arrive.
Ingredients
Instructions
Follow Poet in the Pantry’s board Game Day Eats #SabraTastemakers on Pinterest.
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How to Throw an Easy New Year’s Eve Party {Giveaway}
December 28th, 2015Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with GIANT Food Stores. All opinions are my own as our my photos. Giveaway has been provided by the sponsor.
Christmas is over. Is anyone else sad it is over? Well, the season is not but sometimes after getting everything together and ready, the day comes and goes and it is all done. We had a lovely and quiet time. I say quiet even though having three little ones is never a guarantee it is a quiet time. The girls luckily slept in and I had already prepared a delicious brunch consisting of sour cream coffee cake, fruit salad, eggs, and sausage. It was delicious and definitely a great way to celebrate with our family.
Every year we try to keep up with traditions and incorporate a little of my husband’s traditions as well as some traditions I practiced in my home. I have to say that I feel like we have established a few this year that I can see us enjoying year after year. We did in fact bake cookies and we then packaged them up and gave to friends and neighbors. It was the first time in several years being able to do it since I have had litle ones at home and little time to bake. It was a lot of work but it was therapeutic and fun to do.
My husband decided to smoke a brisket for the first time this year. My mother usually made a brisket every year but what I did not realize is that it was overcooked every year. I never really learn how to cook meat so I was happy to pass on the task to my husband who did a most excellent job! I ordered a first cut brisket from Giant Food Stores and it was ready for pick up 2 days before Christmas. My husband did his research and smoked the meat in a gas grill using a smoker box. It was fab.
Another thing we try to do every year is to have a New Year’s get together with friends. Some years it has been successful and other years it has been non-exisent. I personally would love to go to a dance and ring in the new year at a party, but it is not possible right now. I thought about having some young families come over before the night time arrived to ring it earlier but I am not sure we would have anyone attend. While the notion of just ringing in the new year with just our family sounds nice, I like sharing it with other people.
Last year we had a couple of friends over and everyone brought appetizers around 9pm and we sat around and chatted and played a few games. This is probably the easiest and best way to have a party without any stress. What I found is that I make 1-2 appetizers and have other bring their own, but I am definitely going to use some shortcuts this year.
Giant Food Stores has an amazing variety of appetizer choices and they have definitely made my party prep much easier. While I have only a few choices pictured above, there are so many more in-store ranging from savory to sweet.
Here are a couple of my go-to appetizers I make every year for my new year’s party. Enter my giveaway below for a chance to shop for your ingredients at Giant Food Stores. Good Luck!
Baked Chipotle Cheese Olive Bites
Sharp Cheddar Cheese Ball and Veggie Tray
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Enchiladas Galore: Mexican Comfort Food for All {Book Review + Giveaway}
December 23rd, 2015
Christmas time always has different memories for me. Some years we would spend them at home with extended family. Other years we were estranged from extended family members so it would be a quieter year. Other years we would go to Mexico. The last time I remember spending Christmas was before high school and I still have fond memories. One of the things I learned growing up is that there are special dishes prepared during the holidays. I always wondered why and then I quickly found out when I got older. It is because it take such a LONG time to prepare dishes like tamales.
Some other dishes I remember my grandmother making were enchiladas. I quickly learned to love enchiladas with mole’ sauce and enchiladas suizas, which are made with green salsa with melted cheese over the top. So good. When I had one baby at home I would make them a lot more often, but now with three kids under the age of 4, making these delicious comfort foods is a challenge.
Many of you might not remember but even though I am half Mexican, half Chilean, I did grow up all of my life in Houston, Texas. We traveled to Austin, San Antonio, and many other cities within a few hours when we were kids. Many times we would stay the night in San Antonio and sight see and eat at delicious Tex-Mex or authentic restaurants. One of the restaurants we visited at one point was La Fonda on Main. Yummy enchiladas and food were consumed on those trips.
Well fast forward to now and I have the privilege of reviewing a cookbook authored by the owners of La Fonda on Main and other fabulous restaurants in San Antonio. How cool is that? How many times have you finished eating a meal at a restaurant and wished you had the recipe to make at home? I certainly have and I have now.
Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex is by Cappy Lawton and Chris Waters Dunn who own and operate 3 restaurants in San Antonio. While the title suggests having only enchilada recipes, it boasts more than that. It has fabulous recipes for homemade sauces, tortillas, side dishes and more. The photos are gorgeous and mouth-watering. Many recipes that I grew up eating but have no recipes for are available for me to use and test in my own kitchen. I am so excited to have this book to own because when my husband asks me to make something he wants I can turn to this book.
I am going to tantalize you with a recipe I chose from the book. While I will not be able to share that recipe I used, I will be able to share another enchilada recipe to make over the holidays. I made the Enchiladas Espinacas (Spinach) with Poblano Cream Sauce because I have never made a poblano cream sauce. The process was super easy but it still required steps to make it, like roasting the poblanos for the sauce and the assembly, but it was still pretty easy in my opinion and the recipe was easy to follow. The sauce definitely had a bite but it was so flavorful and the filling was made with mushrooms, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes, a filling that was different from ones I have made in the past.
My husband liked them a lot and while I prepared the meal he kept telling me how the house smelled so good. That is always the key. When preparing Mexican or Tex-Mex, it always smells so yummy. If I have tantalized you enough with my pictures consider purchasing the book. It is a great book to master your inner chef. I might just go through cooking the whole book this year!
Giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Enter below for an awesome foodie bundle that also includes the Enchilada Cookbook. Open to US readers.
Source: Victor Maldonado/La Fonda on Main
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Callejeras are street style enchiladas, often made and sold on the streets in many parts of Mexico. The chicken, chorizo, vegetables, and cheese make these a complete—and substantial—meal.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a percentage if you make a purchase using this link. I also received a copy of the cookbook to review.
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Celebrate as Chileans do with Cola de Mono and Pan de Pascua
December 21st, 2015
When December arrived I was very sure I would not be ready for Christmas but now that it is almost here, I am so excited. Part of that excitement and anticipation for the holidays has come from really dwelling on the real meaning and reason for Christmas. Establishing new traditions and teaching our children what the real meaning of Christmas has been really important for us as a family. The last thing I want for our little girls to know is that it is all about gift giving and them receiving gifts. Materialism is not the reason for Christmas but it is Christ being born in a manger, who would later grow up and die on the cross for our sins.
It has been exciting to read the Gospel story as a family and have our girls hear the sequence of events. I finally was able to use our Advent calendar and talk about each day as Christmas approaches. The good thing about consistency and doing something daily is knowing that your children will remember and remind you to do it. It is never too late to start traditions and reading about baby Jesus.
Another part of our tradition is one I really can’t forget. Even though I do not have my family from Chile any where around me, I still want to continue on the traditions I grew up with as a child. After having a conversation with my grandfather, who lives in Chile, I was very nostalgic and happy that I was keeping up with certain traditions. I have not seen my grandfather in 15 or more years but I shared with him that I had made certain recipes that my grandmother would make during the season. He was real happy.
What made me happier was having my husband request one of the recipes for a party! Chileans have a spiked coffee cocktail called Cola de Mono, or Monkey’s Tail. The base for the cocktail is milk and the mixings consist of spices, coffee, citrus, and pisco. Even though I have made this almost every year, I have only made it with pisco, which is a colorless brandy produced in Peru and Chile. My husband was able to purchase a bottle this year to make the cocktail. It is the most simple recipe and quite tasty! We took it to our party and a lot of people raved about it. It is served cold and usually with a Chilean fruitcake called pan de pascua.
I have only made pan de pascua once and I was okay with it, so I decided to look up several recipes and compare. I remember my grandmother making it but then if I remember well, I was disappointed to know she had short cuts for her recipe which included cake mix. I do remember the recipe tasting good but now as a grown up, I have all the desire to make a true recipe for Chilean fruitcake.
If you are looking for a MOIST fruitcake, the RECIPE I used is the one to try. It is so delicious and amazing. It is even better several days after when it is sliced, stored in the fridge and then warmed up with a little butter. Oh yes. SO good and paired nicely with Cola de Mono. If you can muster going to the grocery store, try making both these recipes. I have already been asked for the cocktail recipe. I do have a vegan version on the site that I will be making for myself since I cannot do dairy.
Pan de Pascua Recipe
Original recipe comes from http://eatwineblog.com/2011/12/23/cola-de-mono-chile%E2%80%99s-version-of-eggnog/
I added a few modifications. Use coconut Milk for non-dairy options.
Ingredients
Instructions
