Mock Cafe Rio Rice

For those of you that love Cafe Rio inspired recipes...

Ingredients

- 4 tbls butter
- 2 1/2 cups rice
- 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- juice of 4 small limes or 4 tbls lime juice
- 4 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tsp cumin


Instructions


Mix all in rice cooker or pot until done. Enjoy!

I have to confess, I have not tried this yet but its on the menu for tonight!

Easy Raspberry Sauce

Simple, with a few ingredients. Make sure you have a fine strainer/sieve before you begin as you will need it if you want your sauce to be seedless.

1 Pint fresh raspberries (or 2 cups)
1/4 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 cup cold water

Combine the raspberries, sugar and OJ in a saucepan. Mix the cornstarch in the water until it is all dissolved. (Be sure to use cold water, it will just lump up if you put it into any kind of warm water). Add the mix to the saucepan and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it thickens. It will also thicken slightly more as it cools.

Puree the sauce in a blender and then strain it through a fine sieve. Serve it warm or cold. Sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Eclair cake

I wish I'd taken pictures but you will have to try it on your own!

1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs

Melt the butter, water and salt in a sauce pan on the stove. While still on the stove, add the flour. Remove from heat and add in the eggs, one at a time, until well blended. The mix will be super sticky and look fairly shiny.

Grease a half pan and your hands. Pat the batter down into the pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The crust will be brown and puffy. Pat down while warm and allow to cool.

Mix together:
1 package of softened cream cheese
2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding (I have often thought chocolate would be good too!)
3 cups of milk
Mix unti smooth. Spread over the pastry when cool.

Top with 12oz cool whip. Drizzle with Hersheys chocolate syrup when ready to serve.

Super easy and YUM! I also did some with the raspberry sauce and it was awesome :)

Easy Chocolate Ice Cream

This is the partner to the easy vanilla...have not tried it but before I lose the recipe :)

2 Cups half and half
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whipping cream

Combine half and half, sugar, cocoa and vanilla in a blender until cocoa is uniform in the mix and the sugar has dissolved. Add that plus the cream in your ice cream maker cannister and freeze as directed.

Super and Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

I found this in my recipe box and had not tried it...so we did this weekend and it was awesome! Super easy and small list of ingredients.

In your ice cream maker cannister mix:
2 cups whipping cream
2 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Put it in your ice cream maker, layer as directed and freeze. YUM!

If you want some additions...

10 crushed oreos for Cookies and Cream
2/3 of a cup of mini choco chips after its done for chocolate chip
1/ cup chocolate sauce for one revolution of the mixing paddle for Fudge Ripple