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

Perfect Lemon Cupcakes...for Diane

Cake:
1 package lemon cake mix
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 small package lemon instant pudding
Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Mix with electric mixer on medium speed for about two minutes. Use a strong mixer, this batter is thick. For cupcakes, bake them at 350 degrees for 20 minutes (I was able to get 24 very full cupcakes from the recipe). For regular cake, pour into a greased 9×11 pan or two round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Don’t over bake or the cake will be too dry! The toothpick test works to check to see if they’re done.
The original recipe said that the cupcakes will fall after they come out of the oven, but this is normal and to just fill up the indentation with more frosting. I didn’t have this problem at all!
Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, very soft
6-8 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of sugar, then the juice and the zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, until icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency (I added 6 cups total). Use and store at room temperature. (Don’t refrigerate and it will last in a covered container for about three days.)
Garnish with berries, if desired right before serving

Amb's Super Green Spinach Smoothie

I got this recipe from a neighbor of mine and I've been making them and meaning to share but haven't yet so here I go. I love it and they are a perfect breakfast for me. I happened to have all the ingredients in the house when she sent the recipe. Here ya go-

In a blender add water and spinach (the kind that comes out of the big Costco bag - pre-washed). For water put about 3/4 cup, for spinach fill the blender up about 3/4 of the way full. Blend. (It will look very green.)

Then I add:

1 Banana

1 container of peach yogurt, Fat Free (6 or 8 oz)* or any flavor you have in the house.

Orange juice 1 cup or you can do 4-6 oz of the concentrate because there is so much water with the spinach.

About 2 cupfuls of frozen mixed berries. (Costco has a big bag for about $10). I've been using blueberries and it makes it really yummy. I'm sure any type of berries work.

Ice cubes (about 4-5) but use more if you use fresh berries instead of frozen.

I found the trick is to blend everything then add the frozen berries. That way they don't the stick together and make it hard to blend. With blueberries it's really dark so beware of possible stains. LOL

I divide it into 2 1/2 servings, but the whole blender is full and the full amount is about 470 calories. But I only end up drinking 230 calories.

I figure I should be eating lots of both spinach and berries anyway. Also I was having a yogurt for breakfast anyway so it works for me. Enjoy!

Crepes

1 c all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt
2 T butter or margerine, melted

Place ingredients in blender in order given. Blend 30 seconds, stop and stir down sides, Blend 30-60 seconds until smooth. Makes about 16 crepes.

I have a crepe maker that I got at Bed Bath and Beyond. It makes great crepes. Otherwise, I have heard you can make them in a pan over the stove.

Fill with whatever you want!

Crispy Kale Snacks

These are a little different but an easy way to get some crispy veggies in!

1 bunch Kale
Cooking spray (I used olive oil Pam)
Lemon Pepper - salt free if you can find it
Salt, preferably kosher

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and pat dry kale. Remove leaves from the stems and tear leaves into chip sized pieces. Spray baking sheet with Pam, then place leaves on it and lightly spray the kale. Put baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes or until all dried/crispy. Be careful not to leave it in too long so the leaves brown on the ends - that is too done.

I only had salt included lemon pepper and so I left off the salt and they were good!

Easy Homemade Granola

Easy Homemade Granola
from "Baked: New Frontiers in Baking" by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole almonds [Note: I used slivered almonds, and they worked fine.]
1/3 cup whole hazelnuts
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.
Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them: Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.
Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the raisins and cherries over the granola...

I couldn't find hazelnuts so I just used 1/2 c of sliced almonds. Then I used mixed berry dried fruit. 2/3 of a cup of that. It made 4 cups of granola and is 105 calories in 1/4 c. It is SOOOOO yummy!

Thai Salad

1 pkg. Angel Hair Pasta
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch green onions
3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp. Chunky peanut butter
2 Tbsp. Sesame Seed Oil
1 Tbsp. red chili flakes

In a medium bowl add chopped cilantro and chopped onions and all other ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

Cook pasta and drain (DO NOT RINSE PASTA)

Pour the mixed ingredients over the hot drained pasta and toss well. It will look like soup at this point, but don't worry. Stir every so often as it is cooling and the noodles will soak up all the liquid!
Let cool then refrigerate, and serve cold!!


Got this recipe from my Dad's cousin in California!! Super Yummy!!

Poppyseed Vinagarette Dressing

Dressing:
1 1/2 Tablespoons Poppy Seed
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups oil (want to experiment with less later on)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Mix together and keep overnight in the fridge.


This is the dressing for the spinach salad (see other post) but I think it would be awesome on any type of salad!

Janet's Spinach Salad

This recipe came to me from a good friend, Janet, who made it for all our work parties. It makes a large bowl so be prepared for it to look huge when you put it all together. Once you add the dressing it compacts down so don't worry! Be sure not to add the dressing until you are ready to serve so it will get soggy.

Dressing:
1 1/2 Tablespoons Poppy Seed
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups oil (want to experiment with less later on)
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Mix together and keep overnight in the fridge.


Salad:
3/4 cup grated swiss cheese
2 packages of washed fresh spinach
1 container cottage cheese, drained
1/2 pack of bacon cooked to a crisp and crumbled
1/2 purple onion cut into rings and separated
1 carton fresh sliced mushrooms

Mix the salad portion all together and add dressing just prior to serving.

Cashew Pea Salad

Ok, this sounds odd but really you won't be able to put your spoon down! I love it and it has such a nice flavor :)

1 10oz pkg frozen baby peas (I used a 14oz pack since I had it in the freezer and it was fine!) THAWED
1 cup diced celery
1 cup chopped cauliflower or broken into small bite size pieces
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 cup coarsely chopped cashews
1/2 cup sour cream (I used FF)
1 cup prepared Ranch dressing
Crisp bacon about half a pack

Mix it all up and chill it until ready to serve! Yum yum!

I wanted to try using greek yogurt and mixing up my own ranch to save on cals and fat but ran short on time. I think you could use some fat free product and still have it turn out well :)

Pumpkin Dinner

Ingredients

Small to med sized pumpkins

we used 5

1-2 lbs Hamburger

chopped celery

chopped onion

salt and pepper

mushrooms

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups cooked rice

about 1/2 cup brown sugar

2-4 tbsp soy sauce

chopped green peppers ( I left them out)

Cut lid of pumpkin and clean it out.

In a large skillet brown hamburger, onion, salt and pepper

(I also added garlic salt and Mrs. Dash)

drain and add chopped veggies

Mix in cream of chicken soup, cooked rice, brown sugar

and soy sauce (i mixed brown sugar and soy sauce in a

blow and then poured it over the top)

Mix everything together and put them in the pumpkins

Place pumpkins on a foil lined cookie sheet

Bake 350 for 1 1/2 hours.

~Sandy