Spanish Rice

My mom has been making this rice for years and I love it so much that I've been known to eat it as a meal in and of itself. Actually, I eat most of it straight from the pot when I think nobody is looking. I'm sneaky like that.

Making this is simple, and I'd be willing to bet that you have everything on hand to make it at the drop of a hat. My mom and I love the onions, but if you're not a fan, leave them out. Same goes for the heat—we clearly like things spicy in our house, so we add a lot more salsa than the average person. If you want things a bit more mild, start with less and add more later.

This is definitely more of a tomatoey rice, but it's what we like and what I grew up eating. The flavors from the salsa really enhance the entire dish, so pick out a good salsa. Serve this with as a side dish to tacos, tostadas, or enchiladas, or incorporate it into a meal of its own by combining some ground beef and stuffing it into a bell pepper!

Spanish Rice

by The Tale of Two Kitchens

Ingredients:
splash of oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 8oz tomato sauce
8 oz instant brown or white rice (use the tomato sauce can to measure)
1/2 cup salsa
salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a small pot. Once hot, saute onions until soft and fragrant. Set onions aside in serving bowl.

Add tomato sauce to pot and rinse can out with about half a can's worth of water; add water to pot. Boil sauce; keep an eye on it, because it won't boil like water.

Once sauce boils, add one can of rice, onions, and salsa (you can add more salsa later if you're afraid of adding too much). Cover and simmer for five minutes.

After five minutes, turn off heat, stir, and recover for an additional five minutes. Recheck rice and add additional seasonings (if needed) and continue to leave covered until rice is fully cooked, at a consistency you like, or ready to serve.

(Optional: sprinkle in some shredded cheese after cooking.)

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Le Creuset.

Classic Scones

My first experience with scones dates back to more than a decade ago when I first visited "the other side of the pond." It was right before my senior year of high school and I was in England for one of those see-15-European-countries-in-two-weeks tours. I fell in love with Britain so much that a few years later I decided to partake in a study abroad experience there. But during that first trip, I tried something so delicious that it would stick with me all of these years: a scone.

Scones are a bit sweeter than an American biscuit and are typically eaten with jam and something called "clotted cream"—a slightly heavier and creamier version of whipped or Chantilly cream. I love scones because they're light (not to be confused with healthy!), contain the perfect amount of sweetness, and are just plain good!

I've tried American versions of scones several times, but in my opinion, they all fall short to their British counterpart. First, and I know this is probably a personal preference, but I think scones should be round like a biscuit—not in the shape of a triangle. They should also be light and fluffy, not heavy and brick-like. And while I think adding some lemon or orange zest, or even some currents or cranberries would be great additions, I prefer a simple, classic scone that tastes good. American varieties like to make theirs more like a muffin and over saturate them with too many flavors.

Now that I've giving you my background with scones, you can see why I'm so excited about these. I made these for the Royal Wedding and literally can't stop eating them. I asked a few of my British friends for a classic scone recipe, and my friend Katie sent me this "fool proof" version below. Fool proof is right—I can't believe how easy they are to make, not to mention how delicious the dough tastes (don't judge; I had to do a quality check)! And when you're making these, keep in mind another tip from my Irish friend Lucy, "Use buttermilk which is starting to go off—makes the scones taste amazing!"

Traditionally, you top a scone with jam and clotted cream, but my first attempt at making the mouthwatering topping came up very, very short, so I used whipped cream instead. I will learn how to make some proper clotted cream and will link it back here.

Classic Scones

adapted from Gary Rhodes

makes around 8 scones

Ingredients: 
(BY WEIGHT)
225g (8 ounces) plain flour
15g (1 tsp) baking powder
pinch of salt
25g (1 oz) sugar
50g (2 oz) butter
15 g (1 tsp) vanilla extract
150ml (1/4 pint or 2/3 cup) buttermilk
1 egg, beaten (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Cut butter into cubes, and rub it into flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. (You can use a pastry cutter, but rubbing it does get the job done a bit faster. Plus it's kinda fun!)

Stir in vanilla and buttermilk, a little at a time, to form a smooth dough. (You may need up to 1/4 cup more flour to get a non-sticky consistency.) Let rest for at least 10 minutes or wrap in cling-wrap and leave in the refrigerator overnight. 

Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick (pictured above are around 1/2-inch). Using a 2-inch cookie/biscuit cutter (or the top of a round drinking glass), cut dough. Just tap/push down; twisting tends to create an uneven rise. Once the scones have been cut, work together unused trimmings into a ball, roll out again, and re-cut until all of the mix has been used.

Brush each scone lightly with the beaten egg for a glossy finish or leave as is for a matte finish.

Place scones on greased baking tray and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until golden. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Serve  scones with tea while still warm (they can be left to completely cool and microwaved quickly to rewarm), preferably with the British classics of strawberry jam and clotted cream.

 

(Other options: 50g (2 oz) of mixed sultanas and currants can be added for fruity scones. Sugar can be omitted for plain savory scones. 50g (2 oz) of grated Parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese can be added, with a good pinch of English mustard, for homemade cheese scones. Freshly chopped thyme can also be added to the savory scones)

Tequila Lime Pork Tenderloin

It's too hot to be heating up the house with a roast or a casserole. Today was a grilling kind of day. Scratch that, this week was a grilling week. Today's grill item- Pork Tenderloin. I was stumped when I pulled it out of the fridge. I've done pork the same way too many times. I didn't want to be boring. So today I made grown up pork, with tequila and lime. So good and so SIMPLE!

Tequila Lime Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
Pork Tenderloin- (or 2)
Cilantro- 1 bunch chopped
Lime- Juice 1/4 cup (I used key lime, it has a sweeter quality)
Salt and Pepper- To taste
Garlic- 3 cloves minced
Tequila- 1/4 cup
Olive Oil- Drizzle
Directions: Place pork tenderloin in a dish or ziplock bag. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Mince garlic and rub into both sides of the meat. Drizzle with olive oil, tequila, and lime juice. Cover with cilantro. Place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Grill on high rotating so all sides are brown, basting with leftover marinade. Cook until meat is at 140 degrees, or until just slightly pink. Take off heat and let rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Breakfast Sandwich

I’ve been making this sandwich—or a version of it—for years. Eating something sweet for breakfast, unless I’m in the mood for it, makes me feel a little sick in the mornings, so this is my typical go-to breakfast.

I’ve always been a sucker for fast-food chain breakfasts, but their high-fat, high-calorie, high-everything-else doesn’t really jive with me. This is my healthy alternative and it’s ridiculously easy to make. Actually, I never even thought about posting it until my husband requested it—he’s on a month-long business trip and wants to be able to make it for himself. This picture was taken pre-heat up and about five seconds before my husband grabbed it to take with him to eat on the road. It may not look awesome, but it tastes great.

Just like my Buffalo Chicken Salad post, consider this more of a how-to guideline for making a breakfast sandwich. I change this up quite often in order to keep it interesting or depending on what I have on hand. Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Breakfast Sandwich

by The Tale of Two Kitchens

Ingredients:

• English muffin, sandwich round, bagel (thin) or one piece of bread cut in half
• 1 egg or ¼ cup egg substitute
• cooking oil spray
• meat (2 slices of bacon cut in half, 2 sausage link cut in half, 2 pieces Canadian bacon, etc.)
• Cheese (1/2 ounce shredded or a slice of cheese)
• Green chile or jalapeno (optional)
• red pepper flakes (optional)
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Toast bread. While bread toasts, cook or heat up meat. Spray a very small, microwave-safe dish (about the size of the bread you’re using) with oil. Put egg in dish, break yolk, and sprinkle with garlic powder, red pepper flakes (optional), salt, and pepper. Microwave for around 30-45 seconds or until cooked through (timing depends on your microwave voltage).

To assemble: Lay bread toast side up on a paper towel (if taking to-go) or a plate.  Place cheese, meat, and egg on one side of bread. Place chile or other veggies (optional) on other side; top the sandwich. Heat sandwich for about 10-15 seconds, to warm everything evenly. Enjoy.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Last week we put our house up on the market, which means that we're trying to keep it as clean as possible. If you've ever been in our shoes, then you know how frazzled I feel about keeping our kitchen clean. I love cooking, but I'm not always the cleanest cook. Actually, I'm a really messy cook, which now presents a problem.

One night, when I didn't know what to make for dinner because I wanted to keep things mess free, my husband reminded me about a meal we love that is ridiculously easy to make. This salad is filling, spicy, tangy, and is a meal even guys will sink their teeth into.

I love it, because it's a healthy alternative to devouring hot wings submerged in ranch dressing. My husband likes to skimp on the ingredients (just chicken, lettuce, cheese, and dressing for him), but I like including whatever veggies we have on hand. Consider the following more of a "how-to" instead of an actual recipe. In other words: tweak as you see fit!

Buffalo Chicken Salad

by The Tale of Two Kitchens

Ingredients:
Breaded chicken breast tenderloins
Buffalo wing sauce (Frank's RedHot Buffalo tastes great, but we actually use the store brand)
Lettuce
Blue cheese crumbles (reduced fat tastes just as good!)
Ranch or blue cheese dressing
tomatoes (optional)
green onions (optional)
celery (optional)
avocado (optional)

Directions:
Cook chicken in oven according to directions, flipping once to get both sides crisp. While chicken is cooking, prep salad bowls with lettuce and other ingredients. When chicken is finished cooking, set aside to cool. In a medium sized bowl, pour about 1/4–1/2 cup (to taste) hot wing sauce (you can always add more!). Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl with hot sauce. Toss to coat; place buffalo chicken on top of lettuce. Add desired amount of salad dressing; enjoy.

Johnny Cakes

I took an unexpected hiatus from blogging. And really there isn't much of a reason. My creative juices dried up and I couldn't stand putting boring no heart recipes on here. So I stayed away till it came back. I also knew that Jessica would keep this place filled with wonderful mouth watering dishes. Now her posts have me itching to cook and blog, thanks Jess! Nothing extremely exciting today but I wanna be back in the groove of things. I made these with my niece this weekend and thought I'd share! The molasses gives these "cakes" a fabulous unique sweetness. And with added flax seed and sugar substitute they're not as bad for you as regular pancakes!

Johnny Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes)

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp sugar (I used Truvia sugar substitute- fabulous!)
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (iodized)
1-2 tsp flax seed meal (optional)
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 cup + low fat milk (I used skim)
1 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp butter melted (or butter sub. like Brummel and Brown)

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine mixtures together. Add more milk as needed to make the batter more smooth and to this consistency you like. I like my batter a bit thinner than most recipes call for. Cook on griddle until edges are lightly brown. Serve with any toppings you'd like!

Strawberry Pineapple Crumble

Yesterday I headed out to a local strawberry patch with my friend Natalie where we each picked several pounds worth of fresh strawberries and then enjoyed delicious strawberry ice cream. This was my first time strawberry picking and I had an absolute blast. Sure, I could have done without the Georgia humidity in April, but I almost all forgot about the heat when I heard the lovely "Pop" that comes from picking the berry off its stem.

Armed with five pounds of ruby-red, sweet strawberries, I had a hard time deciding what to make first. But then I remembered a post I read that morning from Joy the Baker and knew exactly what I'd use my first pound of strawberries for: Strawberry Pineapple Crumble.

If you tilted your head for that combination, you're not alone. I remember thinking, "Huh, interesting." So interesting, in fact, that it just might work really well. I'm here to let you know that it doesn't just work, it's fantastic!

The pineapple's sweet and tart flavor brings out the sweetness from the berries. And the crumble? Well I could probably eat the topping all by itself. All together, this dessert is light enough to eat for breakfast (like I had this morning), and the crunchy topping has a bit of saltiness that pairs perfectly with the filling. Make this. Make it, share it, and enjoy it.

Since I have four pounds of strawberries leftover, what should I make next? I'm thinking at least one pound needs to be devoted to some strawberry ice cream.

Strawberry Pineapple Crumble 

slightly adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients: 
1 pound strawberries, hulled and cut in half/quarters (bite-sized pieces)
1 pound peeled and diced fresh pineapple 
3 tablespoons sugar 
3 teaspoons cornstarch 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
pinch of salt  
2/3 cup all-purpose flour 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 
1 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats 
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar


Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

After fruit is diced, place in colander to drain excess liquid. In a small dish, whisk together 3 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 cup of flour and pinch of salt. Toss sugar mixture with fruit and place fruit in an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add cold butter cubes. Use your fingers (or pastry cutter) to break up the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture. Add oats and pecans; toss together until the butter bits are about the size of the oat flakes.

Pour oat mixture over the prepared fruit. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until juices from the fruit bubble up around the sides of the pan. (Depending on how full the dish is, you may want to put a baking sheet underneath in case it bubbles over.)

Remove crumble from oven; allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Crumble is delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream. Crumble can we wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or wrapped in foil in a low oven.