Follow up to last post

If you make the Spanish Rice recipe from the last post you can also use any leftovers for Stuffed Peppers. Just clean the peppers and fill with the Spanish Rice and then bake in moderate oven for 20 minutes to cook the peppers.

You can also use leftovers as a filling for a burrito.

Round two recipes can be just as good as the first time.  In fact sometimes they are better as the flavors have time to meld.

Spanish Rice

One of my previous posts had Pork Chops baked with Spanish Rice.  In this recipe I add ground beef to the rice and it is cooked on the stove top. It is a quick and economical recipe that can be served as a main course.  This version is an old stand by and can serve 4 - 6.


Spanish Rice with Ground Beef

1 pound ground beef - I prefer 80/20 or 85/15
1/2 of white onion diced

Preheat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the meat and onion and brown.  Pour off any excess grease or oil and then add

1 envelope of Taco Seasoning - stir to coat the meat and onion and let it cook for for a minute or two.  Then add

1 cup of uncooked white rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
 5 cups of water or broth.

Stir all of this in and bring to boil. The liquid will deglaze the pan. Turn down the heat to low and cook over low heat for 40 minutes or until the rice is cooked.  Check half way through and stir the rice so it does not stick and burn.  Recover the pan and cook the rest of the time.

Once the rice is tender check for seasoning.  Serve with a nice green salad and a vegetable.

Birthday Cake

A friend asked me to make a birthday cake for their niece.  Actually I was sort of tricked into it - but never mind - I want to do it. I am tweaking a few recipes for the cake.  It will be a Devils Food Cake with Bavarian Cream filling and Chocolate Buttercream frosting.  While I am working on the details I thought I would share some of the finer points of cakes.

1. Always Always have all of your ingredients at room temperature.  Your baking will be so much better when you do. That means in this case the butter, the eggs, the buttermilk (makes the cake very moist) and your dry ingredients all need to be at room temp.

2. Use only the best ingredients that you can afford. There is a direct correlation between the quality of the ingredients and the outcome.

3. Be sure that all of your equipment is clean and dry. Have your spatulas and other utensils ready and waiting. Is your colling rack ready? Are your pans ready?

4. Assemble all of your ingredients and measure before you start.  That way if something is not right or you forgot something you can correct it before you start mixing. Only start once  everything is in place.

5. Your oven - when you preheat it makes a difference.  I start mine when I walk into the kitchen.  I like to have it cycle at least once after the initial preheat. That way I am sure it is at the right temperature.  I also use an oven thermometer to check.

Now you can start the recipe.  I will post the recipe and some pictures next week when I make the cake.