Chevy's Red Rice

Chevy's Red Rice is a "MUST HAVE" for a Mexican feast. It takes a regular burrito or a Mexican meal to an amazing one. Enjoy!

Chevy's Red Rice

2 cans of diced tomatoes, blended
1/2 tsp  chipotle purée** (See note - you can increase up to 2tsp for added spiciness)
1 tbsp  chopped cilantro or 1 tsp of dried
2 cups of water 
1 tsp  chopped garlic 
2 tsp salt 
1/3 cup canola oil 
2 cups long-grain white rice 
½ cup chopped yellow onion

Blend the tomatoes and chipotle purée then stir in the cilantro and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the water, blended tomatoes, garlic, chipotle purée**(See note) and salt and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot/pan over high heat until just before the oil begins to smoke. 

Add the rice and onion and sauté until ¾ of the grains are bright white or slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes - don’t drain the oil.

Add the tomato mixture from the bowl to your pot and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat, cover and let stand covered for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and tasting to see whether the rice is done. 

When the rice is cooked through, fluff with a fork then keep warm until ready to serve.

We usually double this and it keeps well in the fridge and makes great leftovers. 

**Do not omit this ingredient. It provides the main smoky flavor of this rice. CRITICAL ingredient. Chipotle Puree is just a can of "chipotles in adobo sauce" blended up until smooth - easy. They can be purchased at any grocery store, Walmart, Kroger, etc. You can keep leftover puree in the freezer. It will keep up to a year in the freezer. The original recipe calls for 2tsp. My family cannot do spice so I reduced it to 1/2tsp and it provides the flavor with a low spice. 

Julie's Guacamole

Julie's Guacamole

4 avocados
1/4 purple onion, finely diced
1 small tomato, finely diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp of cumin
Squeeze of resh lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients. Mash together but do not overmix, I like chunky guacamole. Taste with a chip and add salt and pepper to your liking.

You can really adjust any ingredients to taste. If you like a lot of onion, you can go up to 1/2 of an onion and if you like a lot of garlic, you can increase the garlic... you get the picture :) This is just my basic starting point.

Great addition to any party, meal, or mexican feast :)

Easy Cream Cheese Pesto Dip

Make this!! I promise everyone will thank you when you bring it to your next get together! It's fast, easy and delicious, like lick the foil clean delicious!! I acutally have a friend who litterally licks the foil everytime I bring this dip... she's so funny!

Easy Cream Cheese Pesto Dip

8oz cream cheese

1/3-1/2 cup jarred pesto

Diced Tomato

Shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Lay out a piece of foil. Put the brick of cream cheese in the center of the foil. Pour the pesto on top of the brick of cream cheese. Wrap foil loosely around it and place it on an oven proof dish and bake at 300 for 15-20 or until the cream cheese is soft throughout. Once cream cheese is melt-y, sprinkle tomoatoes and shredded mozzarella and turn on the broiler and watch closely until the mozzarella cheese browns on top.

Serve with pretzle thins, pita chips, veggies or anything you want to dip in it. Pretzle thins are the best!!

Potato Soup with Yummy Noodles

If ever your budget is tight this soup is a yummy delight.

Ingredients

5 large potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 C flour
1 egg
Salt
Pepper
1/4 c butter
1 C milk
1 T cornstarch
1/2 C water

Boil potatoes in salted water.  While boiling, mix 1 c plain flour, 1 egg and salt and pepper(noodle mixture) and  before potatoes are done drop noodle mixture by small spoonfuls into boiling  potato soup. When potatoes are done , drain some of the water off if you think there is to much, and add 1/4 c butter, 1 c milk, and thicken with 1 T cornstarch that has been mixed with 1/2 warm water.

If you love the noodles feel free to double the noodle mixture.

Mexi Casserole

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 package of taco mix
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped onion
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can mexi corn, drained
Jiffy cornbread mix(  1 egg,  1/3 c milk
1 c grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions;
Fry up top 4 ingredients.  Add canned beans and mexi corn.  Top with Jiffy Mix batter.
Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.  Last 5 minutes top with cheese.

Layered Green Salad

This is a traiditonal Christmas salad that I still make to this day. Enjoy!!

Layered Green Salad

1 can sliced water chestnuts

Chopped Celery 

10oz frozen peas

Shredded Lettuce

Chopped Green Onions

Mayonnaise

1 Tbs. Sugar

Parmesean Cheese

Layer in a clear bowl (if you have one): water chest nuts, a layer of celery (however thick), break up frozen peas (do not coolk) and spread over celery. Mix onions and lettuce and layer over peas. Stir mayonnaise and frost the top of the salad like a cake. Be sure to seal the edges. Sprinkle with sugar and parmesean cheese. Let set overnight or at least 6 hours. Recipe by Jane Friden

Tar Bars Licorice Candy

Famous Thackeray treat.  It is like a caramel but licorice.  We used to drive to "The Nut Tree" in Vacaville California and buy these treats  "Tar Bars."  Always a stop on our way to the Oakland Temple. I believe I got this recipe from  Uncle Ralph Thackeray.

Ingredients:

1 can sweet and condensed milk
2 c sugar
1 c butter
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c light Karo syrup
1 tsp Anise oil( not extract)(or 5 t extract as listed in comments below))
1 tsp Black paste food color(do not use liquid)

Cook first 5 ingredients and stir constantly until temp is at 234°  Temp could vary depending on elevation  this recipe was created in north northern California, Etna)  some are saying 240. Take off stove and add Anise oil and black paste food color.
Pour into a 9X13 buttered or Pam sprayed dish.  Cool
Take out of dish and lay on buttered counter.  Cut into strips  and cut into pieces. Wrap in wax paper, clear wrap.
Hint:  I use a buttered sharp knife, and to release candy from 9X13  dip bottom of the dish in hot water for a few seconds.