Spanish Rice with Bacon

April 14, 2013 by 2 Comments

spanish rice

Spanish rice is the perfect side to serve with any Tex-Mex dish.  Bacon and chicken stock add tons of flavor to this classic.

Print
Spanish Rice with Bacon
Serves: 6
 
Bacon makes everything better, including Spanish rice!
Ingredients
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 2 green bell peppers, finely diced
  • 1 C. uncooked white rice
  • 1 C. chicken broth
  • 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 2 tomatoes, finely diced
  • ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a skillet, brown the bacon. Remove bacon to cool.
  2. Add onions and green pepper to bacon grease and saute until translucent.
  3. Add uncooked rice to onion and green pepper mixture and stir until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
  4. Add diced tomatoes, chopped bacon. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.

 

Filed Under: Salads and Sides Tagged With: ,

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

April 10, 2013 by 1 Comment

chicken wild rice soup

Chicken Wild Rice Soup is one of the first things I started making regularly when I was first married nearly 20 years ago.  It’s a Minnesota classic. I got this recipe from a Byerly’s cookbook that I got as a newlywed.  I adapted it slightly, mainly by adding chicken instead of ham (both taste good, however).

Frugal Tips:  This is a freezer-friendly meal.  Make a double batch and freeze it before you add the half and half.

Print
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
 
A Minnesota classic soup
Ingredients
  • 6 Tbsp. butter
  • ¼ C. onion, minced
  • ¼ C. celery, minced
  • ½ C. flour
  • 3 C. chicken broth
  • 2 C. cooked wild rice
  • ½ C. ham, finely diced
  • ½ C. grated carrots
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped sliced almonds
  • ½ C. half and half
  • Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Saute onion in butter until tender. Blend in flour, gradually add broth. Cook until mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute. Stir in rice, ham, carrots, almonds and salt to taste. Simmer five minutes. Blend in half and half, heat to serving temperature. Garnish with chopped parsley.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Soups and Stews Tagged With: , , ,

Tortellini Gorgonzola

April 8, 2013 by 1 Comment

tortellini gorgonzola recipe

This Tortellini Gorgonzola recipe was inspired by a local restaurant called The Neighbors Italian Bistro.  I order it almost every time I go there, so I wanted to figure out how to make it at home.  This semi-homemade version is quick and easy – ready in 30 minutes.   Plus, now that I feel I’ve got a good version of my own I may branch out and try something different the next time I’m there.

Print
Tortellini Gorgonzola
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
A quick, easy at-home meal that will satisfy your craving for Italian restaurant food
Ingredients
  • 2 chicken breasts (1/2 per serving)
  • 1 bag cheese tortellini noodles
  • 1½ C. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
  • ½ jar Alfredo sauce
  • 1 C. half and half (to thin the sauce)
  • ½ container Gorzonzola cheese crumbles
  • ½ C. chopped walnuts
  • 1 red pepper, sliced (optional)
  • ¼ C. diced Roma tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare tortellini noodles per bag instructions. Meanwhile, saute the spinach and red peppers in 1 Tbsp. of butter. Add the Alfredo sauce. Next, add the walnuts, gorgonzola crumbles, and diced tomatoes. I grilled my chicken breast on my George Foreman grill. I didn’t add the red peppers and tomatoes this time because I didn’t have them, but the original restaurant version includes them. Add the cooked tortellini noodles to the sauce. Slice ½ chicken breast and add to the top of the noodles and serve. Serves 4.
  2. Note: I really “eyeballed” the quantities on this recipe. You may want to adjust according to your taste – but it’s really yummy, quick, and easy too!

 

Frugal Tip:  Flash frozen chicken breasts that come in a bag are pretty cheap, but they often get dried out and don’t taste as flavorful as fresh chicken breasts.  One thing I’ve discovered is that if you par-boil them in chicken stock before grilling, they taste better and are more juicy.

tortellini gorgonzola ingredients tortellini gorgonzola ingredients tortellini gorgonzola ingredients tortellini gorgonzola ingredients tortellini gorgonzola ingredients

Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Recipes Tagged With: , , , ,

Copycat Orange Julius Recipe

April 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

copycat orange julius recipe

 

Orange Julius has been around ever since I can remember.  They were always one of my favorite mall treats as a teen, and I still enjoy them today.  My mom has been making this copycat version for years and years.  It’s pretty close to the original, and a great way to enjoy this yummy mall treat at home for less.

Copycat Orange Julius Recipe

6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate
1 C. milk
1 C. water
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
6-8 ice cubes (about 1 1/2 C. ice)

Combine ingredients in a blender. Blend until frothy. This makes enough for about 4 large glasses or 6 small ones.

Note:  I originally posted this Copycat Orange Julius Recipe and photo on Mommysavers.com.

Filed Under: Copycat Recipes Tagged With: , ,
«Previous Page