Thursday, August 11, 2011

Quick Chicken & Rice

This right here, is my signature dish (well according to my kids) so I had to share this when I happened to make it today for lunch.

There are many ways to cook this and I've tried about each one. I learned this from my mother, and with each time I made it, I had figured out a way to make it quick and easy.

Today, my husband was due home any minute and I couldn't figure out what there was to make that would be ready by the time he got home. When I figured out what I could make, all I had to really worry about was if the chicken would be ready in time.

I'm pretty sure I'm breaking all sorts of cooking rules with this, but it works!

INGREDIENTS
1lb of chicken breast
1/2 small onion
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of water
salt/pepper to taste



Like I said, this was a spur of the moment meal so I didn't have time to cook the chicken. So I took 4 frozen pieces of chicken breast and boiled them in a pot of water on high til cooked. While that's boiling, cut up half of a small onion.



After the chicken is cooked, drain the water leaving very little in the pan and add the onions. As the onions cook, take a pair of tongs and have at it on the chicken, shredding it. Like I said before, this is the quick and easy way. You can take the chicken out and cut it up if you want. Cook chicken and onions until the onions are clear.



Once the mixture is ready, add the 2 soups and water. I usually use half and half on water & milk but my kids had devoured the milk so just water works the same. After mixing everything let cook on medium until the soup thins out. Stirring occasionally so that it doesn't stick/burn on the bottom.



After the soup thins out, you may want to add a bit more water and then add some instant rice. You can cook it separately but I've gotten pretty much the idea of how much to put in .. you just eye ball it. Remove from heat, cover the pot and give about 5-10 minutes for the rice to soften and you're good to go.


My kids love it, works everytime for them!

Mexican Chocolate Brownies!

First off, I'm glad to be able to finally come over and post!! I've been slacking because all I wanted to post was the new recipe I tried out but with the borrowed camera I had, I had no clue how to get the pictures off. But here were are a month or so later and I finally have my camera back and figured out how to get the pictures off the other one. So yay! :)

So as I've said before, my husband's from Mexico. With this, I've been around his family who as well are from Mexico and have learned to eat the authentic Mexican food. Tex-Mex? I can finally say "bleh!" I've also learned about Mexican hot chocolate. At first I can safely say I did not like it all. When I heard "hot chocolate" I got excited and took a sip. Not the best. Ever since then I tried to avoid it.

Come Christmas, each year, we would get goody baskets of fruit and food from his cousin. In the basket was this round bakers chocolate looking things. This is what they'd use for their hot chocolate. My husband wasn't big on it and since my first taste neither was I, but I couldn't bring myself to throw it out and I'd always forget when I would tell a friend I'd bring it to her. So after many years I finally found a recipe that called for this chocolate. My go to in authentic Mexican cooking La Cocina de Leslie had posted a recipe on Mexican Chocolate Brownies .. Had to try it!

INGREDIENTS
6oz butter
2 tablets Mexican chocolate
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)


First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. As that is heating, grease your pan. You can use good ol' butter, but I have a love for my cooking spray!

Now some of these chocolate tablets are easily breakable .. others you're gonna have to saw at it. But once you cut a half-inch into the bar, they'll be easy to break. You'll need to break them into 8 pieces.

In a pan, combine the tablets & 6ox of butter. Now I wasn't all about weighing butter, so I just kept Ms. Paula Dean in mind thinking if I went over, it'd be ok!

With a whisk, on low, cook until the chocolate & butter have melted. Be careful and stir occasionally so that the chocolate will not stick & burn.

After the chocolate is melted, remove from heat. Then whisk in the sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon (if you're using it) & salt to the chocolate til completely combined.

Now add the eggs to the mix, one at a time. I kind of got impatient :(

Now switch from whisk to a wooden spoon (it gets messy & gooey from here!) and GENTLY stir in the flour. I say gently because with me, it went all over!

From here on out my camera died! :( BUT you pour the batter into the pan (considering mine is a 8x8, it all didn't fit-so I had two batches) and make it all even and pop it in for about 20 - 25 minutes or until the brownie springs back when lightly pressed. Let cool for 10 minutes and ENJOY!!! :)
 
Images by Freepik