la cucracha OLE'!

We never went to Florence today.. ended up napping and watching public television till midafternoon.We recently rearranged the living room furniture and WALAH! We can get 4 channels of public tv. It wasnt a bad thing either. I LOVE cooking shows and saturdays all all full of obscure non-foodnetwork shows.. including Julia Child (How awesome is SHE?), Yan Can Cook, and a really fun one with the guys who own Carrabas Italian resturant (there is one at the beach.I WILL eat there next time Im at the beach). Then there was one I hadnt see before. A neat show called "America's Test Kitchen" came on and showed how to make authentic enchiladas and mexican rice nearly from scratch.. I figured hmmm "I can do that" (famous last words huh?). So like a terd of hertles we were off to the grocery store.

It wasnt really that hard. Mexican cooking is all about layering flavors, and I had a pretty good recipe to follow.AND I had my MAGIC BULLET BLENDER. That thing is the absolute BEST.Anyone who cooks at all needs one.

The Mexican rice is AWESOME. So easy and tastes JUST like the stuff you get at a really awesome mexican resturant or at this neat place I ate at in Mazatlan in college.

Mexican Rice Recipe

2 cups long grain rice
1 can chicken stock
4 tsp minced garlic (I used the stuff from a jar)
1 medium white onion pureed
2 meduim very ripe tomato pureed
1-2 jalapeno peppers seeded and viened then pureed
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
1/3 cup CANOLA oil

In a collander rinse the rice until the water runs clear.Drain well. IN a deep pan (like a frying pan with high sides.. this is important so the rice will cook evenly)add the oil and heat until very hot. Add a few grains of rice and when they sizzle its hot enough. Add the rice and the garlic. Stir constantly until the rice is toasted. It will not turn colors, but it will make a "clicky noise" in the pan.

Add the chicken stock and the pureed veggies. Salt to taste. Stir all of this well and then cover. Place in an oven preheated to 350 for 45 minutes. Stir halfway.
Before serving mix in cilantro and squeeze lime over the top.


Enchilada Recipe.

I cant say that I will do this again. It takes forever long and the canned sauce is just as good. I liked mine better than the local Mexican resturants though.

1 large can plain tomato sauce
1 can rotell diced tomato with chiles
1/2 cup of chile powder (seems like a lot but you need it all)
1 onion pureed
2 tsp minced garlic (again with the jar)
1 tsp salt
3 medium chicken breasts sliced
1 can chicken stock
3 tbsp canola oil
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups mexican mix cheese shredded
1 cup pureed cilantro
10-20 corn tortillas
pam spray

sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, diced tomato..

In a deep pan add oil and heat to hot. Add garlic and chile powder to make a paste. Cook for a few seconds stiring constantly. This brings out the flavor of the chiles
Add the chicken and stir well. Add the salt,tomato sauce, chicken stock, and Rotell.

Cook this until the chicken is done though.

Strain through a collander reserving both the sauce and the chicken.

In a separate bowl add cilantro and shredded cheddar to cooled chicken. Mix well

Spray both sides of the tortillas with Pam and place in a hot oven for 4-5 mintes until warm and pliable.

In the bottom of a lasagna pan place 1 cup of the sauce

fill tortillas wil chicken mixture and roll tightly. Place side by side until the pan is full. Top with remaining sauce and 2 cups of Mexican cheese mix

cover with foil and bake at 375 45 minutes.
serve with sour cream,guacamole and lettuce.
tasty.


It was an experience, and I can say that I did it well. But honestly. The canned stuff is just as good.. and not so messy.

Now I am listening to the COLD COLD wind blow and the trailer creak and moan. flannel jammies and hot tea. Feels so good.