King Ranch Mac & Cheese, Boston Style

In honor of National Mac & Cheese Day, here's a impressively simple recipe for King Ranch Mac & Cheese, Boston style. Not familiar with King Ranch?, It's basically anything with cheese, chicken and chili peppers This flavor combo has roots in South Texas. Some would add tomato to their definition of King Ranch. Why not put all that together with Mac & Cheese?

INGREDIENTS:

1 box Velveeta Shells & Cheese (12 oz)
1 can Campbell's Chunky Chili Mac soup (18.8 oz.) (the tomatoes are in here)
1 Bumble Bee Snack On the Run! Chicken Salad w/ Crackers Kit

METHOD:

Prepare Velveeta Shells & Cheese as directed
Stir in the Chicken Salad from Bumble Bee Snack on the Run! (snack on the crackers as you go)
Strain the excess liquid from the Chili Mack soup. Set liquid aside.
Stir in the Chili Mac soup.
Drizzle some of the Chili Mac soup liquid over the mixture, as a garnish
Serve & enjoy!

NOTE:
To get this closer to it's King Ranch roots, double the amount of chicken salad and use half of the Chili Mac soup.

Kale & Corn Soup

Here's another fresh & easy recipe inspired by a visit to Boston's Haymarket. With a few simple steps & ingredients, this nourishing & satisfying soup is worth the time it takes to simmer. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium of bunch kale 

4 ears of corn

1 bunch of scallions

1 cup milk

2 cups water

Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:

Pour water & milk into Crock-Pot. Add salt & pepper. Put Crock pot on high setting. 

Prepare vegetables and put into a large mixing bowl:

 

• Chop kale & discard stems 
• Peel corn, discard husks. Cut kernels from cob
• Chop scallions

Toss vegetables. 

Put tossed vegetables into pre-heated Crock-Pot. 

Stir with liquids in the Crock-Pot. 

Cover Crock-pot and heat mixture for 4 - 5 hours, stirring occasionally. 

Turn off Crock-Pot and let mixture cool for 2 - 3 hours. 

Once cool, puree mixture in small batches with a blender or food-processor. 

Serve & enjoy or store in refrigerator or freezer for ready-made tasty & healthy meals. 

Rest in Peace and Many Thanks, Anthony Bourdain

Here he is, sharing his thoughts on one of his best-loved simple recipes: scrambled eggs. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBJESSMD8qA

Eater.com/Gabe Ulla 

Rest in Peace and Many Thanks, Tony x

Cream of Broccoli & Cheddar Soup  

Inspired by a visit to Haymarket Boston, where I scored a pile of fresh broccoli, cheap; this recipe is easy & done in the Crock Pot®.  It does take 8 – 10 hours to finish, but it takes no more than 1 hour to get the ingredients prepped & into the Crock Pot®.  So gather the ingredients, get them into the Crock Pot® and forget about it for a while. You’ll be glad you did!

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Broccoli (@ 1large or 2 small heads)

¼ cup butter (salted or unsalted)

½ onion

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 quart vegetable stock

2 cups whole milk

8oz cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper to taste

Bread of choice

METHOD

Pour vegetable stock, milk and butter into the Crock Pot®. Turn Crock Pot® on High setting and cover. 

Chop onion, add to Crock Pot® and stir. Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Put a few pieces of cut broccoli aside for garnish. Add flour to broccoli and toss to coat. Put broccoli and flour mixture into Crock Pot®. Put a pinch of grated cheese aside for garnish.

Add grated cheddar cheese to mixture in Crock Pot® and stir. Add salt & pepper, to taste. 

Cover and cook on High setting for 4 hours, Low setting for 6 hours.

Turn off Crock Pot®, remove pot from heating element and cool for about 4 hours.  

Puree in mixture in a blender or food processor. Garnish, serve with bread & enjoy!

Note: Once pureed, this soup can be enjoyed at any temperature. 

Spinach Rice with a Sweet Kick 

As a snack or a side dish, treat yourself to some Spinach Rice with a Sweet Kick. You'll be glad you did! With a rice cooker, this luxurious treat is ready in no more than 10 minutes. Stove top, it's ready in no more than 30 minutes. 

INGREDIENTS:

8oz white rice

8oz frozen spinach

1/2 jar (7oz) Sharwood's Pineapple & Coconut Milk cooking sauce

Serves 2

Need more? Just increase all ingredients proportionately

METHOD:

In rice cooker or stove top pan, cook rice according to package directions. 

Add frozen spinach and stir to combine 

Add sauce and stir to combine 

Heat to bring mixture up to serving temperature. (@ 3 minutes in rice cooker, 5-10 minutes on medium heat stove top.) 

Stir, serve and enjoy! 

Sharwood's Pineapple and Coconut Milk sauce has a rich sweetness, elevated by mild spicy hints. This is just one way to take advantage of it's stand-out flavor profile. 

Fresh Onion Dip 

With an extra 1/2 onion left behind from making Rice & Beans, Belezian Style, plus a few other ingredients, I made some fresh onion dip.

INGREDIENTS
4 oz chopped onion (red onion used here)
1Tbsp cornstarch
4 oz shredded cheese (Cheddar & Monterey Jack blend used here)
4 oz. broth (beef broth used here)
Note: Have more onion? Just multiply quantities accordingly.

METHOD
(Microwave or stove top options)

Combine ingredients:
Put chopped onions into microwave-safe bowl.
Add cornstarch. Mix to coat onions in cornstarch.
Add cheese and stir to distribute evenly.
Pour broth into mixture and stir.

Heat in microwave: 
Heat mixture in microwave for 5 minutes and stir.
Heat for 5 minutes and stir 2 more times.
Cool for at least 5 minutes.
Serve & enjoy.

OR

Heat stove top:
Transfer mixture into saucepan.
Heat stove top on medium heat for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring regularly.
When dip reaches desired consistency, remove from heat.
Cool for at least 5 minutes.
Serve & enjoy.

Note: Make this ahead and keep in the fridge for later. Just cool for about 30 minutes before storing in the fridge.

Rice & Beans, Belizean Style

Thinking about Belize, I thumbed through my copy of the Moon Handbook Belize (2013 pp. 360) and noticed the description of Belizean food, which I’ve enjoyed, first hand. Inspired, off I went to get ingredients for rice & beans. Here’s my version of this simple and delightful snack or side-dish, Belizean style.  A rice cooker was used to make this batch, which serves 4 – 8. That all depends on if served as a snack or a side dish.  Need more? Just multiply quantities accordingly. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup dry kidney beans

1 cup white rice

1 cup coconut milk

Half a red onion, chopped

Salt & pepper (as desired)

Thyme (as desired)

4 cups water

EQUIPMENT: Rice Cooker

COOKING TIME: 90  minutes (may vary by rice-cooker or quantities) 

METHOD:

Put beans into the rice cooker. Add 3 cups of water.

Cover and cook in rice cooker. (Cooking times vary, by rice cooker. Mine takes @30 minutes.)

When cooked, stir.

Turn off rice cooker and let beans sit for 30 minutes.

Add rice. Stir.

Add coconut milk. Stir.

Add 1 cup of water. Stir.  

Add onion, thyme, salt & pepper and stir.  

Cover and cook in rice cooker. (Cooking times may vary. Mine takes @30 minutes.)

When cooked, stir, serve and enjoy!

Makes 32 oz. (4 – 8 servings)

Quinoa Fusilli Primavera (It's Vegan!)

Recently, I discovered Andean Dream Quinoa Fusilli. That might be a mouthful, but it's worth it, if you want gluten-free & allergen friendly fusilli. It's also organic, vegan, non-GMO and corn free. I used it to make some Fusilli Primavera, a very satisfying mouthful.

INGREDIENTS: 

8 oz (1 box) Andean Dream Quinoa Fusilli 

16 oz (1 bag) 365 Everyday Organic California Style Blend (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots) 

1 Tbsp. olive oil 

METHOD

Bring 3 - 4 quarts of water to a boil, add salt if desired

Add fusilli, reduce heat and cook for 14-16 minutes. 

Stir occasionally.

Drain pasta and set aside in a large bowl.

Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil. 

Gently stir to coat pasta with olive oil.

Put vegetables in a microwave-safe dish. 

Add 4 Tbsp. water. 

Cover and cook on high for 6 -8 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. 

Drain vegetables and add to pasta.  

Stir to combine.

Season as desired. 

Serve & enjoy!

Serves 4  

Optional: Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. 

Microwave Spinach Fritatta

Let's face it, who has time to cook a good breakfast? Not many! Here's an easy way to make a fresh & tasty breakfast.

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs
1/4 cup milk of choice
3/4 cup frozen spinach
1 tsp butter

METHOD:

Crack eggs into large mixing bowl
Beat eggs until yolks & whites are blended
Add milk and stir to combine with eggs
Add spinach and stir to combine with eggs & milk
Grease microwave safe dish with butter
Pour egg and spinach mixture into greased microwave safe dish
Heat for 3 minutes in microwave
Insert toothpick to check for doneness (Eggs still wet? Not done, yet!)
Heat additional 30 - 60 seconds, if necessary

Enjoy!

NOTE: Cooking times vary by microwave strength

Mango Chili Bean Soft Tacos

Mango Chili Bean Soft Tacos

Warm up with these! No Mango Chili Bean Dip? 

Refried beans will work.  

8 soft corn tortillas

16 oz Mango Chili Bean Dip 

     (see recipe from 12/29/17)

16 oz sour cream

16 oz cherry tomatoes, rinsed & sliced

16 oz micro greens, rinsed

METHOD

1.     1. Spoon 2 oz. Mango Chili Bean Dip onto each soft tortilla, fold and place on microwave safe dish.

2.    Microwave for 90 seconds to warm tacos.  

3.    Add 2 oz. of sour cream over the bean dip to each taco.

4.    Top each taco with cherry tomatoes and microgreens as desired.

Serve & enjoy! 

Serves 4

Tip: Put something light and microwave safe on top of folded tacos when heating. They'll stay folded as the bean dip warms up.