Arroz Mexicano

That's Mexican Rice you to and me! :) I don't know how traditional or authentic it is, but it tastes good! My brother showed me the recipe, which is Mexican Rice II from www.allrecipes.com. I'm in the process of making it for the 2nd time this week. Eat it as a meal topped with some sour cream and cheese, or wrapped up in a tortilla with your favorite burrito fillings. I sauteed some vegetables the other day (zucchini, mushrooms and bell pepper) and added those, along with sour cream and guacamole. I loved it. My son did as well...in a time where we're lucky if he finishes anything, this he gobbled up!

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 C uncooked long-grain rice

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 C chopped onion

1/2 C tomato sauce

2 C chicken broth

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until puffed and golden. Or just golden, depending on your rice. While the rice is cooking, sprinkle with garlic salt and cumin.

Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20-25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.

A Tale of Two Roasts

I love a deal, really. Garage sales are the best! But, that's not where I get my food. When the grocery store has a BOGO sale on packages of chicken, I'll get as much as I can. It's really a treat when their beef roasts are BOGO. The last time I got BOGO roasts, I asked my dad if he wanted the second one, and he said no. His freezer was stocked. So, I got two roasts for myself and thought about ways to best use them. Fast-forward to a week ago Monday. I had one of those "crock pot cookery" seasoning packets. I mixed it with water, put some carrots, celery and onions in the crock, added the seasoning and the meat and set the crockpot to GO. Then I turned it off and reset it, because I'd put it on the wrong setting. Fast-forward to 8 hours later, I walk in the house and smell the delicious...wait, what is wrong here? I don't smell that wonderful aroma coming from my crock...oh crap. It's off. It's usually on "warm" when I get home. Open the lid to see almost-completely-raw meat. Operator error, I'm sure. I was able to make tacos for dinner that night and pitch the roast. We'll call that one the "Free" one, since it was BOGO and I still had the 2nd one in the freezer.
THIS Monday would be a different story. First, because I forgot to buy the seasoning packet. Improvise...I'm trying to get better at that! So, I looked up some recipes and ideas, and came up with this:

4 celery stalks, rinsed and roughly chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 3lb beef roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 Tbsp Tastefully Simple Onion Onion (i'm sure you could use raw onion, onion powder, dehydrated onion, anything onion)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 package Lipton Beefy Onion Soup Mix

Put the celery and carrots on the bottom of the crock. Lay the roast on top of it. Mix together the cream of mushroom soup and onions, slather over the roast. Pour the can of stewed tomatoes around everything. Set on low and cook 8-10 hours.

Use the recipe on the side of the box of soup mix to make gravy. Pull the roast out of the crock and let it rest 10 minutes or so. Slice for sandwiches, and add to the prepared gravy. Let simmer on low until ready to serve. Serve on hoagie rolls for a delicious sandwich that will be devoured. Even my "I don't like roast" husband REALLY liked it!