October 3, 2011: Spanish Rice

Making Spanish rice is much like making a risotto. The rice is fried first, then bits of liquid are added slowly and absorbed before adding more. It really doesn’t take a whole lot more time than making a box of Rice-a-Roni and this homemade Spanish rice is far tastier!

During the cooking process - this rice still needs to cook a bit longer because it hasn't yet absorbed all the liquid.

Spanish Rice

1 T. olive oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

½ cup minced yellow or white onion (optional)

½ cup white rice

½ cup peeled and seeded tomato, chopped (about 1 medium sized tomato or use canned tomatoes)

½ t. dried cilantro

½ t. dried sage

1 t. garlic salt blend with parsley

¼ t. black pepper

About 3 cups chicken broth

Heat oil to medium low in a saucepan. Add garlic and sauté for about one minute, being careful not to burn garlic. Add rice and sauté until it just begins to turn golden brown. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, the tomatoes, and spices, stirring occasionally. When the liquid is almost all absorbed, add another cup of chicken broth. Continue cooking and adding broth until rice is tender, at least 20 – 25 minutes. 

Serves 3 - 4

August 27, 2011: Dog Food Recipe

This is a recipe I got from my mother-in-law. Her dog, Ebony, was prescribed this diet by her veterinarian, in order to keep track of the amount of protein she eats. I started making it for my dog, Colby Jack, and he loved it. The added benefit of making your own dog food is that you know exactly what’s in it – no fillers, just good, human grade food. Yes, it takes some time to prepare, but this recipe makes a three-week supply and you can freeze two-thirds of it in Ziploc bags or small containers (which also makes it easy to feed while traveling).

Yogi eating his food in a safe place - under the kitchen table!

Low Protein Dog Food

2 pounds 80% lean ground beef

8 eggs, blended (shells and all)

24 slices bread

5 cups white rice

1 cup olive oil

In a large pot, cook the rice in 10 cups water for 20 minutes. Brown the ground beef.

In a very large container, such as bucket, mix together all the ingredients.

Feed 10 to 12 ounces per day for a 60 pound dog, or more for an active dog.

Tip: You an easily add bits of leftover vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, green beans, etc. to provide some variety.

August 11, 2011: Fresh Corn Risotto Recipe

This is the side dish I made with yesterday’s Garlic Basil Pork Tenderloin. I love using fresh, seasonal ingredients and I happened to have corn on the cob and basil on hand so this was the perfect meal. This recipe was also adapted from the August issue of Relish magazine.

Fresh Corn Risotto

2 corn on the cob

2 T. milk

1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 cup rice (Arborio is best but I used Jasmine rice with nice results)

3 to 4 cups chicken broth

1 t. minced parsley

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the corn kernels from the uncooked cobs. Place half of it in a blender and add the milk. Puree; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the olive and butter to medium. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes, just until they begin to soften. Add the rice and cook for a few minutes more. Add the parsley and one-half cup of the chicken broth, stirring frequently until absorbed. Add the corn kernels and pureed corn. Continue adding chicken broth one-half cup at a time, cooking and stirring until absorbed before adding more. Minimum total cooking time is 20 minutes. Just before serving season with salt and pepper and add Parmesan cheese; stir gently to combine.

Serves 4 – 6

June 29, 2011: Citrus Risotto Recipe

This is a nice, light side dish that goes great with grilled meats. It does take some time during preparation to stir the dish, so it’s not the best one to select when you have guests – but the flavor does have that “wow” factor. Try it and see what you think.

Citrus Risotto

¼ cup butter
1 ½ cups Arborio (short grain) rice (I have also used jasmine rice with nice results)
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. citrus peel seasoning blend
Juice of one key lime
1 quart chicken broth
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the rice and cook until lightly browned. Slowly stir in 1 ½ cups of the chicken broth and the garlic, parsley, lime juice and citrus seasoning. Continue stirring frequently, until almost all the broth is absorbed. Continue to add broth a half cup at a time and stir frequently until it is almost absorbed before adding additional broth. The rice is done when all the broth is nearly absorbed and the sauce is creamy. Just before serving, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.