I used to love watching I Love Lucy as a kid. Ricky Ricardo would always talk about his favorite meal - Arroz Con Pollo. I never knew what it was, but I was sure it had something to do with snails. (Maybe I though it was the Spanish equivalent of Escargot?) My mother confirmed this -Snails with Chicken. (Apparently, she never took Spanish in high school.) But don't worry - I finally learned what it really meant in Spanish 101 in high school. You'll be happy to hear there wasn't a snail within 20 feet when I cooked this. (Nor were any snails harmed in the making of this meal.)

Arroz Con Pollo is just a fancy (and Spanish) way to say Chicken and Rice. My grocery store had drumsticks on sale ($1 a pound!) last week, so I decided to make this recipe. The chicken was moist and flavorful, and the rice had a nice kick to it. Next time, I think I will add a little cumin and some more veggies, but overall it was a tasty and very easy meal for a busy week night.

Arroz Con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)

2 pounds chicken pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 chicken boullion cube
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dry thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups long-grain rice
4 cups water

Brown chicken pieces in olive oil and season with salt and pepper (they don’t have to be completely cooked, just browned). Add vegetables and garlic, and continue to saute until translucent. Add rice, thyme and bay, and stir for about a minute. Add water, boullion and tomato paste.Stir well, and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Boil 5 minutes, then cover and reduce heat to low, cooking another 10 minutes. Do NOT lift the lid! (This will make the rice gummy.) Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before lifting the lid.

Source: adapted from Canary Girl (seen on elly says opa!)

This is definitely not a typical summer meal, but Justin was craving something spicy, and the nearby Fresh Market (love) accidentally ordered Andouille sausage. This was a quick meal for a weeknight, and obviously very filling. Justin loved it and said the seasoning was spot-on. Bookmark this one for the winter, or better yet, crank up the AC, make this dish, and pretend it isn't 159 million degrees outside.

Cajun Jambalaya

12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined.
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 can diced tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
3/4 cup rice
3 cups chicken broth
5 ounces (or 1) Andouille sausage, sliced*

*If you can't find this in stores, you can substitute a different kind of sausage

In a bowl, combine shrimp, chicken and all seasonings and mix well. In a large saucepan, heat oil over high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery, and saute for about three minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

When rice is just tender, add sausage and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken and shrimp mixture, and cook until meat is done, about 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.


Source: adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Can you tell I've been on a Mexi-kick? Lately, it seems that I am constantly craving fajitas and tacos (not at the same time... usually.) As I said in my Mexicorn post, I usually have trouble coming up with sides for Mexican dishes. I feel like I can finally put that concern to rest after making Arroz Blanco (Mexican White Rice). It is a simple recipe, but is very versatile and imparts great flavor on otherwise bland rice. Feel free to add other veggies to this dish to bring out a new flavor.

Arroz Blanco (Mexican White Rice)

1 cup long grain white rice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 red bell pepper
4 green onions
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oil and butter in skillet over medium heat, and stir in the white rice. Stir until the grains are evenly coated and continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the onions, crushed garlic, and red bell pepper. Continue cooking until just before they turn golden, about 6-8 minutes.

Add water, chicken broth and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. (Do not lift lid during this time - this will make the rice gummy.)

Set rice aside and keep covered for 10 minutes. Chop cooked onions and red pepper and toss with rice. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Masa Assassin

I have been trying to make this along side chicken fajitas for three straight weeks now. Something has come up every time, and it just kept getting pushed back to the next week. I'm grateful I was finally able to make this meal! The rice was very easy to make and wasn't mushy like other rice recipes I have tried. Next time, I think I will add a little more cumin (I only used 1 tsp.) and maybe some chili pepper. This is a great weeknight side!

Mexican Rice

1 cup rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro (I omitted because I didn't have any in the house)
1 Tsp. - 1 Tbsp. cumin (adjust to your tastes)
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Add rice, chicken broth, butter and 1/4 tsp. salt to stock pot. Bring rice to a boil over high heat, stir once, and cover. Simmer on low for 20 minutes, then remove from heat and keep covered for 5-10 minutes longer. (Don't remove the lid during cooking; this makes the rice gummy.)

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, and saute onions for 10 minutes, or until just about brown. Add garlic to the pan, and cook for one minute. Stir in tomato paste and cumin, and cook for one more minute.

Mix in cooked rice, lime juice and cilantro, and season to taste.

Source: adapted from Home Sick Texan

I have been salivating all day thinking about cooking shrimp fried rice along with sesame chicken for dinner tonight. It was definitely worth the wait. It was really simple to make, used only one skillet (well one skillet and one pot to cook the rice), and tasted just like take out. We loved it! I was planning to use a combination of two recipes (most fried rice recipes have the same ingredients, just different proportions), but I ended up changing a lot to fit our tastes - and was very pleased with the results! I will definitely be making this when I am craving a little Chinese.

Shrimp Fried Rice

1 cup uncooked enriched white rice
2 cups water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
5 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
2 large eggs, beaten
12-15 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup uncooked vegetables (I used a mix of peas, carrots and green beans)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Combine rice, water, 1/4 tsp. salt and butter in stock pot. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. (Do not stir or remove lid while cooking; it will make the rice gummy.) Stir and remove from heat.

Heat 1 Tbsp. canola oil in large wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, and stir until just cooked. Remove the eggs from the wok, and set aside on a plate.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in the wok, season shrimp with salt and pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping frequently until just cooked. Remove shrimp to plate, and cut into small pieces.

Heat the remaining 3 Tbsp. of oil in the wok. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the eggs, shrimp and green onions. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and continue to stir-fry for 1 minute. Serve immediately.

Source: Me! (Loosely adapted from Curtis Stone)