Freezer Burritos with Spanish Rice, "Refried Beans", & Chicken

Freezer Burritos with Spanish Rice, "Refried Beans", & Chicken
Burritos del congelador con arroz espanola, frijoles refritos y pollo

Here is the link to the recipe I used.  I just added some chicken breast to round things out!

http://www.mamamiss.com/2012/05/11/freezer-burritos/ 

(PS I used 1 part chili powder, 2 parts ground coriander because I ACTUALLY ran out of cumin!)

If you're interested in the differences between the two or making them homemade, here are some awesome flavor boosters used in Latin cooking:  Recaito y Sofrito.

http://myhalalkitchen.com/puerto-rican-rice-doesnt-always-need-goya/

(I used sofrito I found at the grocery store.)

Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli  
Olive Garden Copycat
http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/olive-garden-pasta-e-fagioli-recipe.html

1 lb. ground beef (I used Italian sausages to keep things interesting)
1 c. onion, diced
1 c. carrot, julienned
1 c. celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans (I used black beans I had cooked and frozen previously)
1 can white beans (I cooked these from dry as well, soaking them with a sprig of rosemary to add flavor, a tip I read in a Williams-Sonoma version of Pasta e fagioli)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
12 oz. tomato juice (I used low sodium)
1 TBLS white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 lb. ditali pasta (I used macaroni since I had a huge bag of it on hand)

Instructions:

1.  Brown the meat in a large pot over medium heat.  Drain off most of the fat.

2.  Add onion, celery, carrot & garlic and saute for 10 min.

3.  Add everything else except the pasta and simmer for 1 hour.  (Throughout the process I added homemade chicken stock as was needed.  The recipe as is makes a VERY thick stew.  I think I added about 2 cups or more per batch.)

4.  About 50 min. into the simmering, cook the pasta to al dente, and then add it to the big pot for the last five minutes!

Chicken Caliente Casserole

Chicken Caliente Casserole

Recipe courtesy of Linda Coleman from Food Network

This is a great way to use up left over rice or vegetables you need to use - most veggies work great!

Ingredients:

Butter or non-stick cooking spray, for greasing casserole dish

2 1/2 cups large-diced cooked chicken (I usually substitute 1-2 cans of black beans for the chicken, or sometimes half chicken, half beans)

3 cups cooked rice (1 cup uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked rice)

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup sliced green bell pepper

1 cup sliced onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons fine salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (I omit this as my children aren't fans of hot sauce - my husband adds his own anway!)

3 tomatoes, cut into wedges (can substitute a can of diced tomates)

1 1/2 cup corn chips, crushed

(I usually add 1 c shredded cheddar or colby jack cheese for the last 5 minutes of baking)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish (13” by 9” works great).

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients except the chips and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the buttered dish, top with the chips, and bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve immediately.