Nicaraguan Rice

This is my dad, Jorge’s recipe. The best addition to this rice is ketchup not soy sauce. I also like it for breakfast the next morning with an over easy egg. And it is the base recipe for Gallo Pinto or Arroz Aguado.

Ingredients

• 2 c White rice
• 3 tbs Olive oil or vegetable oil  
• 2 White or yellow onions
• 1 each Red, Yellow, Orange and/or Green Bell Peppers (1 of each is usually a solid choice or just use what you have) 
• 2 tsp salt 
• 4 c water 

Directions

Heat the oil in a very large frying pan or large shallow pot (make sure it has a lid!!!).

Add the rice a little at a time sautéing and coating the rice with the oil. When the rice starts to pop a little, add the water. Make sure not to burn the rice. After you add the water, add the sliced onions and peppers to the top of the rice. Add the salt (more or less depends on taste). Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover with the lid. Cook for 20 min or so.

Serves 8. On a good day 😉

Chris’ Favorite Veggies

Chris says, “This is my addiction. You can put it over rice, but really that’s only to look ‘normal’ while eating this stuff. When I’m alone I may eat it straight out of the pan.”

Ingredients

• Soy sauce
• Olive oil
• Coconut vinegar 
• Sliced bell peppers (red, yellow, green, orange, purple, whatever you can get) 
• Sliced yellow onion

Directions

In a large frying pan heat up a good drizzle (maybe 2 tbs) of olive oil. Add the  yellow onion, sauteeing until translucent. Add the bell peppers 2 good splashes of soy sauce and 1 good splash of coconut vinegar; sautee until tender. Serve over rice.

Jackie here: we don’t always use the vinegar, it can be challenging to find because Chris likes to get silver swan coconut vinegar, and you can only find that in the occasional Phillipino market or online.

 

Baked Chicken ala Chris

This is an easy chicken recipe that is whole meal in itself; add a salad and you’re set. We used 6 chicken thighs, and for 6 hefty servings I spent about $6 (shopped the managers special on the chicken & froze until we were ready to cook).

Jackie says, “This recipe is 9 year old and 4 year old approved, I’m serious they totally scarfed it down.”

Ingredients

• Potatoes cut into chunks no lie 
• Vegetables (your choice, we used frozen) 
• Olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon green onions 
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder 
• 1 tablespoon paprika 
• 1 tablespoon salt or seasoned salt 
• 1 2 teaspoons lemon pepper 
• Half a cup Parmesan cheese 
• 6 chicken breast or chicken thighs

Directions

Split potatoes and vegetables into 2 casserole dishes. Drizzle generously with olive oil.

Mix green onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt, lemon pepper, Parmesan cheese in a small bowl.

Sprinkle half of this mix on to the potato and vegetables. Pour a little olive oil over the chicken, and then the rest of the Parmesan cheese mixture into that. Layer the chicken on top of a vegetable potato stuff. Cover the whole thing with tin foil. bake the two trays at 375 for 1 hour. Comes out perfect.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Rigatoni with Sausage Sauce

Jodi says, “This is NOT diet food, that’s why I don’t make it so often anymore.”

This delicious pasta is one of the few recipes my mom, Jodi, will make over and over.  Just typing it out makes my mouth water thinking of the cheesy flavors. It’s really good with hot toasted buttery french bread , baggettes work well also.

 Ingredients

• ½ lb mild italian sausages
• ¼ c butter or margarine
• ½ pound (about 2 ½ c) rigatoni or mostaccioli
• Salted water
• ¾ c whipping cream
• ¼ c dry white wine
• ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
• Grated nutmeg
• Additional grated Parmesan cheese

 Directions

Remove casings from sausages; crumble meat. In a deep, heavy frying pan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add sausage and cook slowly, stiring occasionally, until sausage is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in boiling salted water according to package directions until al dente; drain well.

Add cream and wine to sausage; increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Adjust heat so mixture boils gently; cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened (about 5 min).

Mix in drained rigatoni and the ¼ cup of cheese. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Serve at once with additional grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings

Alice’s Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 c sugar (brown if desired)
• 1 c oil

• 2 c grated or finely shredded zucchini
• 3 c sifted flour (whole wheat flour if desired)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Beat the eggs, sugar and oil until light & frothy.

In a separate bowl mix the zucchini, flour, vanilla, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

Gently fold & mix the zucchini mixture into the egg mixture.

Pour into greased & floured pan.

Bake in 350 F oven for 1 hour until done. Test with a toothpick.

Grandpa’s Pumpkin Pie

So far 3 generations of children have helped Grandpa make this pie. When I was little I asked Grandpa what the secret ingredient was, he told me it was love. While I’m positive that love is the key ingredient in the recipes here, grandpa has a couple secrets up his sleeve. 

Chocolate Fudge Cake & Velvet Cream

My mom, Jodi, has had this recipe since her home ec class at Ramona Convent. It is a make from “scratch” cake. Nina Jill requests it of her as do I. The frosting is killer! 

Jackie says, “My favorite part of my mom baking this, was licking the frosting stirrers.”

Tia Jackie’s Hangover Cure

1. After hurling drink 2 glasses of water and pass out.
2. Wake up queasy
3. Eat an apple, take 2 ibuprofen, and a tsp of honey, 2 more glasses of water and chamomile tea.
4. Wake up, you should be still nauseous but no headache.
5. Eat another apple and some oatmeal. The real kind if you have it otherwise instant is OK.
6. Follow that up with menudo, a burrito, or some kind of greasy hamburger thing.

You should be ok 🙂

xoxo

Sweet Death

Proceed with caution.

Chris: “Three of those and you’re done for the night”

Ingredients

• Vodka
• Coconut Rum
• Bacardi 151
• Cranberry juice
• Pineapple Orange Banana (or similar)

Directions

Locate a large cup. Fill with ice (not optional, do it!). Half of the cup vodka, ¼ of the cup Coconut Rum, splash of 151 on top, dual pour cranberry juice & flavored juice to sweeten. No need to mix, just tip it back.

Cheers

7 & 7 – Grandpa Mel’s

Ingredients

• Seagram’s Seven Crown Whiskey/ Any kind of Whiskey available
• 7UP/Sprite/Fizzy lemon soda

Directions

Locate a large cup. Ice may be added to it or not, ice waters down the drink. Add Seagram’s ½ to ¾ of the glass, add 7UP to the the top, if it looks too clear add more Seagrams.

Cheers