Instant Pot Spanish Rice

When we eat Mexican Food, I like to have a side of rice or papitas. This recipe for Spanish Rice is very easy to make.  You just need rice, chicken broth, onion powder, salt and salsa.  Mix them together in the liner of the Instant Pot, lock the lid and select Rice setting.   When the rice is done, I let it do a natural release for about 5 minutes followed by a quick release.  Remove the lid, and fluff the rice with a fork and you are ready to eat.

Instant Pot Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
 1 cup long grain white rice
 1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
 1/2 cup mild salsa


Instructions:
1. Rinse rice under cold water.  Place in Instant Pot liner.  Add the chicken broth, onion powder, salt, and salsa.
2. Stir well.  Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock.  Be sure the valve is on the seal setting.  Select rice setting.
3. When the Instant Pot is done, let it do a natural release for 5 minutes followed by a quick release.
4. Remove the lid and fluff rice with a fork.  Serve

Simple Syrup

Have you ever wanted to sweeten a nice cool refreshing drink only to find that the sugar is all at the bottom.  And your last swallow is a mouth full of sugar?  This is where simple syrup comes in.
Simple Syrup is equal parts of boiling water and sugar.  You stir the sugar into the boiling water and keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved.  I usually pour mine into a MasonJar and put it in the fridge.
I use this syrup to sweeten my Cold Brew and Iced Tea.

Simple Syrup

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil.  Once the water is boiling remove from heat.
2. Stir in the sugar and keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Pour the Simple Syrup into a container and place in fridge until ready to use.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Creamy Cucumber Salad

I enjoy eating cucumbers especially in the summer.  They are tasty and crispy. So light and refreshing.  I usually just it them in a dressing with vinegar and spices but this recipe caught my eye.
The creamy dressing is basically sour cream with dill, spices, and a splash of vinegar.  Mix them together and coat cucumber slices with the dressing.
The original recipe called for half of a red onion sliced.  Being that the family doesn't like onions, I omitted them and added onion powder to the dressing.
You can serve this salad right away or chill.


Creamy Cucumber Salad
From Mom On Time Out Adapted Very Slightly by From My Southwest Kitchen

Ingredients
1  English cucumber thinly sliced, approximately 1/8 inch thick
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vinegar
Fresh Dill - optional
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, dill,  onion powder, salt, pepper, and vinegar.
Thinly slice the cucumber.

2. Place the sliced cucumber  in a medium serving bowl and toss with the dressing. Check for seasoning and add additional salt and/or pepper if needed.

Refrigerate for up to 3 days or serve immediately. Garnish with  fresh dill if desired.

Serves 4

Mongolian Beef and Noodles

I did not know what to make for dinner the other night. Luckily, I found this tasty recipe for Mongolian Beef and Noodles.  Flank steak slices are marinated in soy sauce with brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.  I added green bell pepper strips instead of the green onions called for in the recipe.
All of the ingredients are cooked and then a sauce and noodles are added.   Instead of using rice noodles, I used Ramen noodles.  I cooked the noodles until they were tender and saved the seasoning packet for another use.  I made sure all of the ingredients were coated with the sauce.
The result was a delicious healthy dinner enjoyed by the family.  I was repeatedly asked to make this dish again, which I will.


Mongolian Beef and Noodles
From Betty Crocker

Ingredients
12oz  flank steak
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup carrots, cut into matchsticks
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch long slices on the diagonal
1/2 cup beef flavored broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
10oz uncooked wide rice noodles, cooked as directed on package
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Steps
1 Place flank steak in freezer 30 minutes. Cut against the grain into 1/8-inch slices; place in medium bowl.
2 In small bowl, beat soy sauce, brown sugar, gingerroot, sesame oil, garlic and pepper flakes until sugar is dissolved. Add 1/4 cup of the soy sauce mixture to beef; toss to coat. Reserve remaining soy sauce mixture. Cover and refrigerate beef 45 minutes.
3 In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the marinated beef, spreading it out into single layer; cook 1 minute on each side until browned. Transfer beef to plate. Add another 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; repeat cooking remaining half of beef. Transfer  to plate.
4 Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots; cook and stir about 2 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add 3 green onions cut into 1-inch slices; cook another minute.
5 Add broth to reserved soy sauce mixture. Beat in cornstarch and water with whisk; add to hot skillet. Cook until sauce is boiling and thickened. Add beef and cooked rice noodles; toss to coat with sauce, and heat through. Transfer to serving plate; garnish with 3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

Cucumber Mint Limeade

Tangy, refreshing, a taste of summer.  The combination of cucumber, mint, and limes makes a delicious and satisfying summer beverage.   A nice alternative to the standard lemonade and iced tea.  You start by liquifying a cucumber in a blender and then you make a simply syrup infused with mint.  Strain into a pitcher add the lime juice and water.  Stir and serve over ice.  That is all there is to it.  Enjoy.


Cucumber Mint Limeade

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber - peeled
4-1/2 cups water plus 1/4 cup for liquifying  the cucumber
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup lime juice

Directions:
1. Slice cucumber and place slices in a blender.  Add 1/4 cup of water and blend on high until liquefied.
2. Strain through a sieve into a pitcher, pressing to extract juice.  Discard solids.
3. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved.  Add the mint and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Strain the syrup into the  pitcher with the cucumber.  Add the remaining 4-1/2 cups of water  and lime juice to the pitcher and stir.
5. Chill.  Serve.

Cafe Rio Copycat Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

This is the best. You need to make this dressing. I made this dressing to serve as a condiment to my Beef Taquitos.  It was better than salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.  This dressing enhanced the flavor of the Taquitos with its  tanginess and slightly spicy flavor.

This dressing also tastes great on salads.




Cafe Rio Copycat Creamy Tomatillo Dressing
From Our Best Bites

Ingredients
1-ounce package ranch dressing mix (ignore directions on package
1 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1/2 cup buttermilk (plus more if necessary to thin out the dressing)
1–2 limes (enough for 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice)
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup green salsa
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Hot sauce, to taste

Instructions
Place buttermilk, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and ranch mix in a blender. Add the garlic and green salsa and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is well combined. Add hot sauce to taste. Chill for several hours before serving (if possible.)