Rice a Roni, not from a box!

In our house we love rice! So rice a roni is often a quick fix for a side. I was really craving some last week and made it from scratch. I will never buy a box again! This was delicious. Hubby and baby both looved!

Homemade Rice-a-Roni or Rice Pilaf

¾ cup long grain white rice

½ cup small pasta shape, like broken fideo, spaghetti, angel hair, etc…
1-3 tbsp butter, depends how much fat you want.
14 oz no fat, low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp low sodium chicken base
1 tsp dried parsley flakes
½ tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preparation is the same as stated on the box of Rice-a-Roni. Melt the butter in a pan and saute the rice and pasta until lightly browned.
2. Add the chicken broth, base, parsley and garlic. Add any other seasonings if you would like.
3. Bring to a boil and cover, then reduce heat to low. Cook 15 minutes without lifting lid.
4. After 15 minutes check to see if all liquid has been absorbed and fluff rice with a fork. If the rice is tender but it is still a little wet just let it sit on low with the lid off for a few minutes.

Homemade Chicken Taquitos

Growing up my and during school breaks we always had taquitos, the frozen kind in the box, you warm them up in the oven, yeah not so great, huh? But I looved them! I had a whole package of flour tortillas to use and knew this is what I wanted to make. Mr. J doesn't care for them but I really wanted some taquitos so I made these pretty quickly. This was really a fast put together minus the chicken, but that can be made in advance. I served with a side of ranch dressing because this was a guilty pleasure of mine growing up.

                                    

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, more for brushing tortillas
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded cooked chicken meat
2 cups low-sodium, gluten-free chicken broth
12 (6-inch) flour
1 cup crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey jack or cheddar

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F and oil a baking sheet. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add onion and cook until starting to soften and turn translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika and salt. Stir to combine and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until fragrant. Take from heat and stir in cilantro and chicken. Set aside.

Lay tortilla on a work surface and spread 2 or 3 tablespoons chicken mixture over bottom third. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spray or brush tortillas lightly with oil and bake until crisp and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

xoxo,

Mrs. J

Banana Nutella "Ice Cream"

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon The Nifty Foodie she had this recipe posted and as soon as I saw it I had to make it. Last night I had a craving but we didn't have any sweets around the house and then I remembered Banana Nutella "Ice Cream." I only had a little bit of nutella left in the jar but it ended up being perfect! I actually reused the nutella jar and filled it with my "ice cream" and let it freeze overnight. I tried some this morning and it was too die for! This is perfect for a diet or for someone who is lactate intolerant. I love the way the nutella gets a little hard but when you bite into it, it melts in your mouth. Mmmhmm! Love this stuff.

Banana Nutella “Ice Cream”
adapted from via The Kitchn
Ingredients:

• 4-6 very ripe bananas
• 3 tbsp. nutella

Directions:

1. Slice bananas into small bites and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Freeze the bananas for 2-3 hours or overnight.
3. Place the banana slices in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
4. Place the “ice cream” in a bowl and swirl in the nutella.
5. Freeze for a couple of hours until set, if you’d prefer a scoop-able ice cream. Eat immediately if you prefer soft serve.

xoxo,
Mrs. J