Spicy Rice

Spicy Rice

(Makes about 4 servings)

1 cup converted rice (not instant)
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 tsp. Creole seasoning of your choice (or more, earlier recipe used 2 tsp.)
1 tsp. chile powder (or more)
1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (or more)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (can be canned broth)

Directions:

Use a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid. Heat olive oil in pan, then add rice and sauté until slightly golden, about 5 minutes.

Add spices and sauté 1 minute, then add chicken stock, one cup at a time. (It will sputter, so be careful). Let the stock come to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover pan, and cook without lifting lid for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, check rice. If it is not done or broth is not completely absorbed, cover and cook 5 minutes more. When rice is done, turn off heat and let rice sit 5 minutes still covered. (If you're not careful to have the heat low enough, the rice might stick a little to the bottom of the pan, but it will loosen when it sits for five minutes.) Serve hot.

This freezes well, so you might want to make extra and freeze it in dinner-size portions.

Chicken Gumbo - Weekend Recipe

Gumbo

1 2-3 pound whole chicken

3 tablespoons butter

2 medium onions, diced

1 cup chopped celery

2 medium bell pepper, deseeded and diced

2 cups sliced okra

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound smoked Polish sausage, cut into 1-inch slices

1 cup diced smoked ham

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with peppers, with juices

1 (10-ounce) can Navy beans

2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning or Backyard Patch Do-It-All Seasonings

2 bay leaves

2 cups chicken stock

1 pound raw small shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cleaned

4 cups cooked rice (optional)

Directions:

Wash chicken and place into a large Dutch oven. Cover with water plus about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove chicken from water and set-aside to cool. Add butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, okra, and garlic to chicken stock.

Pull chicken from the bone and add back to the stock. Add in Polish sausage, and ham. Cook for about 10 minutes to allow all the juices to incorporate.

Pour in diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with peppers. Smash Navy beans with a fork while in the can and then pour into the Gumbo along with Ole Bay seasoning and bay leaves.

Bring Gumbo to a boil and stir in additional chicken stock. Cook for 10-15 minutes and then stir in shrimp. Cook until shrimp has turned pink, about 5 more minutes.

Remove bay leaves from the Gumbo and the Dutch oven from the heat. Serve Gumbo over rice (optional) or by itself. Serves 10.

Notes

Alternately, you may use a rotisserie chicken rather than cooking a whole chicken, if desired. If doing so, I recommend the following changes to recipe: Heat Dutch oven over medium heat. Melt butter and add onion, celery, bell pepper, okra and garlic. Sauté until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Continue with remaining steps of the original recipe and add 4 cups of chicken stock to Gumbo when recipe calls for 2 cups. Using rotisserie chicken will reduce cooking time by 2 hours.

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails

May Recipe theme - Cajun and Creole Recipes

This month the recipe theme is Cajun or Creole. (see below recipe for more.) I have a few easy to prepare recipes in this category, but if you are looking for a great red beans and rice check out this one on amazingribs.com.

Cajun Chicken & Rice

1 cup uncooked rice

2 cups water or chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Cajun or Creole Seasoning (I recommend Backyard Patch N’Orleans Spirit)

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups diced onions and bell peppers

1 (10-oz) can Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Combine rice, water (or broth) and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 14 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside when done. Keep covered.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch cubes. Season generously with Cajun seasoning. Add one tablespoon of the olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, increase heat to high, and when the oil is hot, carefully add the onions and bell peppers. Add more seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned.

Add the tomatoes to the onions and bell peppers, then add the chicken back in, along with any juices that may have collected on the plate. Add the cooked rice and stir until well combined. Add the cheese if desired and stir well to combine. Makes: 4 servings.

RECIPE THEME:

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails