Mexican Rice

Mexican Rice is a great side dish for anytime. Even better when making tacos! I adapted this recipe from one I found on www.allrecipes.com.

Mexican Rice
(Makes about 3 Cups)
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Uncooked Long Grain Rice
• 3 Tablespoons Canola or Vegetable Oil
• 1 8oz Can of Ro-Tel Tomato Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Onion, Small Dice
• 1/4 Cup Green Pepper, Small Dice
• 1 3/4 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 teaspoon Roasted Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, add the Canola oil. Let oil get nice and hot. 
2. Add rice. Stir frequently and try not to let it brown. 
3. After about a minute, add onion and peppers. 
4. The rice will eventually change from looking translucent to a very white. At this point, add the cumin and garlic salt, stirring constantly.
5. When that is mixed in, add the tomato sauce and chicken broth. It will boil almost immediately. Stir, cover with lid, and turn heat to low to just simmering. 
6. Simmer for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. 

Here are the ingredients.

The rice before it's cooked in the oil.

It will get a white appearance and not be translucent.

The finished rice.

The method of cooking rice before you simmer it is called the pilaf method. You could use different ingredients and make regular rice pilaf or even change them up and make something totally different and unique. However you do it, it is still called the pilaf method.

Smoked Gouda Chicken Cordon Bleu

My wife's favorite cheese is Gouda. Especially Smoked Gouda! So when I wanted Chicken Cordon Bleu one night, using Smoked Gouda was our compromise. Needless to say, it turned out Amazing! Here is how I made it.

If you have a full service meat department at your local grocer or a butcher, get your chicken breast from them and have them run it through the "Cuber" or "Tenderizer" once. It will thin it out and make it nice and tender. If you don't have someone that can do that, you can either buy thin chicken breast or pound them out yourself with a meat mallet. Lucky for me, I work at a grocery store in the meat department that has such a machine.

Also, in the pictures, I show a large chunk of Smoked Gouda. As I found out in the end result, it was a little too large and didn't quite melt all the way. So when cutting the cheese, try not to use such a large chunk. Maybe about 1/4" thick. I went about 1/2". Plus, you don't want too much cheese. Smoked Gouda is a rather strong cheese and you don't want it to overpower your Chicken.

Smoked Gouda Chicken Cordon Bleu
(Serves 2)
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients

• 2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, ran through cuber (See note above.)
• Smoked Gouda (How much depends on how cheesy you want it. See note above.)
• 2 Thin Slices of Ham from the Deli (Again, your preference of Ham.)
• Italian Style Panko Bread Crumbs for coating.
• Olive Oil Spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Layout ham and place chunk of Gouda on one end.
3. Fold ham around cheese to make a sort of "packet".
4. Lay out chicken breast, silver side up. Silver side has a silvery look to it. Tender side should be on bottom. 
5. Place ham and cheese "packet" on widest of chicken breast.
6. Roll chicken around ham and cheese, tucking in sides as you go. See pictures for help.
7. Spray Chicken and a cookie sheet with olive oil spray.
8. Roll Chicken in bread crumbs and place on the cookie sheet.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is done and cheese is melted. Try not to overcook the chicken.

Start of ham and cheese "packet".

Ham and cheese "packet".

Placing the "packet" on the chicken.

Rolling the chicken around the "packet".

Spray this with olive oil spray for the bread crumbs to adhere.

Coating with bread crumbs.

Place on cookie sheet.

Cooked and ready to eat.

These are easy to make and are a great meal. I served it with my Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. That recipe is on here also! Please let me know how yours turned out.