Arroz con Leche: Winter Time Comfort Food

I recently signed up to bring a hot dish to a weekly women's bible study and I couldn't decide between savory or sweet so I thought about what I loved eating for breakfast when I was a child.  The first thing that came to my mind was Cream of Wheat with cinammon toast and the second thought was a warm bowl of Arroz con Leche.  Oh my goodness, Mexican rice pudding is the ultimate comfort food for breakfast.

The following receipe is adapted from a recipe I found off a food blog called ButterYum.  I decided on using this receipe because I liked the recommendation of Arborio rice (used for making risottos) instead of the traditional long grain rice.  Arborio rice is shorter grain and has a higher starch content so when it's cooked properly the end result is a silky creamy texture that is to die for.  You can also use Valencia rice which is very similar to Arborio rice.  I made a few modifications to the recipe by adding a couple of traditional Mexican cooking methods often used when making Arroz con Leche.  

My first attempt resulted in a kitchen disaster because I tried using leftover cooked Arborio rice and folding it into the liquid mixture.  The rice pudding didn't taste bad, but it lacked that creamy texture and bits of the rice seemed undercooked.  My next attempt resulted in the perfect creamy consistency that makes a good Arroz con Leche worth the extra calories. 

As a word of caution, be sure to use a large heavy bottomed sauce pan or dutch oven.  Also because these ingredients can burn very easily, you have to be sure to keep your eyes on the mixture at all times during the cooking process.  I learned that there are no shortcuts when it comes to making Arroz con Leche, but the end result is well worth the 45 minutes in your kitchen.  This receipe will serve about 8.

ARROZ CON LECHE

1 cup Arborio or Valencia rice
2 Tbsp. butter
6 Cups whole milk
1/2 Cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
1/2 Cup raisins (optional)
Pinch of kosher salt
cinnamon sugar, for dusting (optional)

 

In a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan or dutch oven, melt the butter and lightly toast the rice for about 2 minutes.  Add the milk, sugar, cinnamon sticks, salt and vanilla bean and continuously stir the mixture bringing it to a medium boil.  Add the raisins (if using), and reduce heat to a gentle bubble and stir continuously for 20-30 minutes until the rice is plump and creamy.  It is very important not to walk away during this step. 

Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon sticks.  Serve immediately, dusting each portion with cinnamon sugar or transfer it to a storage container covering the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and chill completely.  

Note: If you plan to serve your Arroz con Leche chilled and you find the pudding is too firm, gradually stir in a little milk or half and half until you reach the desired consistency. Some prefer Arroz con Leche chilled and firm while others enjoy it warm with lots of extra milk.  I came across a recommendation to serve it with a crust of carmelized sugar on top (think Creme Brûlée), which is the way I'm going to serve it next time.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie in 35 minutes

During the holidays your home can be filled with so much fun and laughter, but there's always so much housework involved.  You clean your house from top to bottom before the company arrives and then when they leave, your home (the kitchen in particular) looks like a disaster zone.  I'm always on the look out for time saving receipes that don't require a lot of pots and pans to clean up afterwards.

Here's a quick and easy pot pie receipe by Sunny Anderson that I tried out last week.  I served the filling over pasta instead of putting it in a traditional pie crust.  It wasn't the best turkey pot pie filing I've ever eaten, but it was pretty decent considering how easy it was to prepare. 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs leftover turkey
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp dried oregano
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup frozen pearl onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream (warmed to room temp)
1 store bought pie crust or puff pastry sheet, unbaked and thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the onions, peas and carrots, seasoning them with salt and pepper.  Stir and cook until the onions become tender, about 3 - 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.  (I sauteed the garlic first).  Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the flour dissolves into the veggies and juices.  (You might need to add a little water).  Add the chicken stock and raise to a simmer, stirring until thickened.  Once the liquid has thickened, stir in the warmed heavy cream.  Then fold in the leftover turkey until it's warm.  Season with salt, if needed.

Place the filling into a round casserole dish or pie pan.  Unfold the thawed out pie crust and place it over the top of the filling, tucking the excess edges inside the pan.  Brush the top of the crust with the egg wash.  Using a knife, gently cut 3 vents in the top of the crust.  Place in oven and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.




 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Give your kids a boost of Vitamins A and C over the holidays with this super easy and yummy loaf cake recipe.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

1 ¾ C all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1 C white sugar

3 large eggs

1 C canned pure pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 C whole milk

3/4 C mini semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 C chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

 

Set oven to 350F.   Butter and flour a 9x5x2 ½-inch metal loaf pan.  Sift first 5 ingredients into a medium size bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until creamy smooth.  Gradually beat in sugar, then add eggs 1 at a time.  Next, beat in the pumpkin and vanilla.  Slowly add the dry ingredients into pumpkin mixture alternating with the milk.  Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.  Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan.  (You can also put batter in a cupcake pan to make individual cakes).
 
Bake loaf cake for about 55 minutes or until tester (toothpick) inserted into center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes.  Then, turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. 

Peaches n Cream = Yummy Homemade Ice Cream

Over this Labor Day weekend, I came across a super simple way to make peach ice cream.  I just got back from the grocery store and stopped by the bakery section to pick up a ready made pound cake.  My folks are coming over for dinner today so I'm going to top the cake with a scoop of this ice cream and some peach flambe on top.  Where's the brandy?

Super Simple 

Peach Ice Cream

3 eggs, beaten

1 3/4 cup sugar

5 ripe peaches, pitted and chopped

2 cups whipping cream

1 cup half and half

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp kosher salt

First you'll need to blanch the peaches so that the outside skin can be easily removed.  In a medium sized pot, bring water to a rapid boil and drop the whole peaches making sure they are completely submerged.  Boil the peaches for about 2 minutes and remove them with a slotted spoon placing them directly into a large bowl of ice water.  Allow the peaches to cool, lightly pat dry, and gently peel off the skins, remove the pits, and chop the peaches into medium size pieces.

In a large mixing bowl, whip the eggs and sugar together until smooth and pale yellow.  Puree the chopped peaches in a blender and then stir into the egg mixture.  Stir in the cream, half and half, vanilla, and salt and mix well.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

As a word of caution, since this recipe calls for the use of raw eggs, it is recommended not to serve this ice cream to infants or pregnant women.

My Latest Kitchen Disaster = Kick Ass Nutella Milkshakes

I LOVE Nutella.  A few days ago, I was slathering some of it on a slice of toast and I recalled a news story about a ridiculous lawsuit filed by a San Diego mom against the company that makes Nutella.  She accused the big bad corporation (Ferro) of airing deceptive television commercials that tricked her into buying their sinfully delicious chocolate spread for her young child.  In typical Hollywood fashion, she portrayed consumers of Nutella as helpless victims, and the class action lawsuit went on courtesy of California tax payers.  Ferro denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to a class action settlement to avoid ongoing litigation.

Frivolous lawsuits like this one really get under my skin, so I decided to use my Nutella in the most sinfully delicious way I could imagine....

Here's an easy to follow recipe for Nutella ice cream by Giada De Laurentiis.  My "kitchen disaster" happened because I didn't use enough eggs.  The end result was a milkshake batter, which in my opinion, is far more sinfully delicious than a scoop of ice cream. 



Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream

2 c whole milk
1 c heavy cream
1/2 c granulated sugar, plus 1/4 c
4 large eggs yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c Nutella spread
1/2 c toasted hazelnuts, crushed for garnish

Directions

In a saucepan combine the whole milk, cream and 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat, and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium glass bowl, whip the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar using an electric mixer.  Whip until the eggs have become thick and pale yellow, about 4 minutes.  Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the warm milk/cream mixture into the egg mixture and stir vigorously.  Add this mixture back into the saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 to 10 minutes.

[Kitchen Disaster:  If you're in the mood for milkshakes, use just 2 egg yolks instead of 4 yolks.  The custard won't reach a thick consistency.  Continue on with the recipe.  The end result will be kick ass chocolate milkshakes for dessert instead of ice cream.]

Place a fine mesh strainer over a medium glass bowl and pour the warm custard mixture through the strainer.  Stir in the vanilla and Nutella until it dissolves.  Chill the mixture completely for 1 hour before pouring into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions to freeze.  If you are making milkshakes instead, you don't need to pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, but you will need to freeze the mixture for about an hour.  Serve topped with whipped cream and crushed hazelnuts.

GOT CITRUS?

Spring is in full bloom and the final crop of Arizona citrus is here.  If you have extra lemons or grapefruits on hand, why not take a stab at making some homemade citrus liqueur.
 
Here's the recipe to make Limoncello with lemons or Pompelmocello with grapefruits.  It's simple to make, but just requires patience. You can drink it in chilled shot glasses or use it to make your favorite citrus cocktails.  Take a bottle of it with you to your next party!

Limoncello or Pompelmocello

16 organic lemons or
10 large organic grapefruit
Don’t use conventional citrus because it's coated in food wax.  The peel (the “zest”) is how you create the flavor, so it’s important to use only organic citrus.

2 750ml bottles of grain alcohol (Everclear 151 is a good choice)
Make sure it's at least 100 proof because anything below that point may cause liqueur to freeze if storing in freezer.

4 cups white sugar

6 cups water

Fine mesh strainer or 3 large coffee filters

Narrow neck funnel

2 Gallon size glass airtight jars (new jars to ensure quality)

Glass swing cap bottles (sterilize them in the dishwasher before bottling)
These bottles are great for gift giving or just use your empty 750ml grain alcohol bottles if you don't plan on sharing.  You can find the ones pictured above at Cost Plus Imports or purchase them on-line.

STEP ONE (band-aids on hand)

Thoroughly wash your citrus in hot water and pat dry.  Using a vegetable peeler carefully remove the skin, trying to peel in long strips, until all the zest is removed.  Be careful not to peel too deep or you will also be removing the pith which will create a bitter finish that you don’t want in your liqueur. The longer peel strips make it easier when you are at the straining stage.  

STEP TWO (the patience part)

In a gallon sized glass jar, add the citrus peel and pour the grain alcohol over the top.  Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place for at least 10 days, giving it a little shake daily.  If you’re really patient, you can store your infused alcohol for up to a month.  The longer you let it sit, the better it will taste in the end.  We made it to 2 weeks.

STEP THREE (almost there but not quite yet)

In a medium saucepan, make a simple syrup by combining the water and sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Once it just starts to boil, remove it immediately from the heat and let it to cool completely. 

In a separate gallon sized glass jar, strain the citrus infused alcohol in order to remove all impurities.  You can use a fine mesh strainer or if you don't have one, use large coffee filters set in a strainer.  If you wet the filters with water beforehand, they won’t absorb as much of the infused alcohol.   You'll probably need 3 large coffee filters. 

Combine the simple syrup with the infused alcohol.  With a narrow neck funnel, you can start bottling your liqueur but leave a 1-inch headspace.  Unfortunately, it’s still not ready to drink just yet.

FINAL STEP (plan a party and find your shot glasses)

Your liqueur needs to be refrigerated for at least 3 days before consuming.  Most spirit makers would say that you should let the liqueur “marry” together in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks in order to achieve the best flavor.

This recipe makes about 2.5 liters of liqueur.  It should be served very cold so it's best to keep it in the freezer. 

Cheers!

PHO GA (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)

Let me start off by saying that this recipe is a far cry from what you would find at a Vietnamese restaurant.  It’s like comparing house made pasta with, say, Chef Boyardee.  OK, my version of this soup isn’t as bad as eating Chef Boyardee but I’m sure someone of Vietnamese decent would make a similar comparison. 

Even the Kids will love Pho Ga!

If you have the extra time and want to prepare an authentic version of Pho Ga, go to www.steamykitchen.com for a great recipe.  If you’re interested in making my quick and easy version of this chicken noodle soup in less than 30 minutes, please read on. 

By the way, I’ve tried Pho Ga at Viet Kitchen, Tea Lite Café, and Pho Thanh all of which are right here in the Valley.  (If you want a real ethnic experience go to Pho Thanh).  Each restaurant puts its own spin on the soup, but all of them offer a steamy big bowl full of tasty richness and flavor.

THE SOUP (makes 4 large servings)

8 oz. dry rice noodles

3 qts. Swanson's Chicken Stock

1/4 C fish sauce

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbs ginger root, minced

2 Tbs lemon grass, minced

4 C cooked chicken, shredded (buy a pre-cooked roasted chicken)

2 C bean sprouts, thoroughly washed and tails pinched off

2 C bok choy, thoroughly washed and chopped

SUGGESTED GARNISHES

 

Sliced red onion

Sliced Jalapeno or Serrano peppers

Lime wedges
Cilantro leaves 
Thai basil or mint
Sriracha hot chili sauce (look for a tall plastic bottle with a green top)
Hoisin sauce

Cook the rice noodles per instructions on package and be sure to rinse them very well in cold water to remove excess starch.  (You can cook noodles ahead of time, rinse them, and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to use).

In a large stock pot, bring the chicken stock, fish sauce, minced garlic, ginger and lemon grass to a boil and then reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the cooked chicken, bean sprouts and bok choy, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Divide the cooked noodles between 4 large bowls and pour the Pho over noodles.  Garnish with the above suggested items.