Shari Blogs

You might have noticed that I like coming up with or finding recipes that mimic those that we love at restaurants.  This rice reminds me of Chipotle which happens to be one of my favorite places to eat.  Now if I could just figure out their steak marinade!  Yum!  Anyway, this rice is super easy to make, and especially if you have a rice cooker.  If you don’t own a rice cooker yet, go get one.  Seriously.  I never thought we needed one because I didn’t cook rice that often.  Well, now we have rice quite a bit.  Fried rice, mexican rice, cilantro lime rice… This makes it so easy and it’s always perfect.

Cilantro Lime Rice (in rice cooker)

 

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Author: Shari Blogs - All Things Sweet & Delicious :

Ingredients

• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vegetable oil, divided
• juice of ½ lime
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Add rice, water, salt and 1 teaspoon of the oil to a rice cooker. Swirl around gently in pan. Set the rice cooker on the white rice cycle.
2. Once the rice gets done, add in the lime juice, cilantro and remaining 1 tsp vegetable oil. Gently mix and cover and let sit for about 8-10 minutes.
3. Serve.

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Cilantro Lime Rice (on the stove)

 

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Author: Shari Blogs - All Things Sweet & Delicious :

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra long grain rice
• ½ lime, juice of
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
• 3 tsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt.
2. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates.
3. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes.
4. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.
5. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.
6. Serve & enjoy!

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Be sure to make our Fresh Homemade Salsa on your mexican meal night too!

If you don’t have a rice cooker, you should definitely get one.  I promise you will love it and never look back.  Here is the one that I have and recommend…

My kids had a good first day of school.  Two of the three said they had a great day and liked it a lot.  One is ready for high school to be over, but he has two years left.  I loved listening to my Noah talk about his day.  He kept saying how nice his teachers were and how he was going to have a good year.  He has such a positive, optimistic outlook on things (most of the time) and it is a characteristic I hope he never loses!!

Today I wanted to share with you another one of our meals that stays in the regular rotation. We absolutely love Carrabba’s Italian Grill.  My mouth is watering just typing the name of it.  Anyway, my oldest son and I get their Mezzaluna ravioli a lot.  The sauce is just incredible.  Well, this is a copycat of that and let me tell you it is SUPER CLOSE to the original.  It is so good and you can use it on ravioli, farfalle, or any other pasta you like.

I apologize for the less than stellar picture.  I was starving so I just snapped a quick one.  I wanted to make sure that I got this on the blog though because it is definitely one of our family favorites.

Mezzaluna Pasta Sauce

 

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Author: Shari Blogs - All Things Sweet & Delicious :

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 2½ cups half-and-half
• 2 cups grated parmesan or romano cheese
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• ½ cup half-and-half
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Make the alfredo sauce. In a large skillet, melt butter.
2. Saute chopped garlic over medium heat.
3. Stir in 1½ Cups half-and-half.
4. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Add remaining half and half, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.
6. Once made, add the spaghetti sauce and stir well.
7. Then add the half and half and cheese.
8. Stir until its a smooth sauce, should look pink orange.

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I recommend that you pair it with a nice french bread (we use Pillsbury’s Simply Rustic french bread– yum!) and the herb dip recipe that I posted earlier.  This makes one mighty delicious meal!

I have been super busy in the kitchen over here.  You see I am in total denial that school is starting in just a few short days.  Normally at this time I am ready.  The kids are usually getting bored, they are starting to fight with each other, and I am ready for some peace and quiet.  Not this year.  We all want another month.  Sadly, we have 3 more days.  As the kids get older, time seems to fly by even faster.

The amount of school supplies needed for three children is ridiculous.  Seriously.  My dining room is full, and my wallet is empty!  I don’t remember having batteries, paper towels, kleenex, etc on my lists back when I was in school.  Do you?

On to the recipe for today.  I guess technically it isn’t all “fresh” since I do use canned tomatoes in this.  You know me though, I am all about finding short cuts to make life in the kitchen a little easier on us busy mommas.

Look at that bowl of heavenly goodness!  How could you NOT try this?  It has become a pretty regular staple around this house.  I make it about every other week to go along with one of our favorite Mexican meals.  I just can’t eat mexican without some good old chips and salsa.  This is the salsa that we crave!

The recipe takes a few minutes with chopping the onion, jalepeno, and cilantro.  You can just throw it all in your blender/food processor if you are short on time.  Either way I think you’ll find this one of the best, if not THE best, salsa you’ve ever tasted!  Be careful sharing it with others.  They will be asking you to make it and share all the time.  I speak from experience!  🙂

Fresh Homemade Salsa

 

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Author: Shari Blogs - All Things Simple & Delicious :

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz) Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic
• 1 can (10 oz) Rotel (diced tomatoes & Green Chiles)
• ¼ cup Chopped Onion
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, chopped
• ¼ tsp Sugar
• ¼ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Ground Cumin
• ½ cup Cilantro (more to taste!)
• ½ whole Lime Juice

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency that you prefer.
2. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
3. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

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I mentioned in my last post that I have a new fondness for International Delight creamers.  I have so many recipe ideas swirling in my head that they have been keeping me up at night.  I just can’t wait to make all of them!

When I spotted the Almond Joy creamer in the grocery store I immediately grabbed it and knew that I had to do some fun things with it.  I mean who doesn’t love chocolate, coconut, and almonds?  Then you put them together and they are heaven!  Well, unless you are like my hubby and don’t like coconut.  Which I just can not understand.

These cookies are so soft and delicious! Yum! You can adjust the amounts of chocolate chips, coconut and almonds to your liking too. I say the more the merrier.

Almond Joy Cookies

 

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Author: Shari Blogs - All Things Sweet & Delicious :

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Butter
• ¼ cup Shortening
• ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
• ¾ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 Egg
• ½ cup Almond Joy Creamer
• 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (or Vanilla Extract)
• 2¼ cups All Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1½ cups Chocolate Chips
• 1 cup Shredded Coconut (I use sweetened)
• ¾ cup Almond Slivers

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and shortening. Add the sugars and beat until creamy. Add the egg, creamer, and vanilla, Mix well.
2. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until mixed.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips, coconut, and almond slivers with a spatula.
4. Scoop ¼ cup of dough and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes (baking time may vary).

Notes

* I prefer my cookies slightly underbaked so they are nice and soft. If you prefer a crunchier cookie, then add 2-3 minutes to baking time.
* I use a stand mixer for these as it makes baking life so much easier!

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