Horchata

So I had my Ocho (Cinco) de Mayo Party on Saturday.

Since I had margaritas & sangria & Mexican beer, I decided I wanted a special drink for the younglings too. They usually just end up with soda and juice boxes and water... nothing special or fun about that.

So I was trying to think of something good and came up with Horchata. It seemed like a popular drink when I was living in Southern California, although I'd never tried it. I started looking up recipes. Horchata is Cinnamon Rice Milk. And many descriptions called it creamy... but many also called it refreshing. To me, the two words don't seem able to describe the same thing. Was I ever wrong!

All of the recipes were wicked easy and very similar to each other. This is what I put together. The hardest part was waiting, since it has to 'soak' in the fridge overnight.



Horchata
1 3/4 C long grain white rice (uncooked)
2 cinnamon sticks
7 C water
3/4 C milk
1/2 C sugar
1 TBLS vanilla

Place rice, cinnamon sticks and about 2 cups of water in blender.
No cooking for this recipe =)
Blend until rice and cinnamon sticks are roughly ground. Add remaining water and blend some more.
Pour into a pitcher and let it soak in the refrigerator overnight.
Strain out rice and cinnamon sticks (you can save this for rice pudding).
Add milk, sugar and vanilla. Stir until well combined.
Serve over ice.
Enjoy!

I don't really have any step by step pictures for this, because I was crazy busy and just wanted to go to bed by the time I was getting this ready for the fridge.

The next morning, strain out the rice & cinnamon sticks.

I poured it through a sieve.


Then stir milk, sugar and vanilla into the liquid.

That's it!! How easy is that??


Hunter, one of my youngest (and cutest) party guests, gave the BEST review a hostess could ask for!

She said, "It dances in my mouth and laughs all the way to my stomach!"

How great is that??!!!

Here's Hunter with her Horchata and a Mexican Brownie.

(Mexican Brownie recipe coming soon!)

This really was so refreshing! I was very pleasantly surprised with how yummy this was!

If you try it, I hope you like it! We did!

Huevos Rancheros ~ Three Ways

Hey... remember me??

Please forgive my recent absence. I've embarked on a new healthy lifestyle. I'm eating balanced healthy meals and exercising EVERY day! Some of my balanced healthy meals have been a major FAIL... others are tasty and delicious. But it takes a LOT more time and planning to be consistent. So, I think I finally have the healthy eating and exercising thing down. (I've lost over 30 pounds and 22 inches this year!) Yay me!

But I think I can finally get back to blogging!

So anyway... It's Cinco de Mayo!

I LOVE Cinco de Mayo!!

I really don't know anything about The Battle of Puebla, other than the Mexican Army beat the French. I just love Mexican food and tequila! Also it's my mother-in-law's birthday. (Happy Birthday Judy!) I wish it was my birthday! But then I wouldn't be an Aries... hmmm... nevermind... I'll just eat Mexican food and drink tequila on my birthday... but I never seem to do that, now that I think about it. Ok... that's why I try to always have a Cinco de Mayo party! Although technically it will be Ocho de Mayo this year.

Anyway... today is Huevos Rancheros... Three Ways!

The perfect way to get back to blogging on Cinco de Mayo!





First you'll need to make a Rancheros Sauce. It's wicked easy!

Rancheros Sauce
2 small yellow onions, diced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 large jalapeno, diced
1 large can of diced tomatoes (about 3 cups)
1 TBLS fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp chile powder
1 big pinch cumin
a little veggie oil

Heat a little veggie oil in a skillet. Saute onions, garlic and jalapeno until tender. Add tomatoes. You can totally use fresh tomatoes, but I made this during the winter, in Pittsburgh and the tomatoes around here at that time of the year aren't very flavorful. Simmer that for a few minutes and add chile powder, cumin and cilantro. Simmer a few more minutes. Blend with a stick blender. I like it to still be a little chunky. But blend to your chunky preference.

That's it! Wicked easy, right?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chop up the veggies.


And get them sauteing in a little bit of oil.


Add tomatoes and simmer a few minutes.


Add chile powder, cumin & cilantro and simmer a little more.


If it's too chunky, hit it with the stick blender a little. I gave it the smallest whir.


Now you have Rancheros Sauce!

It's time for Huevos Rancheros!

First I went classic.

Fry up a couple of Over-Easy Eggs.


Heat a couple of Corn Tortillas.


Add some heated Refried Beans.


Slide those beautiful Over-Easy Eggs on top of the Refried Beans.

(not sure what happened to the light here!)

Add some of that gorgeous Rancheros Sauce and some fresh Cilantro and breakfast is served!!



I had plenty of Rancheros Sauce, so the next day I put a Mexican spin on my Eggs in Purgatory.

Pour some of that lovely Rancheros Sauce into a ramekin.


Crack in a nice fresh egg.


Sprinkle with a little cheese.

Cojito would have been nice, but I only had Colby/Jack, so that's what I used.

Bake at 375F for about 10 minutes for a soft yolk.


And why exactly did I neglect to put cilantro on this??

Serve with warm corn tortilla wedges.


Mmmmmm.....


And on the the last version...

Huevos Rancheros Pizza!!

Thanks to Shane of Culinary Alchemist for the idea!

First you need pizza crust.

Make your own or use a prepared crust.

I used a prepared crust, because I had one.


Spread on some refried beans.


Some of that gorgeous Rancheros Sauce!


I made little wells in the sauce, then cracked in two eggs.


Sprinkled on some Colby/Jack Cheese.


Some fresh Cilantro


And into the oven until the eggs are set and the cheese is melty!


Breakfast for two!


I have to say, I loved all of the versions of Huevos Rancheros that I tried that week. But my favorite would have to be the pizza!!

I'd LOVE to have one of those right about now!!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Kale Soup

So I'm trying to go meatless a couple days a week at our house.

When this recipe landed in my inbox I decided I would definitely be making it.



I made a few changes and this reflects them.

Kale Soup
1 TBLS olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 large stalk of celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup white wine
3 potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 (16oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes (unless you have nice fresh ones!)
2 cups finely chopped kale leaves
1 - 2 TBLS red pepper flakes
ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot. Add onion and celery and cook until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes more.
Add red pepper flakes and heat through.
Next add vegetable stock and white wine; stir in the potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme and kale. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the cannelini beans and tomatoes. Add black pepper to taste, and simmer, covered, for 30 more minutes.

Enjoy!

And now for the pictures!

I rarely have natural light in my kitchen, but this wicked snowy Saturday I had an abundance. I'm not sure if I like the natural light pics. What do you think?

Anyway... step by step...

Chop your veggies

(natural light)

Saute the onion and celery in the olive oil.

(blurry LED light)

Add garlic & red pepper flakes.

(more LED light)

I ended up adding a good bit more red pepper flakes for a nice spicy kick.

Add veggie stock and wine.

(more LED light)

Since I don't drink wine, I like to buy little four packs. They're recipe sized so none goes to waste.

That's what I had on hand.

All of the liquid is in there... not very pretty is it?

(yup... LEDs)

Time for nice fresh herbs.

(all that natural light reflecting all over the place!)


(LED)

Nice fresh healthy kale!

(natural light... but the kale looked so much green than this pic)

You want to wash that really well... I let it soak in cold water to be sure to get all of the dirt out of those curly leaves.

Into the pot with the potatoes.

(LED)

Bring it to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Time to add the cannelini beans and tomatoes and some black pepper.


(LED)

Take a little taste of the broth. Is it spicy enough for you?

It wasn't for me, so I added a bunch more red pepper flakes.

Cover and simmer for 30 more minutes.

Soup's on!


(compact fluorescent)


(regular compact fluorescent light... doesn't that look nicer?)

This soup was a HUGE hit at my house. I've already made another big double batch of it, which is also gone.

It's spicy and hearty and so satisfying. It's also very healthy! Win/Win!