Sweet Rice

We love this sweet rice on burritos, tacos, tostadas, really anything!

From www.food.com

• 1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 of a white onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste)
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 1/3 cups white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4-1/2 cup white sugar (we use a little less than 1/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Put a little oil in bottom of pan (maybe about 1/2-1 tablespoon).
2. Saute chopped onion until translucent. Add the chopped cilantro (no big stems) and saute a minute more.
3. Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn).
4. Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar dissolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil.
5. Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Costa Vida Chicken

This is a very easy recipe, I love to throw it in the crock pot around lunch and wha-la! We have used the meat in tacos, tostadas (pictured above) and salad.

Costa Vida Chicken
Recipe from YourHomebasedMom

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp cumin

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 lbs.  skinless, boneless chicken breast (this recipe can be easily halved but make a full batch and freeze the leftovers for another meal!  Good menu planning!)

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

For Tostadas (as pictured) we made a buffet of Sweet Rice, Pinto beans, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. 

Mongolian Beef

One of our favorite places to eat is PF Chang's and Pei Wei and we can hardly go there and not order their Mongolian Beef. While this isn't exact, it sure is close and we really enjoyed it. We served it with rice and a mix of steamed veggies. Thanks to Your Homebased Mom, I try so many recipes from her (as you will see as this blog archive grows) and have yet to be disappointed.

Mongolian Beef
Recipe from YourHomebasedMom

1 lb top round steak or flank steak, cut thinly on the cross grain

1/4 C cornstarch

3 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or minced ginger

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 C water

1/2 C soy sauce 

1/2 C brown sugar

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 green onions, sliced into 2-3″ pieces

oil for frying

Dry off meat with a paper towel and slice into 1/4″ thick slices against the grain.  Add to a bowl with the cornstarch and coat thoroughly.

Add 1 1/2 tsp oil to a wok or large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and ginger, stir until fragrant.  Add soy sauce, water, rice vinegar and brown sugar.  Cook for about 2 minutes and remove from pan.

Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to pan over high heat.  Add the meat and cook until brown on all sides and slightly crispy.  Pour sauce back into pan over meat.  Add green onions, stir and remove from heat.  Serve with rice.  Enjoy!