Arroz con gandules

A friend Michelle has been bringing over "puert rican" rice the last few gatherings, so Andy and I decided to get the recipe.  The problem is that it includes Sofrito and Sazon, which are products that are made by Goya.  These products, although amazingly awesome, have MSG and other perservatives so I set out to make my own sofrito and sazon in order to make this yummy rice dish.

This is what I came up with.

1/2-1 cup of chopped ham and/or a couple strip of bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped peppers
TIP: I always keep a bag of frozen onions and one of frozen peppers in my freezer so I fresh veggies don't go bad.  I don't actually cook that often
2 teaspoons of chopped garlic or 2 cloves of garlic minced
TIP: Buy chopped dried garlic from Spice House or somewhere so you don't have to hassle
1 15 oz of Green Piegeon Peas undrained
1/2 15oz can of organic tomato sauce
1 cup water
2 cups of rice (cooked minute rice)
--Replace 1 packer of Sazon with:
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Coriander
--Replace Sofrito with the already included tomatoes, peppers, and onions +
1 tsp Cilantro
Organo?

1. Heat olive oil in a medium, heavy saucepan or larger drying pan over medium-high heat. Add ham to pan; cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, peppers and onions; cook, stirring occasionally, scraping up brown bits from bottom, until vegetables are soft and translucent, 10 minutes.
2. Cook 2 cups of minute rice.
3. Stir in pigeon peas, tomato sauce, and 1 cup of water in pan.
4. Add salt, garlic powder, coriander, and cilantro. Bring to a boil.
5. Add rice to pan. Bring rice mixture to a boil then turn to low. Cook, uncovered, until most liquid is evaporated. Gently stir rice from bottom up.
6. Remove saucepan from heat. Gently fluff rice with fork. Let stand 5 minutes.

References:
http://www.goya.com/english/recipes/arroz-con-gandules
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-arroz-con-gandules/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKn6SrcSjA4
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sofrito/
http://www.food.com/recipe/sazon-the-dry-mix-404770
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ingrid-hoffmann/pigeon-pea-rice-arroz-con-gandules-recipe.html

Lamp chops

Ingredients

*Original recipe makes 4 servings

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots or onions

1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegrette

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

1. In a small bowl or cup, mix together the rosemary, basil, (thyme), salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.  If in a hurry, don't worry about rubbing or waiting.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lamb chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a serving platter (or set aside)

3. Add shallots/onions to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar/dressing, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the chicken broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half - and stir in the butter. 

4. Add lambs chop back into the skillets for a few minutes each side or until your liking.  Serve.

Adopted from:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lamb-chops-with-balsamic-reduction/

Baked beans, slowcooked and Boston style

Ingredients

2 bags of navy beans
2 ham hocks, 1 pack of bacon, or 1 pack of ham diced
2 onion, finely diced
6 tablespoons molasses
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon of yellow mustard
1 can organic tomato paste or 1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cups barbeque sauce

Optional:
1/2-1 cup brown sugar

1. Soak beans overnight in cold water. Skim floating beans

2. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid.

3. Turn slow cooker on high.  Add olive oil.

4. Brown ham hocks and add to slow cooker.

5. Combine molasses, salt, pepper, mustard, tomato paste or ketchup, Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil.

6. Arrange the beans in placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish,and layering them with onion, bacon (if being used), and your mixture.

7.  Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans.

8. Cook beans on Low for 8 to 12 hours until thick.  After 4 hours add BBQ sauce.  

Remove the lid about halfway through cooking, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.

References:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/boston-baked-beans/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-baked-beans-4/

Roast, sirloin tip

Instructions:

1.) Turn the slow cooker on high.  Add 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil.
2.) Make rub.  In a bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of each - paprika, salt, garlic, pepper, cayenne pepper, oregano, and celery salt.
3.) Turn the stove on medium to high, add 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil.  As the garlic browns, add one chopped onion.
4.) Massage the roast with the rub.  
5.) Add the roast to the pan on the stove.  Add 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce.  Brown on all sides.
6.) After brown, add roast to slow cooker along with another cup of chopped onion, another teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce, remainder of spices, and 2 cups of water.  You can add a teaspoon of sriracha if you want to spice it up.
7.) Once it starts to boil, add tomato sauce.  Cover and continue heating on high for 2 hours.
8.) Add 2 cups of beef broth, 2 cups of chopped carrots, and 2 lbs of chopped baby red potatoes.  Turn on low.  After 1 hour, check taste.
9.) Cook on low for up to 4 hours.


Ingredients
2 onions
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce (Lea Perrins)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (2 pound) sirloin tip roast
1 14.5 cans beef broth
2 cups of water
1 can tomato sauce

References:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-family-favorite-pot-roast/ac9058d5-fd1d-4a19-b7e5-6b57d22e5c82

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-pot-roast.html

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/herb-rubbed-sirloin-tip-roast/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/catherines-sirloin-tip-roast/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/foolproof-rib-roast/

Spices, including dried chopped garlic, dried oregano, paprika, cayenne, etc., from http://www.thespicehouse.com/.

Game day chili

Updated 2.27.19

Made exactly the same, except added extra veggies (spinach and peppers) and add one can of each of five beans (red kidney, pinto bean, black bean, garbanzo, and navy).
 
Updated 10.28.18

Ingredients

1 large onion
1 tablespoon of chopped dried garlic
1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef or ground chicken
1 lb of iltalian sausage or ground pork (got rid of pork and beef in our lives)
1 lb of ground turkey -- investigating veggies options
2 tbls tablespoon chili powder
1 tbls dried oregano
1 tbls ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon of cayenne (add more if you want hot chili)
1-2 teaspoons of hot sauce or sriracha (depends on how hot you want it)
1-2 teaspoons of Worcestershire (Lea Perrins)
1 can (28 oz) organic diced tomatoes, undrained -- investigate using fresh tomatoes and saw
1 can (15 oz) organic tomato sauce
3 cans (15 oz) red kidney beans (add spicy beans if you want it hot)
*Roundy's, Metro Market/Kroeger, Fresh Thyme has a great line of affordable organic tomato sauces, tomatoes, and beans


Instructions
1. Start the slow cooker on high.

2. In a pan, put some olive oil (or whatever your preference) and the dried or fresh chopped garlic.  As it heats, peel and chop the onion and add as well.

3. Once the onions are starting to become more clear and soft, crumble the meat into the pan.
>Season meat with chorizo spice, new mexico green chiles, allepo peppers, ancho chili powder, cayenne, oregano, pepper, cumin, and salt
>Can brown meat in instapot

4. As the meat is cooking add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to the slow cooker.

>To cook in instapot, throw meat, sauce, and seasoning in instapot

5.  Add the spices to the meat in the pan and the tomato sauce in the slow cooker as the meat is cooking. Stir the chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, hot sauce, and worcestershire.  Remember, less is more...you can always add more seasoning in, but can't take it out.

6. Cook the beef, pork, turkey, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown and thoroughly cooked.
>used frozen onion from Metro Market and added frozen bell peppers from Whole Foods

7. Add the meat to the tomato sauce in the slow cooker.  Stir meat and tomato sauce together.  Then, add kidney beans (strained and washed).

8. Cover slow cooker and cook for approximately 2-8 hours.
>Cook 10 minutes in instapot

Once the chili starts to boil turn to low.  Could take up to an hour.  Adjust for taste.

Length depends on the flavor you want.  Some people don't bother with the slow cooker.  I think it adds to the flavor and makes the house smell awesome.

Other options may include parsley, basil, thyme, cinnamon, green peppers, celery, chilis, and jalapenos.

Adapted from:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Boilermaker-Tailgate-Chili/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=boilermaker%20chili&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1
(This is a fav of several of my friends in of itself)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/slow-cooker-chili-ii/
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chili/c7df2894-907a-4309-a7f9-6e6f5a6c730d
http://www.food.com/recipe/firehouse-chili-46596
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-chili/040260b6-ac42-4c9b-9649-95175b7e5ba3

Spices, including dried chopped garlic, dried oregano, cumin, cayenne, etc., from http://www.thespicehouse.com/.


Update: Making your own chili power....

I normally have chili power from my favorite spice house and always appreciate the affordable Roundy's organic chili power.  However, at the end of the day, chili powder is just garlic, oregano, cumin (which are already in this recipe) AND (ancho) chili pepper.  Making your own, easy peasy.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/237172/chili-powder/

Update: Making Worcestershire sauce
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/242401/homemade-worcestershire-sauce/


1.10.16
Used minced and chopped garlic, dried
In lieu of chile powder -- Doubled oregano, cumin, cayenne, paprika + garlic salt + 2 tbsp of ancho chile pepper
In lieu of worcestershire - Added apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, mustard seed, cinnamon

Pigeon Pea Rice: Arroz con Gandules Recipe : Ingrid Hoffmann : Food Network

Pigeon Pea Rice: Arroz con Gandules Recipe : Ingrid Hoffmann : Food Network:



No Goya



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Sazon The Dry Mix) Recipe - Food.com

Sazon The Dry Mix) Recipe - Food.com:



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