Spanish Rice

Confession: sometimes I make Mexican meals just because I'm craving this rice.  It's something my Mom has adapted over the years and it has kind of boiled down to the basic ingredient of her red sauce enchiladas.  It's delicious and even Jeff (who generally isn't a fan of Spanish rice) eats it up. 

The basic amounts (can be doubled and tripled or whatever depending on the size of group you are cooking for):

2 cups water
1 cup rice
1 tsp cooking oil
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 cup salsa

Fry the rice in the cooking oil for two or three minutes.  Add water and the rest of the ingredients.  Cover and simmer at a medium/low temperature for 20-30 minutes until the rice is tender and the water boiled out/absorbed.  
 

Turkey a la King

With the holidays approaching, we are already knee deep in turkey and are exhausting all of our standard "leftover" recipes.  One of my favorites is Turkey a la King, brought to you from my mother via her mother.  Because it was passed down like that there is not a set recipe (as with most things in my kitchen repertoire).  

1 Can Chicken Broth
1 Can Cream of Chicken
Two spoonfuls of Chicken Soup Base (a couple of bouillon cubes are a fine substitute)
Add a little bit of flour and water to thicken if needed (see what I mean about no exact recipe?)
Little bit of thyme (again...)
Chopped Turkey
Frozen Peas

Serve over biscuits or rice (biscuits!)

Combine broth, cream of chicken, soup base in a sauce pan and then thicken as needed.   Add thyme and turkey and peas.  Let simmer until the peas are cooked through.