Paulas Mexican Rice Recipes

PAULA'S MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Sauté onion, butter,celery.
• Add all other ingredients (except cheese); bring to boil, reduce, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed about 20 minutes.
• Transfer to serving dish and add cheese.

MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the rice with enough very hot tap water to cover. Stir and let sit for about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain again, shaking thoroughly. In a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary. Set aside.
• In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice turns a light golden color, about 10 minutes. Do not let it scorch. Add the tomato puree and fry, scraping the bottom of the pan to stop the mixture from sticking, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add the chicken broth, carrots, zucchini, and giblets, if using. Stir in the salt and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the rice uncovered and undisturbed until almost all of the broth has evaporated and little air holes form in the surface. Cover the top of the pan with a towel and the lid, reduce the heat to very low, and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes more, so that the rice can absorb the steam and swell. Just before serving, turn the rice over from the bottom so that the juices are redistributed.

MARIA'S MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir rice and onion in the hot oil until browned, about 5 minutes; season with salt, cumin, and pepper. Pour water over the rice mixture. Stir tomato sauce and chicken bouillon into the water. Increase heat to medium-high, place a cover on the saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add serrano chile pepper and continue cooking at a boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes more.

MEXICAN PAELLA WITH CAULIFLOWER RICE

Steps:

• Place paella pan or large flat-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Cook and crumble chorizo sausage, stirring to break up chunks, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add chicken; cook and stir with sausage until chicken is no longer pink instead and is browned. Transfer chicken and sausage to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and add 2 cups of the cauliflower rice. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes to brown the cauliflower slightly (this brings out a nutty flavor). Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Season with a pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Add the minced garlic. Cook 2 minutes longer.
• Pour canned tomatoes into pan. Add bay leaves, thyme leaves, saffron, and basil. Mix well. Transfer sausage and chicken mixture back to pan. Add water, tomato paste, and bouillon. Stir to combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer 15 minutes.
• Remove lid and fold in peas and remaining 1 cup of cauliflower rice. Place frozen tilapia filets on top of the paella mixture, cover and steam for another 10 minutes. Remove lid and check for doneness. Gently break apart fillets with wooden spoon, and stir to incorporate chunks of fish into paella.
• Serve from the pot at the table!

PAULA'S BEST CHICKEN AND RICE ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Spray a 3 1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
• Add rice, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until rice is lightly browned.
• Stir in 2 cups water, diced tomatoes with green chiles, onion, and seasoning packet from rice mix.
• Bring to a boil over med-high heat.
• Decrease heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is tender.
• Spoon rice mixture into a large bowl.
• Add cream cheese to rice mixture, stirring until cheese melts.
• Add chicken, one 8 oz. package shredded Colby-Jack cheese, sour cream cumin, and chili powder; stir to combine.
• Arrange 1/3 of torn tortillas over bottom of prepared baking dish.
• Top with 1/3 of chicken mixture.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining package of Colby-Jack cheese and Monterey Jack cheese with peppers.
• Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese mixture over chicken mixture.
• Repeat layers twice with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese mixture.
• Pour enchilada sauce evenly over casserole.
• Bake for 30-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

LISA'S FAVORITE MEXICAN RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a casserole dish with cooking spray.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes; add ground beef and continue to cook while breaking beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon until the beef is completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Season beef mixture with the taco seasoning mix.
• Stir beef mixture, rice, vegetables, kidney beans, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, salsa, and olives together in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the dish is hot in the center, about 30 minutes.