Portuguese Rice!

Portuguese what? What is a Portuguese and where do I get one? Many people think that Portugal is a county in South America called Peru! WRONG!!!!... Portugal is a small country on the west of Spain. It is a beautiful country full of culture, and flavors. One of the recipes I get asked to make a lot is my Portuguese rice. So I decided to share it with you. Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

1/2 C Olive Oil

1 1/2 C Finely chopped onion (1 whole medium onion)

3 tsp minced garlic

1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 c chopped Roma tomatoes

4 c of chicken broth

1 Tbl chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 C. jasmine white rice

Directions:

1. In a 4 quart medium saucepan heat the oil over high heat until hot.

2. Add the onion and cook, sitting until softened (approx 4 minutes)

3. Add the Garlic, salt, red pepper, and bay leaves stirring for 1 minute

4. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.

5. Add the broth, parsley, and cilantro, and bring to a boil.

6. Add the rice and stir well, when the liquid returns to a boil stir again, then cover the pot and reduce heat to medium low.

7. Cook the rice undisturbed for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the liquid is dissolved and the rice is tender.

8. Let the rice stand for 5 minutes undisturbed before fluffing with a fork. Enjoy!

To Flan or Not to Flan?

After searching through over 100 recipes easily, I decided to try and create my own recipe for Flan. I personally am not a Flan lover, but being the good wife I am, decided to make it for my husband loves Flan. The Recipe is as follows. (I actually liked it a lot)

2Cups of sugar (divided)

1/2 Cup Water

1 1/2 tsp. Orange Extract

1 8oz of cream cheese

5 eggs

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

2ish tsp of Vanilla extract.

Steps:

Carmel Covering

1: Take 1 cu p of sugar, and 1/2 cup of water place in a non stick map on medium high heat. stir the sugar and water to mix. Do not stir from then on. The water will evaporate and the sugar will dissolve creating a Carmel color. Once it was reached the color you desire for your flan topic remove from heat. Add 1 1/2 tsp of Orange extract (be careful it is oil so it does pop at you).

2. Take Carmel and pour it into desired Flan Plan. swirl around covering all surfaces of the pan. it will be hot so be careful. Once all surfaces are covered leave it to harden and create the custard.

Custard:

3. Take a roasting pan (or something that you can place your ramekin or dish in ) fill half way with water place in oven preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4. In a mixing bowl (I used my kitchen aid stand mixer LOVE IT) put 1 cup of sugar, and 8oz of cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until well blended

5. crack 5 eggs and add to cream cheese mixture, mix until well blended

6. Add the remaining ingredient; 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 can evaporated milk, and 2ish tsp. of Vanilla extract. Mix on high for 1 to 2 minutes (or until cream cheese is well blended into mixture)

7. Pour mixture into desired pan with Carmel already in it.

8. Place in preheated oven pan (the water should come up to about 3/4 way the side of the flan dish (outside)).

9. cook for 1hour and 20 minutes. If you Flan has not set cook in 5 to 10 minutes increments there after. (test for set with a knife in the middle like a cake should come out clean)

10. bring out of over remove immediately from roasting pan, and allow to cool.

11. Place in fridge until ready to serve. Some people eat it hot, i prefer mine cold!!! YUM YUM!!!