Fried Rice

• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup frozen peas – thawed
• 2 tbsp finely grated carrot
• 2 eggs – beaten
• ½ cup diced onion
• 1½ tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• salt
• pepper

1. Cook rice following instructions on package (Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add rice and a dash of salt, reduce heat and simmer in covered saucepan for 20 minutes). Pour rice
   into a large bowl to let it cool in the refrigerator.
2. Scramble the eggs in a small pan over medium heat. Separate the scrambled chunks of egg into small pea-size bits while cooking.
3. When rice has cooled to near room temperature, add peas, grated carrot, scrambled egg and diced onion to the bowl. Carefully toss all of the ingredients together.
4. Melt 1½ tbsp of butter in a large frying pan over medium/high heat.
5. When butter has completely melted, dump the bowl of rice and other ingredients into the pan and add soy sauce plus a dash of salt and pepper. Cook rice for 6-8 minutes over heat, stirring often.

Makes 4 servings.

French Onion Soup

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 medium white onions, sliced
• 8 cups beef broth (Swanson is best)
• 1 cup water
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 5 plain hamburger buns
• 10 slices provolone cheese
• 10 teaspoons shredded parmesan cheese

1. Add 3 tablespoons oil to a large soup pot or saucepan over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and sauté for 20 minutes until the onions begin to soften and start to become translucent. You don't want them to brown.
2. Add the beef broth, water, salt, garlic powder and black pepper to the pan and bring mixture to a boil. When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. To make the croutons cut off the top half of each top of the hamburger bun so that the bread is the same thickness as the bottom half of each bun. Throw the tops away. Now you should have 10 round pieces of bread -- 5 bottom buns, and 5 top buns with the tops cut off. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place the bread in the the oven directly on the rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until each piece is golden brown and crispy. Set these croutons aside until you need them.
4. When the soup is done, spoon about 1 cup into an oven-safe bowl. Float a crouton on top of the soup, then place a slice of provolone cheese on top of the crouton. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the provolone.
5. Place the bowl into your oven set to high broil. Broil the soup for 5 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown (you may need to broil longer if you are making more than one bowl at a time). Sprinkle an additional 1/2 teaspoon of shredded parmesan cheese over the top of the soup and serve. Repeat process to prepare remaining servings.

Makes 10 servings.

Pico de Gallo

• 3 large tomatoes diced
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 Tbsp. diced Jalapenos
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (diced)
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. white vinegar

Mix all ingredients together in large container until well blended. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours, it is better if allowed to sit overnight.

LoneStar Steakhouse Chili

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion diced
• 1 tablespoon diced fresh jalapeno pepper
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans with liquid
• 1 14.5-ounce can peeled diced tomatoes
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 bay leaf

Garnish

• grated cheddar cheese
• diced onion
• canned whole jalapeno chili peppers 

1. Brown ground beef in a large saucepan over medium heat. Drain fat.
2. Add onion and pepper and sauté for about two minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve one cup in a bowl with the optional cheese, diced onion and whole jalapeno garnish on top.
   Makes 4 servings.

Roast Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless pork loin
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons special seasoning, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli rabe, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 4 to 6 ciabatta rolls
• 1 pound provolone, sliced
• Cracked black pepper

Special Seasoning:

• 1/2 cup smoky paprika
• 1/4 cup granulated onion powder
• 1/4 cup granulated garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons seasoned salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cracked pepper
• 1/2 cup kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Rub pork loin with 1/2 cup Big Daddy Seasoning and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. In a large cast-iron pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil; Seer pork loin on all sides and both ends.  Add pork to a roasting pan with rack and roast in oven for approximately 1 hour until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Slice pork very thin.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, add broccoli rabe and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes. Strain from water and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain from ice water.  In a large skillet over medium heat, add remaining oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant. Add the cooked broccoli rabe. Add 2 tablespoons Big Daddy Seasoning and mix together. Remove from pan.  Assemble ciabatta rolls upside down; add provolone cheese, pork and broccoli rabe. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toast sandwiches for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. 

Pollo a la Brasa

(Courtesy: Todd Kliman)

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into parts

2 Tbsp huacatay (a Peruvian black-mint paste)*

1 tsp aji (a Peruvian yellow-pepper paste)*

3 limes, juiced

3 garlic cloves, grated

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp ground annatto

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

Directions
Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl.  Rub the chicken with marinade and let it sit, covered, in the fridge for 24 hours.  Grill white meat pieces over very low heat for 45 minutes, and dark meat for an hour.

Sauces:
Spicy mayo-mustard - Mix a cup of good mayo with a half cup of French's mustard. Mix in a tablespoon of aji, a good squeeze of lime juice, a teaspoon of ground annatto, and salt and pepper to taste.
Fiery green pepper sauce - In a food processor, pulse six jalapeno peppers (to ease the heat, cut out the white interior "ribs") and the juice of one lime. Add salt and pepper to taste.

* Pick up this and other ingredients for the recipe at latinmerchant.com.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 4 cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried dill, or to taste

Directions

Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Mountain Molasses Stack Cake

For the cake:

• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly oil bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the brown sugar and butter until light. Slowly add the egg and molasses, then blend well. Beat in the buttermilk, vanilla and nutmeg.

In a second bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

Pour half of the batter into each of the prepared cake pans. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack.

For the filling:

• 2 cups finely chopped apples
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Being to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a syrup.

Place one of the cooled cake layers on a serving plate. Spread half of the filling on top. Place the second cake layer on top, then spread the remaining filling over it.

Enjoy!