Two-for-one recipe time! Last Christmas morning, we invited the family to come over for breakfast and mimosas after a fun Christmas eve the night prior. We were having a great time and before you knew it, it was lunchtime! I did not have lunch planned, let alone lunch for 25 people. This is my favorite emergency meal. Who doesn't love Mexican food? It's also easy enough to double the recipe (or in my case, quadruple) and switch up the shrimp for chicken or steak. You can also make burritos by adding some beans and cheese. I always make a big batch of the fajita seasoning and store it in a jar so I always have some handy for whenever I may need it. Crisis averted!
I used to always buy pre-made Spanish rice at the neighborhood carniceria, along with other condiments. After a while I made friends with the owner, who happened to be the sweetest old man who worked there with his family. I told him about how I have never successfully made Spanish rice and how my rice always ended up mushy. He told me the secret to perfect Spanish rice. It was to fry the rice until golden brown in oil before adding any liquid, that way, the rice will not stick together when cooked. Ever since then, I've managed to make Spanish rice at home, but I still go to the carniceria when I can to support our local small business and hardworking people!
Ingredients for Spanish rice
2 cups white long grain rice
1/8 cup vegetable oil
8 oz can tomato sauce
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Directions for Spanish rice
Heat oil over medium heat in a deep pan or Dutch oven. Fry the rice until light golden brown, stirring frequently.
Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 25-30 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed into the rice). Stir and fluff before serving.
Recipe adapted from: Lil Luna
Ingredients for shrimp fajitas
1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
1 green bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and sliced thin
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp fajita seasoning (recipe below)
Fajita seasoning ingredients (combine all ingredients, makes a large batch)
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp white granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
Directions for shrimp fajitas
Heat up 1 tbsp of oil over medium high heat in a deep frying pan. Add shrimp, season with 1 tsp salt, and cook until just about done. Remove cooked shrimp from pan into a bowl.
Add another 1 tbsp of oil into pan, along with onions and peppers and 1 tsp salt. Cook until tender and slightly caramelized, stirring frequently. Add shrimp back into the pan. Season with 2 tbsp fajita seasoning and stir well.
Cook for a few more minutes and serve hot.
Recipe adapted from: Two Sisters Kitchen
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