Amparo's Chili (Frito Pie)

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
Chopped onions
1 can chopped stewed tomatoes
Chili seasoning (to taste)
1 can chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt
Garnishes: Fritos or tortilla chips/strips, spring onions, sour cream, shredded cheese

Saute the beef with onions and salt, pepper, and garlic salt until cooked through. Add tomatoes, chili seasoning, and beans. If using regular canned pinto beans, add water to desired consitency.

Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes - 1 hour, tasting throughout.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, spring onions (green onions) and fritos or smashed tortilla chips on the side.

Serves 4

Arroz con Pollo

Ingredients

½ cup frozen chopped onions

Minced garlic

2 packs Sazon Goya con cilantro y achiote

1-2 tsps powdered chicken bouillon

1 8oz. can of tomato sauce

2/3 cup dry white wine

1-1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (in strips)

1 cup of rice

1 2oz. jar of sliced red peppers in liquid

1 8.5 oz can of small early peas in water

Preparation

In a ceramic pot, warm oil to a medium high heat.

Add , garlic, Sazon, bouillon, and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add white wine and leave to simmer for about 5 minutes.

Season chicken with Adobo and add to pot.

Add 1 cup of white rice and stir.

Add 3 cups of water, red peppers (with liquid), and peas (with liquid).

Season to taste with garlic powder, garlic salt, salt and pepper.


When the mixture comes to a summer, reduce to medium-low heat. Cover and let sit until desired consistency (about 45 minutes).

Source: Amparo Miranda

Amparo's Risotto

Ingredients
2 cubes Chicken Bouillon (makes like 4 cups of broth)
Assorted vegetables (Onion, scallions, and carrots) chopped in large pieces
Olive Oil
Chopped Onions
3-4 cloves Pressed / crushed garlic
1 ½ cups Arborio Rice
White wine
Butter (a hunk)
Parmesan Cheese

Preparation
For the Broth:

Bring water to a boil and add bouillon cubes and vegetables. Add salt and garlic salt. Keep the broth on low heat.

For the Risotto:

Heat stove to medium. In a large saucepan, add generous amount of olive oil, chopped onions and garlic.

When it starts to smell yummy, add rice to the pan. Follow immediately with a good size pouring of white wine.

Now the part where you make the risotto. Add broth, enough so it looks soupy. (Add it through a strainer – you don’t want to add the vegetables, just the broth). Then, constantly stir the risotto. When it starts to get less liquidy (more creamy) add more broth.

You must stir the rice constantly – it can not burn, get stuck to the bottom of the pan, or get too dry.

If you're making risotto with shrimp or other seafood, add 3-4 cups of broth, and then add the shrimp. Continue to stir.

You will use almost all, if not all of the broth. Taste the risotto constantly, when the rice is tender (but a little al dente – to taste), add a bit more broth, then stir until it’s at a good creamy consistency (it should be creamy, not liquidy).

Turn off the heat. Add a few tablespoons of butter or margarine and a generous helping of parmesan cheese.

Source: Amparo Miranda, mi suegra