Pollo Loco (Crazy Chicken) #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

 

Happy 4th of July!  You might think this is a strange recipe to share on the holiday, but if your weather forecast is like ours (rain, rain and more rain) you might want to try this recipe rather than grilling the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs during a downpour!  This was really delicious and quick and easy (my two favorite words.)  Note: be sure your pot lid is air tight.  If it has a vent, plug it with foil or place a piece of tape over it.  The steam is necessary for the rice to cook properly. I could only find an 8 ounce packet of rice so I followed the package directions for the quantity of water.  Since my husband is somewhat spice averse, I did not stir in the queso but let everyone add their own according to their taste.

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces

1 tsp. Goya Adobo Seasoning (or other brands like Badia or make your own)

1 10-oz pkg Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice  

2½ cups water

3 oz White Queso Dip  (from the refrigerated section)

2 tbsp. milk  

cooking spray 

 

Pat chicken dry and dice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss with Adobo seasoning.

 

Heat oil in a pan or skillet with a tight fitting lid, add chicken and brown on all sides.

 

Add the package of rice and the water and stir.  Bring to a boil then cover and lower heat to a simmer.  Check rice after 20 minutes (do not open lid before then so the steam doesn't escape.)  The rice may need another five minutes.

 

When the rice has finished cooking, add in the queso and serve. 

 

And for a festive dessert to cap off the meal, you might want to try the strawberry and blueberry shortcake I made for the blog's fifth anniversary!

 

When it's hot out, cool off with Where the Bodies Are Berried! 

 

  

 

When a wealthy local benefactor is slain on the farm, Monica has to figure out who wanted to cash in on the killing . . .

As Sassamanash Farms hunkers down for the long winter, Monica agrees to let the local animal shelter host their Christmas-themed fundraiser there. The draw of the event—a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa—brings in animal lovers from far and wide. But when the crackling fire dies down and the festive holiday props are all carted away, Monica discovers a very un-jolly sight next to the barn—the dead body of one of the shelter’s biggest donors. With the farm’s good name in jeopardy, Monica goes to work to root out the killer.

By all accounts the victim was a charming and generous supporter of the shelter, but Monica discovers that he was loathed by those who knew him for being tight-fisted and unscrupulous. Suspecting money might be the motive, she turns her sights on his stylish wife and her lavish lifestyle, along with the manager of the struggling shelter, who stood to collect a hefty bequest from his will. But as Monica closes in on one final clue, the culprit closes in on her. Caught unawares, she’ll have to survive the brutal winter weather, as well as a cold-blooded killer . . . 

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Pot Roast #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

 

This recipe is adapted from stayathomechef.com. Someone on Twitter had posted about the delicious pot roast he'd made for dinner.  The last time I made a pot roast, I was disappointed in it.  The meat wasn't nearly as tender as I would have liked and the flavor wasn't there.  I asked the poster on Twitter for the recipe and he sent it to me! Never say social media is a complete waste of time lol.  I used a chuck roast for this and the two of us had two dinners and a lunch out of the 3 lb. roast.  Sadly, our grocery store did not have rosemary but I imagine it would add even more incredible flavor.  Don't leave out the Worcestershire--in my opinion, it's what really makes this pot roast!

1 3-to-5 pound beef roast – chuck roast, round roast, or brisket

Salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cloves minced garlic

1 to 2 cups red wine (or broth)

2 cups low sodium beef broth

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 large onions cut into chunks

1 lb. baby carrots (or cut regular carrots into smaller pieces)

1 lb. red potatoes or russet potatoes cut into chunks

1 sprig fresh rosemary

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Season both sides of chuck roast with salt and pepper.

 

Add oil to a large Dutch oven pot and heat.  

 

 Sear roast until nicely browned on both sides.

 

 

 

Remove roast from pan and set aside.  Add garlic to pot and saute 60 seconds.

 

 

 

Deglaze pan with red wine and beef broth

 

 

 

Return roast to pot and pour Worcestershire sauce over roast.

 

Nestle potatoes, carrots and onions around and on top of roast.

 

 

 

Cover and place in preheated 350 degree oven.  Cook 3 hours or until meat is tender and shreds easily with a fork.

 

 

 

Add salt and pepper to taste

 

Optional:  Gravy – strain liquid and return to pot.  Boil until desire consistency is reached.  Thicken with a roux or corn starch slurry if desired.

 

Treat yourself to some armchair travel to England with my 

Open Book Series!

 Coming August 1

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When murder taints writer-in-residence Penelope Parish’s charming British bookshop, she must follow the clues to catch a killer before tempers boil over.
 
Penelope Parish thought she’d turned the page on her amateur sleuthing days but when the owner of Upper Chumley-on-Stokes’ proposed first high-end gourmet shop is poisoned, the American novelist starts to wonder if she and her quaint British town are in for another rewrite. It turns out that not everyone was a fan of Simeon Foster’s farm-sourced charcuterie and imported pastries—many of the locals were outraged by the potential new competition.
 
With a full menu of suspects on her hands, this just might be Penelope’s toughest case yet. Luckily, her friends at the Open Book are there to help with every twist of the poisoned pen.