Mexican food

David is not a dessert eater. If I make a dessert, I need to have a legitimate reason for it otherwise I end up eating an entire cake all by myself over the course of a week. Not good. My parents are coming in to town tomorrow night so I'm going to attempt my first carrot cake. I'm not sure when I'm going to make it - I am having dinner with a friend this evening and when I get home I will probably end up cleaning and getting ready for my parents' arrival. Tomorrow night it's possible I could have time to make it when I get home from work but we'll see! Here is the recipe I plan to use...

Carrot cake

4 eggs
2 c. sugar
3 c. grated carrots
2 c. self -rising flour
1&1/2 c. oil
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. chopped pecans

Blend sugar and oil. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Add flour, carrots, cinnamon and nuts. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured cake pans (either 2 8" or 2 9") Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool completely

Frosting

1 box (2 cups) powdered sugar
1 (8oz) box cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c chopped pecans

Cream butter and cream cheese. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time. Add vanilla and stir in nuts. Frost cake.

When I get home this evening I will make soft tacos for David along with Spanish Rice and refried beans. I found a recipe for Spanish Rice on AllRecipes.com that I've modified a bit and I will never go back to boxed Spanish rice again.

Spanish Rice

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 T dried minced onion
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles (if you don't like spicy, use a can of diced tomatoes in place of the Rotel)
2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve chicken bouillon cubes in the 2 cups water.
Heat butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Saute rice & onion rice is browned.
Stir in water and tomatoes. Season with chili powder, cumin and salt. Cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

Servings: 4 Calories per serving: 270 Total Fat: 7.6g Dietary Fiber: 2.5g

Here's a little tip on the refried beans. It doesn't make them healthier but it makes them creamier and more like restaurant-style. Add a couple Tablespoons of butter to the beans as they're heating. Yum! I also add a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese.

Usually with Mexican food I will have made some enchilada sauce to go in the beans and to go on top of the tacos or enchiladas or whatever I am serving. Here is the recipe for the enchilada sauce:

AUTHENTIC ENCHILADA SAUCE

3 T oil
3 T flour
6 T chili powder
2 c water (or meat broth)
1 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder

Dissolve chili powder in the water and set aside. (I measured out the 2 c water into a measuring cup and dissolved the chili powder in it beforehand so that it was ready...I used warm water to aid in the dissolving). In medium skillet, heat oil. Add flour and heat until dissolved. Add chili powder/water mixture and mix well. Add salt and garlic powder and mix well. Bring to bubbly boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes.

I'm not really sure if this blog of mine will be primarily recipes that fared well in our house or what, but for now that is what I felt like posting about.

It's a beautiful, 82° day here in Seattle. Come see us!