Cobb Salad with Chili-Lime Dressing

So there I was, perusing my weekly email from Taste of Home, not really paying attention, when the words "chili-lime dressing" caught my eye. Intrigued, I checked out the recipe, and I started seeing ingredients like green chiles... cilantro... lime juice... sour cream... hot sauce?! I could hear the Von Trapp kids... "These are a few of my favorite things..."  I've been wanting to attempt a homemade salad dressing for a while, and I knew I had to give this one a try.

This couldn't be more fresh and summery if it tried.

The recipe is really just for this amazing, cool-yet-spicy dressing. I'll include Taste of Home's original suggestions for salad toppings as well as some of my own.

Chili-Lime Salad Dressing
From: Taste of Home
Makes: a little more than a cup

You'll need:
1 (4 oz) can of chopped green chiles, undrained
2/3 c sour cream
1/4 c fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 T lime juice
1/2 t pepper
1/4 to 1/2 t hot sauce
1/4 t salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and mixed.

The original recipe doesn't specify how long you can keep this dressing in the fridge; I'd guess about a week, like most other homemade dressings. But don't worry... you won't have trouble using it before then.

Suggested salad toppings:

Hearts of romaine (I prefer green leaf)
Kidney beans (I bet black beans would be even better)
Monterrey Jack cheese (I used cheddar)
Tomatoes
Chicken breast (I left it out and the salad wasn't missing anything)
Avocado (Yes. Always.)
Chopped red onion (one of my favorite salad toppings)
Bacon bits (I didn't feel they belonged, personally)

I also tried chopped red bell pepper, and I bet crispy tortilla strips would be fantastic. Whatever you decide to throw on the plate, just make it a fresh and tasty backdrop for this knockout dressing.

Happy summer, everybody!

Mexican Rice

I've been on a mission for over a year to find a recipe for Mexican rice, ever since my husband informed me that he wasn't too fond of the recipe I had been using. I wasn't that offended, since it was a total cheater shortcut recipe, but finding a better one that (a) doesn't have vegetables in it (since my husband hates those) and (b) wasn't a pain to make has proven to be more challenging than I thought it would be. But at last... a winner!

Great subtle flavor and a nice sticky texture... Outstanding with refried beans... what more could you want?

How about, it's ready in 30 minutes, only requires your attention for about 10, and you probably have all the ingredients on hand already? Win.

Mexican Rice
From: allrecipes.com
Serves: 4-6

You'll need:
3 T vegetable oil
1 c uncooked long-grain rice
1 t garlic salt
1/2 t cumin
1/4 c chopped onion
1/2 c tomato sauce
2 c chicken broth

Note: Since I was actually out of chicken broth, I found (thanks, google) that you can substitute 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of butter for a cup of chicken broth. So, consider that a variation in case you, too, are out of chicken broth.

Heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in the rice and toast for a few minutes, stirring often, until the rice is puffy and golden. While it's cooking, sprinkle in the garlic salt and cumin.

Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for a few more minutes until the onions are tender. Stir in the tomato sauce and chicken broth (or water and butter) and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 20-25 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.

 Fluff with a fork and serve with your favorite Mexican dish. And some refried beans.