Mexican Rice Mix

They weren't joking when they said your second child would be nothing like your first. Our second born LOOKS exactly like her sister, and eats like her too. But that's where the similarities end. Our firstborn never slept, had colic and hated being held. Emma sleeps beautifully day and night, hardly ever cries and wants to be held ALL THE TIME.

As you can imagine, I find it hard to find time in the day where I have free arms. I have been using a lot of my well stocked freezer meals. Or ordering take out. And lately my husband has been into making his famous baked chicken legs from his bachelor days. But a woman cannot live on chicken alone, so today I came up with an easy side dish mix to go with it.

Mexican Rice Mix

1 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried garlic flakes
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

What else you'll need

2 cups water
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Combine mix with water, oil and tomato paste in a saucepan and simmer until rice is tender.

This made a delicious side dish for my husband's chicken legs, and our eldest daughter loved it.

This recipe is similar to my Spanish rice mix, but that one is much sweeter and this one is savory and a bit spicier.

Mix It Up-Date

I apologize for the lack of posts, but I have been busy. On Saturday June 16, at 7:00 p.m. I gave birth to a beautiful 8 pound baby girl named Emma Claire who already has the famous family appetite and love for food.



Emma is a very sweet and easy baby, so I had planned to get right back in the kitchen as soon as we got home, but on the drive home from the hospital our other daughter came down with the worst stomach virus of her life and now the baby and I are living in isolation in the basement until she recovers.

I'll be back next week with some new recipes but until then I'm just enjoying my time alone with my new little girl.

Thai Chili Tuna Seasoning Mix

I started liking tuna when I lived in Australia. They had just come out with those little cans in different flavors, and I used to bring one with 2 slices of bread in my lunch and construct my sandwich once I got to school or my teaching placements.

When I came home they had just started making them here as well, but what I didn't like about them was the cost- the can was half the size, yet the same price or more. Also, the big cans and no name cans are the ones that always go on sale, which makes the flavored ones even more expensive. I wanted my cheap price but my yummy flavor! What was I to do.... well.....

Thai Chili Tuna Seasoning Mix

1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried garlic flakes
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8- 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (depending if you want mild or spicy tuna. I used 1/8)



What else you'll need

1 can tuna, drained
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon oil

Combine mix, oil, vinegar and tuna and mix well.



Either chill in fridge or eat right away. I made sandwiches for me and wraps for my husband. It made 4 good sized sandwiches/wraps. I served them with bacon dill potato salad (another mix coming up) and fresh green salad greens grown in my own garden! It was a delicious light meal for a summer night!

Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix

I'm not due for 8 more days, but this baby is keeping us on our toes making us think it might come early. Everything is set up, the freezer is full of meals and the bags are packed- but we have plans we don't want to miss, so I say 'please take your time'. In the meantime I am baking up a storm, hoping at least some of it makes its way to the freezer. Today's creation was so good that it probably will not....

Chocolate Chip Muffin Mix (single use)

2 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt



What else you'll need

1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 egg (or substitute)

Combine wet ingredients then add to mix and stir until smooth.





Spoon batter into a greased (or papered) 12 cup muffin tin.



Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes until muffins start to look a bit golden brown.



Enjoy them cold or hot and melty!



My favorite little taste tester was very pleased with the results! They were honestly the best muffins I've ever made!

Mongolian Beef Mix

One of my favorite episodes of South Park has a line where the owner of 'City Wok' screams 'DAMN YOU MONGOLIANS!' and it always makes me giggle. I can't help but think of it when I make this delicious stir fry dish...

Mongolian Beef Mix

1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon paprika



What else you'll need

1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound thinly sliced beef

Combine mix with water and soy and set aside.




Stir fry beef strips quickly on high heat and then stir in sauce and cook until sauce thickens.



I served it with rice and steamed stir fry vegetables, which was perfect. The sauce was incredibly sweet, in the way that Chinese take out tends to be. If you like (or need) something less sweet I would use less sugar.

Potato Salad Seasoning Mix

It's June! I know that the 'real' first day of summer isn't for another three weeks, but to me June= summer and that means summer foods! We've been eating a lot of BBQ, crunchy green salads and picnic foods. Like....

Potato Salad Seasoning Mix

1 tablespoon dried chives
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon celery seed

What else you'll need

4 cups cooked, chopped potatoes
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or equal amount of oil/vinegar mixture)
various chopped items of choice (celery, pickles, eggs, bacon, ect)

Cook potatoes and set aside to cool. Combine mix with mayo or substitute and stir well. I don't eat eggs so I use a mixture of oil and vinegar. You can also do this if you're either watching your weight or concerned with food spoilage. Vinegar based salads are much safer in hot weather to be left out on tables than egg based ones.

Mix in other chopped ingredients. I chose just to use potatoes because I was in a hurry and they were all we had anyway.

Once potatoes are cool mix them in with sauce/other ingredients and either chill until use or serve.

I served it with some grilled chicken pitas. It was a delicious easy meal for a gorgeous summer day.