Three Onion Soup

This is a very nice, easy alternative to French Onion Soup for a cold winter day.  We all enjoyed this soup very much.  This recipe is from the Epicurious website.  

3-Onion Soup
serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium leeks

1 medium onions, sliced thin
2 large shallots, sliced thin
1 teaspoon olive oil

1 large potato (Yukon Gold)
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon sherry
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup chicken broth (low sodium, low fat)
1/2 cup grated Gruyère (2 ounces)

2 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Chop enough white and pale green parts of leeks to measure 2 cups.  Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water.  Lift from water and drain in a colander.  Heat oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook chopped leeks, onion, and shallots, stirring frequently, until edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes.  Add red wine and sherry and deglaze skillet, scraping up brown bits.  Transfer mixture to a saucepan.

Peel potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.  Add potato, broth, and water to onions.  Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender (approximately 20 minutes).

Purée one cup soup in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and stir into remaining soup.

Serve soup sprinkled with cheese and drizzle with vinegar.

Enjoy!

Authentic Mexican Rice

I made this Mexican Rice with the Chicken Enchiladas that I posted last year.  The last time I made these enchiladas I served Spanish Quinoa instead of rice.  I decided to be more authentic this time and make a traditional rice dish.  I also served some refried beans.  You can make this rice spicy by using medium or hot salsa instead of the tomato sauce.

Authentic Mexican Rice

Prep. Time:  5 Minutes

Cook Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil

¼ medium onion, chopped

1-1/2 cups rice

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2-1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup plain tomato sauce*

4 heaping tablespoons of finely chopped parsley (optional)

Preparation:

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add the fresh onion and garlic.  Sauté for 1-2 minutes until softened.  Add dry rice and cook with the onions for about 5-6 minutes or until rice becomes a golden brown color.

Add in broth and tomato sauce (add slowly into the rice, not directly into a hot pan).  Then add parsley if you’re using it.  Stir it up and bring to a boil.  Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and cover.  Let it simmer for 20 minutes and fluff with a fork.

*Substitutions:  If you don’t have fresh garlic or onions on hand you can use the equivalent in powder form.  Do not sauté the powder, just skip that step and add the garlic powder and/or onion powder when you add the liquids.  If you don’t have tomato sauce you can use 1 cup of unseasoned stewed tomatoes (with their liquid) that have been chopped, or canned diced tomatoes with their liquid.  Rotel and jarred salsa can also be substituted for the tomato sauce. 

From www.about.com