Green Rice (Rice with cilantro and roasted peppers)

I made this rice to go with the enchiladas I made the other night. I used to just make plain rice with enchiladas, but this is way better and is what is always served with enchiladas now.

This starts out being made like risotto but ends up like regular rice: I sauté onions and garlic in oil, toast the rice, and then add the hot cooking liquid – all of it at once – and then I cover the pot and leave it alone over low heat. And yes, I’ve tried making this without heating up the cooking liquid before adding it to the rice, but it ends up taking more time to cook and the rice comes out more separate.

Yeah, it’s a little more laborious than plain rice, but not that much more so if you do some prep in advance. Besides, it’s way better than plain rice and therefore totally worth the extra effort.

Spicy Black Bean, Corn, and Potato Soup

This is totally one of my favorite soups – it’s insanely easy to make but stands on its own as a meal. I first made this for my parents a few years ago, and they both loved it. But I think the best testament to how good this soup is is the fact that my friend Rick, the world’s pickiest eater, likes it. ‘Nuff said.