Kara's Kooking - Arroz Cubano

I had arroz cubano, which translates to Spanish Rice, when I was studying abroad in Spain.  Every Friday (when her grandchildren came over) we had this dish.  This was fine by me because it was delicious!  In Spain, they have a sauce called "Tomate Frito"(translation: fried tomato), and unfortunately there isn't anything similar here in the States.  It was so good my roommate and I contemplated drinking it!  Anyway, when I miss Spain, I make my own version of Arroz Cubano.  It's definitely a dish that sounds weird, but don't knock it til you try it.

All you need is a medium grain rice, 1 egg, and plain tomato sauce.  

Cook the rice according to the package.  Fry up an egg.  Put the rice and egg in a bowl.  Pour tomato sauce on top.  Voila! 

My Go-To Party Dish

Last summer I needed a dish to bring to a neighborhood block party, but wanted to bring something other than your standard potato salad or coloslaw. My mom suggested macaroni cheese. I had made homemade (not from a box) mac and cheese once before and it ended up being incredibly bland so I was worried about finding a recipe that would have a lot of flavor and be easy to make. I came across a recipe that sounded good, so I went with it. The neighborhood loved it and everyone asked for the recipe. It has now become my go-to dish whenever I am asked to bring something. It takes some time to make, but it's pretty simple, delicious, and always a crowd pleaser.



Baked Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound macaroni

1 (11 ounce) can condensed cream of Cheddar cheese soup

1 1/2 cups milk

14 ounces extra sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (I've also used sharp yellow cheddar which was fine)

1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste (I usually do about half a tsp of each)

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.

In a large saucepan over low heat, warm soup and add milk; stir. Add 1/2 of cheese to soup and remove mixture from heat when cheese is melted.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Add macaroni and tomatoes to soup; stir and pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with bread crumbs and remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 40 minutes or until the cheese is a golden brown; serve. (I cover it with foil after the first 15 minutes).