My Baked Zitti

I love baked zitti - and always always make the mistake of ordering at S'Barro where I know that its terrrible! I found this super simple recipe and in 30 min or so you are all set with some super good zitti...

Ingredients:
Mozzarella Cheese - 1/2 grated
Pasta - tube shaped like rigatoni
1 Can stewed tomatoes sliced or diced - italian style
2 tablespoons of oil
2-3 tablespoons Onion
1 Clove garlic
Preheat oven to 450
In a medium pot fill 3/4 with water heat to a boil.
Carefully put in the pasta.
The garlic really makes this I think - dont skimp on the onions or the garlic.
On medium heat, heat the oil, put in the onion and garlic.
Cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the can of stewed tomatoes.

Cook the pasta until its aldente - Remember its has to cook a bit more in the tomatoe mix then in the oven. If its overcooked, you just end up with mush - Yuk!

Ok al dente pasta - carefully mix it in with the tomatoe and onions.
Mix well, Pour 1/2 into baking dish - I used my pie dish cuz if use a bigger baking dish I just eat it all!!
Top with 1/2 the mozarella cheese.
Add remaining pasta - Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 7 to 10 min or until the cheese bubbles.

Rice Like My Abuelita Made - aka Spanish Rice

I really dont know why its called spanish rice cuz I dont think there is anything really spanish about it. I guess it just sounds better than Mexican rice. Hee Hee.
OK This dish, like any rice dish, can be challenging - sometimes it takes a few tries to get it right. There are lots of variables like the pot you cook in (it should be stainless steel copper bottom) PLS DO NOT USE ALUMINUM its considered unhealthy and has been linked to early Alzheimers - I dont know about you but I have enough issues without the Alzheimers....

OK so here are the ingredients:
- Rice 1 cup (long grain is best but Ive used basmati and jasmine)
- Chopped white or yellow onion about 2-3 Tablespoons
- Chopped small clove garlic
- EV00 Xtra virgin olive oil 4-5 Tablespoons
- small can of Tomatoe sauce
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth or Water


So having been taught to cook with no measuring cups or spoons so dont look for any specific measurements but knowing that this is difficult I will try to help you out. Remember that rice doubles in size so if you measure one cup of dry rice you will get 2 cups cooked. For this recipe its just one cup - you can double it if you want.

Before getting on to the rice in a separate pot put on your 2 cups of water on high heat. If I have chicken broth I use it. If I dont I use water and add a chicken bullion cube if I have some...Most of the time I dont have either so its tap water on Maita Circle....

On medium heat Heat oil in pan - drop in 3 or 4 grains of rice.
When they start to bubble or look like they are frying its time to add the remaining rice....pour it all in.
Stir it, then stir it again, Keep stirring for about 15 min.
The rice will turn white and will eventually turn light brown.
I know that sounds like a long time and you will be tempted to turn up the heat - Resist that temptation cuz you'll just end up with smelly burnt rice. I know this by experience...



When about half the rice (or less) has turned a toasty brown its time to add the Onion & Garlic.
Stir it in and let it smell up your kitchen with the onion and garlic.
Let it cook in for about a minute - the onion should be translucent.
Now go ahead and add the can of tomatoe sauce.

The water in your separate pot should be boilING OR really hot...Careful adding that to the rice and dont let it boil too long cuz you'll lose the water and end up with crunchy rice. Yuk


Stir the rice and hot water which will be nice and red or orange.
If its just plain water, flavor it with salt to taste and pepper.
To give just a little more flavor add a couple of sprigs of corriander.
Cover it. Lower the heat to low.
Check it in 15 minutes.
Cover it. Turn it off but leave it on the stove and cover it.
Part of the secret to good rice is the steam.
Check it again in 10 minutes. DO NOT STIR IT UP you will destroy the rice.
My mom is a stickler for this - taste the rice on the edges - it should be fully cooked and not crunchy (raw). If its not fully cooked take a spoon gently nudge some rice over and add a bit more water - I said a bit! Dont add too much cuz then it gets mushy...Practice will help. Let me know if you need more detail or if you have questions....

SALSA - Yeah baby Its HOT!

This is super easy salsa - Sometimes its called La Bandera (The Flag - the Mexican Flag of course or Pico De Gallo or just plain salsa. There are variations but those are for future blogs.
This is a small batch - My dad uses the one to one ratio - one tomatoe for every jalapeno. The heat will depend on the pepper. Some are hotter than others. If you are adventuresome and like the heat try the Serrano peppers in stead of the Jalapeno - Serranos are smaller but dont let that fool you - they have kick.
Go to the store or farmers market and get
-1 Fresh firm Jalapeno
-1 or 2 Tomatoes (Romas, Beef, or vine whatever is cheap)
-1/4 Onion (yellow, white, NOT green)
-Cilantro 8 to 10 sprigs of the bunch (aka Coriander)
-Juice of 1/2 Lemon or Lime

Chop each ingredients (except the lemon or lime) and set them in a bowl large enough for all the ingredients. Mix them and add salt to taste - not too much though.
Finally, add the juice of the lemon or lime - I add 1/2 of the lime - my daughter adds two limes...
***CAUTION: Handle the jalapeno carefully. Hold it by the stem or tail and cut it lengthwise in half, turn and cut it again so its in quarters cut it once more then start chopping in really small pieces. Dont do large chunks with the pepper, its just too hot. Also, some will tell you to split the pepper and carve out the seeds and stems - I dont do that - thats where the heat is. When Chopping the pepper DONT rub your eyes. Dont brush hair out of your face, dont touch your kids or your pets. This stuff is no joke if you get it in your eyes - remember its what they use for Mace...***
Mix gently and taste it with a corn chip - - Enjoy by topping the Tostada with the salsa or on Nachos!! Yum. Non fat and good for you.

Chicken Tostadas Ala Maita Circle

These are Super Easy and good for you. If you dont like chicken you can use ground beef, shredded beef or just go meatless and the beans are fine.
Start with fresh ingredients.
Go to the store and buy: PERICOS Tostadas (there are others but I like these)
Lettuce (ice berg, romaine, red, whatever U like)
Tomatoes (roma, vine, beef, whatever U like and is cheap)
Cheese (I like mild cheddar, my moms like Monterey Jack, use whatever U like)
Chicken (parts, breast, legs, boneless, skinless, whatever you like)



If you dont want to cook fresh pinto beans then yes you can add a can to your grocery list.

1. Cook your pinto beans in the morning so they can cool and you can mash them before spreading them on your tostada. They will be your first layer.
2. Cook your chicken with veggies if you want (I used potatoes, celery,onion, garlic, n salt) After its cooked well (no pink) let it cool and then shred it.
3. After your beans are mashed and cooled and your chicken is shreded and cooled,
You can start layering.
4. Spread some mashed beans onto the tostada.
5. Add chicken over the beans.
6. Add cheese over the chicken.
7. Add lettuce over the cheese.
8. A bit more cheese over the lettuce for color
9. Chopped Tomatoe.

Other optional ingredients: Salsa, Cilantro, Guacamole or choped Avacados, Sour cream. I dont like sour cream on mine and I didnt do Guacamole cuz the Avacados were like $2 a piece.