I’m working all weekend at a leadership retreat and spent much of the last week preparing for this event. With a dozen other young leaders from Tempe, we’ll spend the next two days focused on how to best work together to improve the well-being of Arizona’s refugee community. And of course, we’ll eat. My mom’s arroz con pollo recipe beat out the week’s plan of cooking ginger-stuffed chicken breasts. I did, however, bake the vegan chocolate cake as planned. I’d show you a photograph, but then you’d see the missing corner. Not sure where that corner went but I’m thinking it may be in my belly.
The icing on the cake of this weekend, so to speak, is my dad will be here for dinner on Sunday. It has been so long since I’ve seen my papi and I cannot wait to sit down for dinner with him and catch up. Yay!
~K
* Recipe:
Karel’s Arroz con Pollo:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds chicken, skinned
1/2 cup drained Italian canned tomatoes
3 ounces uncooked long grain rice
1/3 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro
2 chicken bullion cubes
2 cups of water
1/4 tablespoon oregano
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 tablespoon salt
Directions:
Combine vinegar, garlic, oregano and pepper in a small measuring cup. Brush mixture over chicken and place in a sealed container in the fridge for at least one hour. Over night is even better.
In a 3 quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, add chicken and cook turning occasionally until brown (6-8 minutes). Remove chicken and set aside on a place. To same pan, add tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until onions are softened (5-7 minutes). Add water, rice, olives, capers, cilantro, broth mixture, salt and 1/4 tablespoon of pepper. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and return chicken to pan. Cover and let simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender (25-30 minutes). Makes 2 services, or if you use 1 cup of rice, 4 servings.)