Mexican Rice in a Toaster Oven

I've made this version of Mexican Rice for years.  In fact, I'll make a batch just for me, and eat it all.  My late husband didn't care for rice that much, so I made it to my taste.  Which as we all know, if you're making something just for you, you should make it to your taste as well. 

And while I made this in my toaster oven, you can make rice this way in a regular oven as well.   In fact when I used to volunteer at the Senior Center and we served rice, I'd bake it in the regular oven, and it always worked out.  

But this is Multicooker Monday, and so I decided to make rice in the toaster oven.  And it worked, really well. 

There are two steps to my Mexican Style rice, but you can totally omit the browning portion, but I don't think it tastes as good.  

Here's few pictures of the process. 

Browning the rice

After the water and salsa has been added

The rice in the toaster oven container

And the finished rice

Mexican Style Rice in Toaster Oven

Yield: 2 Servings

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking -

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This makes two generous servings. You can also double or triple the recipe. It makes a great side, or as a filling for a burrito.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white rice  ( I like converted rice for this)
• 1/2 cup jarred or home made salsa
• 3/4 cup water - divided  in half or so 
• 1/4 cup water (optional)
• 1/2-1 tsp. EVOO
• Non stick spray

Instructions

1. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the EVOO.  Pour the rice in and let brown a little, keeping a close eye on it and stirring often.  
2. While it is browning, spray a pan that can go in the toaster oven with a little non-stick spray.
3. Continue to cook the rice in the pan until evenly browned.  Turn off the heat and pour in the 3/4 cup water.  It will bubble and steam, but that's ok.  Add the 1/2 cup of salsa and stir through.  Pour into the pan which has been sprayed with the non stick spray.  If it looks a little dry, add the additional 1/4 cup of water.  Place a piece of aluminum foil over and seal the pan well.  Place into the Toaster Oven and set the temp to 375 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.  Take out of the oven, remove the foil and fluff with a fork, and replace the foil.  You can serve this with refried beans, top with cheddar cheese or use as part of a filling in a burrito.

 Note:  You do not need to brown the rice first for this dish, but it does taste better.  

If cooking regular rice, you don't need as much water, but an extra 1/4 cup of water per half cup of regular rice will ensure that the rice is fully hydrated and cooked.  A little of moisture will escape in the form of steam. 

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Multicooker Monday

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  • Toaster Oven Mexican Rice by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

Meringue Kisses in Toaster Oven

 I can't say I forgot about this, but dang, it snuck up on me. This year is whizzing by, fast.    

It's time for Multi-Cooker Monday.   This is when we get to have a free for all, kinda, in that we use a small kitchen appliance to make something fun. No themes here, just use a small kitchen appliance.  

I honestly don't have a lot of kitchen toys, no room for them, but I do have a small toaster oven which lives on my counter.  

I love it.  I had no idea a toaster oven could be so versatile.  I've made so many different dishes in this.  And if it's a small batch recipe, it means I don't have to heat up my big oven, which in turn heats up my house and causes my air conditioner to work overtime.  And that hot air goes straight up the stairs and heat the upper floor.

I've made and baked so many dishes in this oven.  I made these Tacos de Jocoqui al horno and some Yorkshire Pudding Wraps in it. I might have almost over done it on them, they were so so good.  And I kept experimenting and eating them.   

I've made Cornbread in it, two different kinds, one with Turkey Smaltz.

I've even baked No- Knead Rolls in it. 

I'm kinda almost ahead of the game, I actually made these Meringue Kisses for my Strawberry Fool earlier this month.  And have to say they were good. But the humidity, sigh, it got to the kisses. 
I ate them anyway.  

 

Even the ones I had to pry off the parchment paper.  

Next time, they'll get put into a container right away so they don't get all soft, and sticky.   And they also were being difficult, as in I had to moosh them to get the off the parchment paper.

But they tasted good anyway.

I did do a repeat on the Meringue Kisses, cause the last batch was a touch too soft, thanks to the humidity. 

I also flavored this batch with some Chocolate Rum.  

As you can see this batch peeled off the parchment paper beautifully. 

 I also want to highlight one of my favorite kitchen tools.  I got a Cuisinart Immersion Blender a few years ago. It came with a whisk and a mini food chopper.  Well, I'm on my second whisk for this little beauty and use it a lot. And it was amazingly easy to beat the egg whites for the meringue. 

Meringue Kisses in Toaster Oven

Yield: 12 + Kisses

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking -

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 60 Min inactive time: 3 HourTotal time: 4 H 

Meringue Kisses are fun to make, even in a toaster oven.

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract or other flavoring
• teeny pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Beat egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and salt.  Continue to beat until stiff, then add 1/4 of the sugar, continue to beat the egg whites, until all of the sugar has been incorporated.  Continue to beat at a high speed until the meringue is glossy and stiff, then fold in the vanilla.
2. To bake-
3. On a parchment covered baking pan which fits into the toaster oven, either pipe or drop by the tablespoons the meringue.
4. Place in the toaster oven which is set at 275 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, checking to see if they are set and cooked. Continue to bake at 275 degrees for an additional 30 minutes    Place the meringues back into the oven, turn on at 300 deg. for a couple of minutes, and then turn oven back off.  Let sit for at least 2 hours in the unopened toaster oven.  Depending on the humidity, you can then leave them or take out and place into a air tight container.
5. If left on the parchment paper too long in a humid area they will stick to the parchment paper.   Trust me on this, I know.

 

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @sidsseapalmcooking on instagram and hashtag it #Sidsseapalmcooking

Created using The Recipes Generator

Multicooker Monday

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