cheese flautas and rice

Happy Monday!

I hope you had a good weekend. Ours was filled with Saturday soccer games, a piano recital, a Cinco de Mayo party, and some family room progress.

Since I knew the schedule was tight for this past weekend, I wanted to select something fast and easy to take to my friend's Cinco de Mayo party.

I've made these cheese flautas before, following the recipe exactly. This time around I modified it a bit, but got just as good results. And if you remember, Martha's my go to gal.

(I wanted to get a photo, but they were gobbled up too fast!)

source

Recipes modified from Martha Stewart


Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup pepitas (green hulled pumpkin seeds)

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

8 corn tortillas (6-inch), softened by moistening and lightly toasting over a gas burner (turn with tongs)

2 cups (6 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup peanut oil

Directions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low. Cook garlic until golden, 1 minute. Add pepitas; cook, tossing, until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Pulse to a paste in a food processor. Add cilantro, lime juice, and remaining olive oil; pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Spread some pesto on a softened tortilla; top with cheese. Roll up; place seam side down. Cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat.
2. Heat peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Fry flautas in 2 batches, seam sides down, 1 minute. Using tongs, roll to brown evenly, cooking 1 minute more. Drain on paper towels, dabbing tops to remove excess oil.

My Modifications

• I minced my garlic, since I had my press handy and it goes in the food processor anyway.
• I softened my tortillas by placing them in the microwave for 30 seconds. The tortillas will likely split if not softened first. (I don't have a gas stove this time around, so I didn't lightly toast them either.)
• I used canola oil to fry, instead of peanut oil.
• I used a Mexican blend of cheese, instead of just  Monterey Jack.

source

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork.

My Modifications

I cooked my rice in my rice cooker, then add the cilantro sauce. You can add more or less depending on how subtle you want the cilantro/lime flavor of your rice.

I more than doubled each recipe, about 2.5 since I knew this would be a large group.

How about you? Was your weekend jam packed as well? Or slow and relaxing?