How to Make Horchata (Cinnamon Rice Milk Drink Recipe)

I actually first discovered horchata during a 1993 summer family vacation in Valencia, Spain. We loved the drink so much, we drank liters and liters of the delicious, cool, sweet horchata. That particular variety was made with tiger nuts, but there are many variations that are made with nuts and grains such as rice, blanched ground almonds, sesame seeds or barley. It all depends on which region the beverage comes from.

I’ve had the rice-based version several times at Mexican restaurants recently, and I’ve been itching to learn how to make it at home. The recipe requires patience but is worth the wait. I’m definitely going to be bringing a big jug of this to the next family picnic!

Enchilada Style Burrito Recipe

This week, our family decided to eat Mexican fare in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. I've already made spiced chocolate flan, which I posted yesterday. After that, we debated about what else we could make. There are 8 family members and no one could decide whether we should eat enchiladas or burritos, so we ended up wrapping tortillas into burritos which we covered in spicy enchilada sauce and topped with cheese. Crisis averted!

It’s definitely not authentic, but it is delicious. If you’d prefer to add meat (I know I would), I would go with shredded beef.

Mexican Chocolate Flan Recipe

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces in 1862. The celebrations here in the Bay Area are always fun and I wanted to get in on the festivities. I love chocolate desserts, so I made a spiced chocolate flan.

I flavored the custard with Mexican chocolate, cinnamon and a small amount of cayenne pepper for a pleasant warmth at the end. Enjoy!

Chipotle Chicken Burrito Recipe

The best part of chicken burrito is the flavor bursting from the spicy chicken. I first soaked the chicken in buttermilk to guarantee tenderness, then tossed the chicken in a sweet and spicy chipotle sauce. I got inspired by Chipotle's cilantro-lime rice, which pairs perfectly with the chicken. I also added a small amount of black beans (I'm not a huge fan), sour cream, baby spinach and shredded cheddar cheese.

I think I went a little over-board with the over-stuffed burrito. I don't how many calories are packed in this meal, but we ended up cutting each burrito in half. I've recently been craving spicy food and this meal fits the bill. I think I've mentioned it in the past; before I got married, I could barely tolerate the spiciness from a dash of black pepper or heaven forbid a chipotle pepper! Now, being married to Lulu, I crave a hint of chiles. Ah, what we do for love!

Vegetarian Burrito Recipe

Since we came back from Paris, I've been very diligent about regularly visiting the gym. I'm happy I've finally shed the extra pounds I gained during the holiday season. Part of what got me there was switching from white rice to brown rice. The family doesn't seem to mind; in fact, we all prefer it now.

Today, I threw together a very quick meal made with brown rice. I filled burritos with the brown rice, black beans, a little shredded cheese, guacamole and tomato salsa. The meal is complete as the combination of beans and rice together are an excellent meat substitute (great complete protein for a vegetarian diet). And for the carnivores in the house, I added leftover steak from last night's dinner.

To flavor the brown rice without adding too many calories, I tossed it with caramelized onions, mushrooms and a little cream cheese. One tortilla is very filling and is more than enough for one person. I prepared the rice, guacamole and salsa in separate bowls and let everyone assemble their own burrito. It's a quick on-the go meal, so I had more time to hit the gym in the evening!