Quick Fix: Lemon-Pinoli Rice Pilaf

This Lemon-Pinoli (Pine Nut) Rice Pilaf is a great way to use up leftover rice.  It comes together super-quick and is really delicious.  The lemon gives the rice some brightness and makes it perfect for pairing with fish or chicken while the Pinoli, or Pine Nuts, add a nutty flavor and crunchy texture.  I threw in some parmesan cheese, which added another dimension of nutty flavor to the mix.  This dish will work with any rice you have on hand and you can add any fresh herbs you like to marry it to your main dish.

Here's the link to the video:

Here's the recipe:

2 TBLS pine nuts*, toasted

2 Cups cooked rice

1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/4 Cup parmesan cheese

1/4-1/2 tsp dill* (fresh would be really lovely, I used dried because that's what I had on hand)

salt to taste

Start by toasting the pine nuts over low heat in a skillet.  Remove the Pinoli from the pan and set them aside once they are toasted to a golden brown.

Increase heat to medium high and add olive oil - allow it all to heat up a bit.  Add rice, stirring in to break up any clumps.  Stir in dill, lemon juice and salt (to taste).  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Let it hang out for about 5 minutes, until heated through.  Turn off heat.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pine nuts.  Stir to combine and serve hot.    

*Note: you can reserve a few pine nuts and some dill (if you are using fresh) if you like, to use as a garnish.

Savory Nut Mix

This has been a week of celebrating anniversaries. On St. Patrick's day, we got together with family for dinner at a local bar and grill, then all attended the final performance of Les Miserables at the local high school. That was our "house" anniversary celebration. 7 years ago on March 20, 3 great-nieces and 1 great-nephew moved in with us and became "our" kids. 14 years ago on March 21, my wonderful husband and I were married. Since the kids just happened to move in the day before our wedding anniversary, we have started doing something together as a family to celebrate - last year we also went to see the musical at the high school and I think the year before that we went to see Alice in Wonderland together.

Anyway, since Tuesday and Wednesday were the actual dates involved, I tried to have a little something special to nibble on each night. I kept the meals simple since I'm still battling a nasty cold, but I did make savory nuts to munch as an appetizer on Tuesday and a Queso Fundido to have for an appetizer last night (my husband and I were then too full to really eat dinner, but that was ok).

So I thought I'd share the nut mix since it's a family favorite (although in truth I never make it exactly the same way twice).

Savory Nut Mix

3-4 cups nuts, or nuts and seeds
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked pepper
parmesan cheese to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread nuts and seeds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Turn off heat and add spices. Pour over nuts and stir well to evenly coat nuts. Bake until nuts are golden brown. Grate parmesan cheese over top of nuts and bake a few minutes more. Allow nuts to cool. Store in an airtight jar - if they last that long!