Recipe(tried): Arroz a La Jardinera (Rice and Vegetables) and Pumpkin Soup for Allison

This is a repost of one of my mother's recipes. It will be great for your brunch.

ARROZ A LA JARDINERA
Rice and Vegetables

1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1/4 cup olive oil (they used shortening, which gives a better taste and texture but a lot of cholesterol)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 oz green beans, sliced and ready to cook
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 cup corn
3 1/2 cups rice
1 tb olive oil with bijol or annato oil
3 cups water or chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley to taste.

Saute the onion, pimiento in the oil. Add the garlic, tomatoes, sliced green beans the carrot, corn and saute for a few minutes. Add the stock or water, the annato oil and the rice. Cook uncovered at medium heat, until it is dry. Stir from the bottom up a few times, cover and lower the heat to low. Cook for 18 to 20 more minutes.

Another recipe (repost) from my mother's notebook great for begginning your Spanish Bruch. Feel free to use any other root vegetable as for example taro or manioc:

PUMPKIN SOUP

5 cups chicken broth
2 lbs pumkin or squash
1/2 cup Sofrito (there are several Sofrito recipes by myself at the RECIPELINK-just search for SOFRITO)
1/4 cup chopped cilantrillo (chinese parsley)
salt and ground pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Peel the pumpkin and cut into 1 inch cubes. Place the pumpkin in large saucepan with the cilantrillo, Sofrito and chicken stock. Cover and simmer until the pumpkin begins to disintegrate, about 1 hour. Rub the soup through a sieve (puree in blender). Return to the saucepan, season with salt and pepper, stir in the cream and nutmeg and heat through without letting the soup come to a boil. The pumpkin could be substituted by another root vegetable (vianda) as for example yuca, malanga o batata. There was always soup in the table to begin a dinner.