Rice is a staple food in many countries. It can be used as a base for all kinds of dishes, from casserole or gumbo to dessert!
Cooking rice can be confusing at first. Sometimes it comes out crunchy or chewy. Sometimes it's overcooked and sticks to the bottom of the pan. How do you get that nice fluffy rice that tastes so good?
One solution is to get a rice cooker! These things are amazing. Add the rice and water by following the lines on the inside of the pot. Press the button, and it pops up when it's finished!
But what if you don't have a rice cooker, or can't afford to buy another kitchen gadget right now? Good rice on the stovetop is not impossible!
For brown rice, you will need 2 cups of water per one cup of rice.
For white rice, you will need 1.5 cups water per cup of rice.
Here's what you do: Put the rice and water in the pot (or you can use broth, which is incredibly good), add a dash of salt if desired. Cover the pot and bring the liquid to a boil. Turn the heat down and leave it alone while it cooks. Do not stir it. Do not even touch it! You can peek every once in a while, but leave the lid on, we want the steam to help the cooking process.
If you look into the pot and see that the liquid is absorbed, and the top of the rice has little "craters" from the bubbles of liquid, it's time to turn off the heat. Leave the cover on, and NO STIRRING yet! Let it set for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
Brown rice will take about 45 minutes to cook.
White rice will take about 30 minutes.
If you have never tried different types of rice, I encourage you to experiment a bit. Jasmine and basmati "aromatic" rices are amazing, the smell while they are cooking is heavenly.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Cooking "styles"
There are many kinds of cooks.
Some are "to the letter" cooks. Give them a recipe, and it will be followed to the letter. Everything added at the precise moment, measured to the 1/8th teaspoon, cooked to the millisecond. Being precise and having attention to detail are great qualities in a cook! Baking requires this precision, because it is chemistry. Get the chemistry of your cake batter off, and it will be flat, or too delicate to hold up when you try to remove it from the pan and frost it. Your muffins may be more like hockey pucks. A precise detailed cook will rarely have failed dishes, as long as they follow tested, proven recipes.
Some cooks love mixes. Pre-mixed ingredients are a big help in many kitchens. Just add water! Recipes they love best often involve one package of this, mixed with one box of that, and a can of cream soup. Mixes are really great for beginning cooks as they learn, and younger children who want to get involved in the kitchen. Many of my "Family Favorites" cookbook recipes are this style. Families with food allergies have a more limited selection, but before we encountered our allergy journey, I kept more pre-mixed ingredients on hand.
Some cooks are free spirits. A dash of this, a pinch of that. Add some of those "to taste." Hand a recipe to this cook, and the end result will probably be close to the recipe, but it will have a definite personal touch. Being adventurous in the kitchen can lead to amazing new discoveries, and some that are not-so-amazing too. I have seen this type of cooking described as alchemy, taking humble elements of food and transforming them into something delicious and nourishing, even comforting, by a mysterious and often unrepeatable process.
Recipes from this type of cook can be really grating to the first type of cook. You can't measure "a pinch" of something! How much is "to taste?" Aaaargh!
I am a dash-and-pinch cook. I often make a dish by starting with a basic concept: Soup or stew, for example, and then I open my spice cabinet and see what looks good. I take a sniff here and there, and toss in what smells good, until the supper smells good!
Because I know that this can be confusing, I will try to at least make an estimate on quantities. If a recipe I post is confusing, please leave me a comment asking, and I will try to clarify.
Some are "to the letter" cooks. Give them a recipe, and it will be followed to the letter. Everything added at the precise moment, measured to the 1/8th teaspoon, cooked to the millisecond. Being precise and having attention to detail are great qualities in a cook! Baking requires this precision, because it is chemistry. Get the chemistry of your cake batter off, and it will be flat, or too delicate to hold up when you try to remove it from the pan and frost it. Your muffins may be more like hockey pucks. A precise detailed cook will rarely have failed dishes, as long as they follow tested, proven recipes.
Some cooks love mixes. Pre-mixed ingredients are a big help in many kitchens. Just add water! Recipes they love best often involve one package of this, mixed with one box of that, and a can of cream soup. Mixes are really great for beginning cooks as they learn, and younger children who want to get involved in the kitchen. Many of my "Family Favorites" cookbook recipes are this style. Families with food allergies have a more limited selection, but before we encountered our allergy journey, I kept more pre-mixed ingredients on hand.
Some cooks are free spirits. A dash of this, a pinch of that. Add some of those "to taste." Hand a recipe to this cook, and the end result will probably be close to the recipe, but it will have a definite personal touch. Being adventurous in the kitchen can lead to amazing new discoveries, and some that are not-so-amazing too. I have seen this type of cooking described as alchemy, taking humble elements of food and transforming them into something delicious and nourishing, even comforting, by a mysterious and often unrepeatable process.
Recipes from this type of cook can be really grating to the first type of cook. You can't measure "a pinch" of something! How much is "to taste?" Aaaargh!
I am a dash-and-pinch cook. I often make a dish by starting with a basic concept: Soup or stew, for example, and then I open my spice cabinet and see what looks good. I take a sniff here and there, and toss in what smells good, until the supper smells good!
Because I know that this can be confusing, I will try to at least make an estimate on quantities. If a recipe I post is confusing, please leave me a comment asking, and I will try to clarify.
Gray Slop! It tastes good, I promise!
I asked my husband what recipe I should post next. He suggested I share something our family enjoyed, despite it's completely unappealing appearance.
Gray Slop!
This is really simple.
All you do is make mashed potatoes, and brown some ground meat. Throw in some seasonings, powdered garlic, herbal seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix it up, and slop it onto some plates. If you use sausage for the ground meat, that's delicious too.
The great thing about this is that it's fast and cheap.
If you prefer, you can make the ground meat into a gravy, and serve it over the potatoes.
It really does look awful, but the kids would ask "What's for dinner" and the answer "Gray Slop" was always met with cheers!
Gray Slop!
This is really simple.
All you do is make mashed potatoes, and brown some ground meat. Throw in some seasonings, powdered garlic, herbal seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix it up, and slop it onto some plates. If you use sausage for the ground meat, that's delicious too.
The great thing about this is that it's fast and cheap.
If you prefer, you can make the ground meat into a gravy, and serve it over the potatoes.
It really does look awful, but the kids would ask "What's for dinner" and the answer "Gray Slop" was always met with cheers!
Basics: Italian Style Red Sauce
Credit for this goes to my friends, Joanne and Elizabeth.
Joanne's recipe contribution to our church's cookbook project got my friend Elizabeth started making her own red sauce. Her raves about how easy and delicious it was inspired me to try it.
I have changed mine around a bit, and to be honest it's never exactly the same as the previous batch!
This recipe is good for a large family. I make it in an 8-quart pot and usually end up with 5-6 quarts of sauce, if you halve the recipe it should fit in a 4-quart pot.
5 large cans of whole tomatoes (The recipe calls for the fancy Italian style tomatoes. I buy the cheapest ones).
One 8-oz. can tomato paste
Vegetables:
These are really necessary for best flavor
Onions 2 large
Garlic to taste (I use either 4-5 cloves of fresh garlic, or 2 teaspoons powdered)
Optional veggies to add if desired:
Peppers 2-3 sweet bell peppers
Celery 2-3 stalks
Carrots 2-3 large
Fresh Spinach (you will not even realize it's in there, honest!)
Fresh Mushrooms if desired
Herbs:
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
Marjoram
or just get an Italian Seasoning blend
Olive Oil
Red wine (optional)
What I do is use my blender. I chop up some veggies to fill the blender about halfway, pour in a can of tomatoes and puree it. More veggies, more tomatoes, pour it all in the pot. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of herbal seasoning, 1/2 cup red wine if desired, a couple tablespoons olive oil. Simmer over low heat 2-3 hours.
This is another one you can freeze if you like. The great thing is, even if your kids don't generally care for vegetables, they might like spaghetti, lasagna, pizza or other recipes using this red sauce with "hidden" veggies.
Joanne's recipe contribution to our church's cookbook project got my friend Elizabeth started making her own red sauce. Her raves about how easy and delicious it was inspired me to try it.
I have changed mine around a bit, and to be honest it's never exactly the same as the previous batch!
This recipe is good for a large family. I make it in an 8-quart pot and usually end up with 5-6 quarts of sauce, if you halve the recipe it should fit in a 4-quart pot.
5 large cans of whole tomatoes (The recipe calls for the fancy Italian style tomatoes. I buy the cheapest ones).
One 8-oz. can tomato paste
Vegetables:
These are really necessary for best flavor
Onions 2 large
Garlic to taste (I use either 4-5 cloves of fresh garlic, or 2 teaspoons powdered)
Optional veggies to add if desired:
Peppers 2-3 sweet bell peppers
Celery 2-3 stalks
Carrots 2-3 large
Fresh Spinach (you will not even realize it's in there, honest!)
Fresh Mushrooms if desired
Herbs:
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
Marjoram
or just get an Italian Seasoning blend
Olive Oil
Red wine (optional)
What I do is use my blender. I chop up some veggies to fill the blender about halfway, pour in a can of tomatoes and puree it. More veggies, more tomatoes, pour it all in the pot. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of herbal seasoning, 1/2 cup red wine if desired, a couple tablespoons olive oil. Simmer over low heat 2-3 hours.
This is another one you can freeze if you like. The great thing is, even if your kids don't generally care for vegetables, they might like spaghetti, lasagna, pizza or other recipes using this red sauce with "hidden" veggies.
Basics: Sauce
When two of my children were small, they were unable to have cow's milk. Many recipes I was used to cooking called for "Cream of..." soup. Well, there went all those recipes! Or did they?
The solution was simple, and also healthier than some of the highly processed canned products with MSG and chemical preservatives.
Basic Sauce
The "rule of thumb" is 1 tablespoon of flour/butter per cup of liquid.
Heat butter in saucepan. Add flour and stir til smooth. Pour in liquid all at once. Stir constantly over medium heat til mixture is thick and bubbly. The constant stirring will reduce lumps and with milk/cream sauces will prevent scorching.
The great thing is once you have your basic sauce, you can make it ANY flavor!
Sautee onions in the butter before adding the flour, and you will have onion sauce/cream of onion sauce.
Add broccoli/and or cheese, chicken, mushrooms, garlic, whatever your family likes!
If you add cheese and serve over pasta, you have homemade macaroni and cheese.
Make your sauce with broth, pour over chopped turkey, top with leftover dressing, and bake for a tasty leftover casserole!
Wanting to watch the calories in your foods?
Make the sauce with broth, or add only a small amount of milk. Then you will get some creamy flavor, but it's not as rich as a sauce made with cream or half and half.
The solution was simple, and also healthier than some of the highly processed canned products with MSG and chemical preservatives.
Basic Sauce
The "rule of thumb" is 1 tablespoon of flour/butter per cup of liquid.
Heat butter in saucepan. Add flour and stir til smooth. Pour in liquid all at once. Stir constantly over medium heat til mixture is thick and bubbly. The constant stirring will reduce lumps and with milk/cream sauces will prevent scorching.
The great thing is once you have your basic sauce, you can make it ANY flavor!
Sautee onions in the butter before adding the flour, and you will have onion sauce/cream of onion sauce.
Add broccoli/and or cheese, chicken, mushrooms, garlic, whatever your family likes!
If you add cheese and serve over pasta, you have homemade macaroni and cheese.
Make your sauce with broth, pour over chopped turkey, top with leftover dressing, and bake for a tasty leftover casserole!
Wanting to watch the calories in your foods?
Make the sauce with broth, or add only a small amount of milk. Then you will get some creamy flavor, but it's not as rich as a sauce made with cream or half and half.
Basics: Beautiful Broth
One basic item every cook will need at some point or other is broth!
While broth is easily purchased in cans or cartons in most stores, I find these products are less flavorful than home-cooked broth. Not that my broth creations are "perfect" by any means, but when I get it right, it gels up in the fridge, and tastes "rich" in whatever dish I cook with it.
The basic premise is the same whether you are making chicken, turkey, or beef broth. Time is the key!
To make beautiful broth, you will need a large pot. At least 4 quarts.
In the pot, place one onion cut into wedges, a few carrots cut into sections, and a stalk or 2 of celery, cut in large sections.
Add your meat and bones:
Whole chicken
Turkey frame leftover from a roast turkey
Soup bones (beef, ham, etc.)
If you wish, add a bay leaf (you will need to make sure it gets discarded later! Bay leaf stems are a choking hazard).
Fill the pot with cool water. Place it on the stove and bring to a boil. Scoop off any film or foam that rises to the top, and discard it. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat as low as you can and still allow the liquid to simmer. Cover your broth-in-progress and walk away!
Let it simmer several hours, all day is better! A crockery slow-cooker is ideal for making broth because you can cook your broth overnight, or while you are busy doing other things, and you don't need to check up on it at all.
Strain your broth, and put it in storage containers. Broth freezes well for later use. I store broth I will use soon in glass jars in my fridge, but plastic is better for freezing broth.
The meat can be picked off the bones and used in all kinds of things:
Casseroles
Curry
Tacos/Enchiladas
Pot pies
Soup
or anything your imagination can cook up!
While broth is easily purchased in cans or cartons in most stores, I find these products are less flavorful than home-cooked broth. Not that my broth creations are "perfect" by any means, but when I get it right, it gels up in the fridge, and tastes "rich" in whatever dish I cook with it.
The basic premise is the same whether you are making chicken, turkey, or beef broth. Time is the key!
To make beautiful broth, you will need a large pot. At least 4 quarts.
In the pot, place one onion cut into wedges, a few carrots cut into sections, and a stalk or 2 of celery, cut in large sections.
Add your meat and bones:
Whole chicken
Turkey frame leftover from a roast turkey
Soup bones (beef, ham, etc.)
If you wish, add a bay leaf (you will need to make sure it gets discarded later! Bay leaf stems are a choking hazard).
Fill the pot with cool water. Place it on the stove and bring to a boil. Scoop off any film or foam that rises to the top, and discard it. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat as low as you can and still allow the liquid to simmer. Cover your broth-in-progress and walk away!
Let it simmer several hours, all day is better! A crockery slow-cooker is ideal for making broth because you can cook your broth overnight, or while you are busy doing other things, and you don't need to check up on it at all.
Strain your broth, and put it in storage containers. Broth freezes well for later use. I store broth I will use soon in glass jars in my fridge, but plastic is better for freezing broth.
The meat can be picked off the bones and used in all kinds of things:
Casseroles
Curry
Tacos/Enchiladas
Pot pies
Soup
or anything your imagination can cook up!
The Best Turkey Noodle soup I've had in ages!
Last night, we had Turkey Noodle soup. It was incredible, and we made it all with leftovers/stuff on hand!
2 quarts turkey broth (made from the Christmas turkey carcass, simmered for several hours)
2 cups leftover turkey meat, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup whole wheat shell macaroni
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp rosemary
We just simmered it until the potatoes and carrots were cooked. It was so soothing and warm on a chilly winter night!
2 quarts turkey broth (made from the Christmas turkey carcass, simmered for several hours)
2 cups leftover turkey meat, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup whole wheat shell macaroni
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp rosemary
We just simmered it until the potatoes and carrots were cooked. It was so soothing and warm on a chilly winter night!
Food and Reflections
Well, after resisting for a long time, I've finally started a blog. I have no idea if I will actually "keep up" with it.
I'm not a shutterbug, so don't expect dozens of pictures.
I hope to post ideas I have about food and cooking. Culinary experiments and their relative success, or failure!
I'm not a shutterbug, so don't expect dozens of pictures.
I hope to post ideas I have about food and cooking. Culinary experiments and their relative success, or failure!
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