Leftover rice, what do you do with it?
In my never ending quest to eat rice in something new, I created a type of cheap and easy ice cream or ice milk if you will.
2 cups cooked rice (can be leftover)
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring
3 tablespoons sugar
In a small bowl mix everything together. This should look a bit a thick. After everything is well blended, taste it and alter to your liking. Take a fork and start mashing. The goal is break some of the rice down into a paste. Stir it all again and stick in the freezer.
You will freeze for about 20-30 minutes, making sure you stir every 10 minutes. If you freeze it too long, you will get a glob of frozen rice (YUK). You want it to begin setting up, while at the same time staying loose enough to eat with a spoon.
When it has frozen to the consistency you like, dish it up and serve it. You can garnish with a sprinkling of chocolate powder or sprinkles.
My suggestion would be to mix this up after supper and let it freeze while you are cleaning up the kitchen. Then when you are done, this will be done and you can have a treat for cleaning the kitchen up that night, instead of the next morning. I know you are guilty, aren't we all!
All the best!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
And Now For Something Totally Different!
I have decided to take a break from cooking today. While, this is not something that I will do often, I thought that many of you would enjoy this.
My best friend (who is more like a brother) works for the National Park Service and is currently stationed at Fort Sumter. Today he was able to wrangle a trip for us to the top of Sullivan's Island lighthouse (which just came under control of the park service). For those of you familiar with lighthouses, this is the ugly boxy black and white one.
But the trip to the top was awesome! I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to go where few have went before.
Looking up, 156 feet seems high!
I guess we are walking!
Powerful light, can be seen 3 miles out at sea!
Charleston and the Ravenel Bridge from the top.
The Atlantic Ocean and Sullivan's Island Beach from the top.
That's the end of the field trip, back to the kitchen, all of ya!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
2 meals from one cooking
This came about as an effort to cook one time and be able to eat it twice.
Day one:
In a large frying pan, saute 2 diced onions, 3 sliced carrots and 3 sliced celery stalks in oil. As the vegetables become soft, add about 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken (see previous post) and heat until hot. Add seasonings as you like, I used black pepper, salt, butter and red pepper flakes.
In a separate pot, boil 5 cups water and 4 chicken bullion cubes. Add 3 cups of dry egg noodles and cook until soft.
Add one cup of the broth to the frying pan and continue to saute.
Drain the noodles in a bowl, but SAVE the broth, we use it the next day. You should also hold out about 2 cups of the chicken mixture, we need it tomorrow as well.
Serve the chicken mixture over the noodles.
Day 2:
Pour the reserved broth into a pot and add the leftover chicken mixture. You may need to add more vegetables depending on how many people you are trying to feed. Heat until hot. 10 minutes before serving, add a couple handfuls of egg noodles and continue to cook.
If your soup is thick, add additional water to loosen it up.
If you have green onions, garnish with chopped up green onions.
Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches or simple toast.
So we cooked a bunch of chicken a few days ago and now have had one supper and one lunch with one bag of it. Of course, this was only two people eating, however you can add additional vegetables, maybe more noodles and stretch this out. Ours was heavy on the chicken, so it definitely could have served 4 people both days.
Day one:
In a large frying pan, saute 2 diced onions, 3 sliced carrots and 3 sliced celery stalks in oil. As the vegetables become soft, add about 2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken (see previous post) and heat until hot. Add seasonings as you like, I used black pepper, salt, butter and red pepper flakes.
In a separate pot, boil 5 cups water and 4 chicken bullion cubes. Add 3 cups of dry egg noodles and cook until soft.
Add one cup of the broth to the frying pan and continue to saute.
Drain the noodles in a bowl, but SAVE the broth, we use it the next day. You should also hold out about 2 cups of the chicken mixture, we need it tomorrow as well.
Serve the chicken mixture over the noodles.
Day 2:
Pour the reserved broth into a pot and add the leftover chicken mixture. You may need to add more vegetables depending on how many people you are trying to feed. Heat until hot. 10 minutes before serving, add a couple handfuls of egg noodles and continue to cook.
If your soup is thick, add additional water to loosen it up.
If you have green onions, garnish with chopped up green onions.
Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches or simple toast.
So we cooked a bunch of chicken a few days ago and now have had one supper and one lunch with one bag of it. Of course, this was only two people eating, however you can add additional vegetables, maybe more noodles and stretch this out. Ours was heavy on the chicken, so it definitely could have served 4 people both days.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Save money and time
The next time you are in the grocery store and they have chicken on sale, buy as much as your budget will allow. Freeze some, but cook the rest.
I take as many leg quarters as I can get in the crock pot and cook it all day while I am at work. Use water, and some light seasonings if you want, or just cook it on low in plain water.
After supper that night, take the chicken out and separate the meat from the bones. Place the bones in a storage container and freeze for flavoring rice later. As you separate the meat, remove as much fat as you can.
Package enough chicken for one meal in either freezer bags or in containers and freeze.
When you are ready to use it, defrost one of the frozen bags and add it to your dish. This will save you time in preparing the chicken on the busy night you cooking supper. Plus, it will save you money, as it probably will not be on sale when you decide to buy it that week.
This is also very useful for sausage or hamburger meat. You can prepare it ahead of time and freeze it, then use it when you need it.
All the best!
I take as many leg quarters as I can get in the crock pot and cook it all day while I am at work. Use water, and some light seasonings if you want, or just cook it on low in plain water.
After supper that night, take the chicken out and separate the meat from the bones. Place the bones in a storage container and freeze for flavoring rice later. As you separate the meat, remove as much fat as you can.
Package enough chicken for one meal in either freezer bags or in containers and freeze.
When you are ready to use it, defrost one of the frozen bags and add it to your dish. This will save you time in preparing the chicken on the busy night you cooking supper. Plus, it will save you money, as it probably will not be on sale when you decide to buy it that week.
This is also very useful for sausage or hamburger meat. You can prepare it ahead of time and freeze it, then use it when you need it.
All the best!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Easy Bread Pudding
Anytime I think of bread pudding, I always see the stuff on buffets that is made from white bread and is always so soggy and gross.
I have made one that was actually good. This morning I made homemade biscuits for breakfast. As usual we had some left over, so instead of giving them to the dog, I made a bread pudding.
Take your smallest crock pot and line the bottom with leftover biscuits, add 1 to two tablespoons of honey over the biscuits. Spread 1/3 cup raisins over biscuits. Turn it on low heat.
In a large mixing cup, add two cups milk (I used reconstituted), add two tablespoons vanilla flavor, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk to blend. Add 3/4 cup coconut and whisk again. Pour this over the biscuits.
Cook for about 1 hour on low and check. The biscuits will absorb the liquid and everything will become thick. This came out with a custard consistency and was very good.
The OHGTT has approved this dish, even though she was skeptic of it. Her exacts words were "The flavor is great". The OHGTT in training absolutely loved it and while only 7 months old she said "gggggggggggejjjjjjkasssssssssjdkhwiqu". Which loosely translates to "GIVE ME MORE!" I expect within in a year, she will be the new OHGTT. :)
I am also interested in trying this with fruit. I believe that if you leave out the coconut and raisins, yet add blueberries, strawberries or peaches it would be great. Should any of you decide to try a variation, please keep me informed.
All the best!
I have made one that was actually good. This morning I made homemade biscuits for breakfast. As usual we had some left over, so instead of giving them to the dog, I made a bread pudding.
Take your smallest crock pot and line the bottom with leftover biscuits, add 1 to two tablespoons of honey over the biscuits. Spread 1/3 cup raisins over biscuits. Turn it on low heat.
In a large mixing cup, add two cups milk (I used reconstituted), add two tablespoons vanilla flavor, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk to blend. Add 3/4 cup coconut and whisk again. Pour this over the biscuits.
Cook for about 1 hour on low and check. The biscuits will absorb the liquid and everything will become thick. This came out with a custard consistency and was very good.
The OHGTT has approved this dish, even though she was skeptic of it. Her exacts words were "The flavor is great". The OHGTT in training absolutely loved it and while only 7 months old she said "gggggggggggejjjjjjkasssssssssjdkhwiqu". Which loosely translates to "GIVE ME MORE!" I expect within in a year, she will be the new OHGTT. :)
I am also interested in trying this with fruit. I believe that if you leave out the coconut and raisins, yet add blueberries, strawberries or peaches it would be great. Should any of you decide to try a variation, please keep me informed.
All the best!
Loose Meat Meatloaf
I deconstructed meatloaf to make it easier and faster to fix.
1lb hamburger
1 cup water (with beef cube dissolved)
2 cups frozen peas/carrots
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small diced onion
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 packet meatloaf seasoning
1/4 cup ketchup
Brown the hamburger and then add the onion. Drain most of the grease off, but leave a little in the pan. Add the water, tomato sauce, seasoning and peas/carrots. Cook until the peas and carrots are hot, add the oatmeal and the ketchup. This will thicken your meat mixture and make it scoopable.
Serve over rice and add a side of your choice or make mashed potatoes.
This was very good and I didn't have to heat up the house with the oven to make it.
As a variation, you could leave the oatmeal out, add a couple cups of a cooked pasta, 1 to 2 cups of cheese and you have a homemade version of that boxed helper stuff!
1lb hamburger
1 cup water (with beef cube dissolved)
2 cups frozen peas/carrots
1 small can tomato sauce
1 small diced onion
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 packet meatloaf seasoning
1/4 cup ketchup
Brown the hamburger and then add the onion. Drain most of the grease off, but leave a little in the pan. Add the water, tomato sauce, seasoning and peas/carrots. Cook until the peas and carrots are hot, add the oatmeal and the ketchup. This will thicken your meat mixture and make it scoopable.
Serve over rice and add a side of your choice or make mashed potatoes.
This was very good and I didn't have to heat up the house with the oven to make it.
As a variation, you could leave the oatmeal out, add a couple cups of a cooked pasta, 1 to 2 cups of cheese and you have a homemade version of that boxed helper stuff!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
New Poll
On the right, you will see a new poll. I wanted to draw attention to something I have noticed in my discussions with people. Most people have a very limited base of recipes that they use. Even though those same people have a shelf full of cookbooks, they still stick with those basic recipes.
As an example, one person I was talking to told me that it was Tuesday and that meant meatloaf. I asked why was Tuesday meatloaf day and he explained that each day of the week was a certain food that his family liked and it was always planned that way.
I further questioned him and asked if they ever tried new things and he stated that they didn't eat new things. They knew what they liked and they didn't need anything new. HOW DO PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THIS?
Jenn and I eat new things on almost a daily basis. Most of our suppers are things we think up while standing in the kitchen. I didn't even keep track of ingredients until I started this blog. Many times I make something and then can never recreate it, just because I don't remember everything I put in it. This is part of the adventure and I think it is great.
Think about what you fix your family and then vote in the poll on the right. I am interested in seeing how many people are stuck in that 1960's mentality that the schedule should never change.
All the best!
As an example, one person I was talking to told me that it was Tuesday and that meant meatloaf. I asked why was Tuesday meatloaf day and he explained that each day of the week was a certain food that his family liked and it was always planned that way.
I further questioned him and asked if they ever tried new things and he stated that they didn't eat new things. They knew what they liked and they didn't need anything new. HOW DO PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THIS?
Jenn and I eat new things on almost a daily basis. Most of our suppers are things we think up while standing in the kitchen. I didn't even keep track of ingredients until I started this blog. Many times I make something and then can never recreate it, just because I don't remember everything I put in it. This is part of the adventure and I think it is great.
Think about what you fix your family and then vote in the poll on the right. I am interested in seeing how many people are stuck in that 1960's mentality that the schedule should never change.
All the best!
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