Perfect Rice

Here’s a simple, yet delectable recipe for clam chowder.  In addition to the ingredients, you will need a food steamer, a cutting knife, and a large pan. 

Ingredients:

1 medium sized onion
4 small pieces of pork
1 can tomato soup
6 large potatoes
3 lbs. steamer clams
2 tbsp garlic
Salt and Pepper
Directions:

Using your food steamer, steam the clams, then shell and chop them into small chunks.  Simmer the pork and onion in your large pan with a little bit of olive oil until browned, then put the rest of the ingredients into the pan.  Add milk until desired consistency is achieved.  Cook until the potatoes are soft and tender.  Makes a great meal for a one night with leftovers for a couple days!

Here is a recipe for the perfect white rice that Japanese people eat with almost all their meals.  In addition to the ingredients, you’ll need a rice cooker (rice cookers provide several benefits which simplify the cooking process and improve the texture of the rice; if you don’t have one, buy one!).

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice
3 cups water

Directions:

The ingredients are quite simple, but the difficulty of cooking the perfect rice comes in the process.  The first thing to do is thoroughly rinse the rice in a bowl (the rice cooker bowl can be used if it is removable).  Once the rice has been rinsed, you will want to wash it; not with soap!  To wash the rice, take a small handful, and rub it between your hands for a few moments, then place it back in the bowl.  Repeat this several times for about five to ten minutes.  Once this has been done, place the rice in the rice cooker with the recommended amount of water, turn it on, and presto, perfect rice!

This is an excellent recipe for Dijon chicken, five stars for sure!Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 teaspoons cornstarch
A pinch of pepper

First wash the chicken and pat it dry.  Next you will want to place the chicken in the crock pot.  Combine the other ingredients together, then spoon them over the chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.  Crock pot Dijon chicken should serve about four.

Here’s an awesome recipe for oriental chicken!Ingredients:

1 onion (chopped)
1 bell pepper (chopped)
1 ½ cups of rice
1 14 oz. can of chicken broth
1 6 oz. can chicken
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts
1 8 oz. can sliced mushrooms
½ cup butter

First mix the ingredients together in a rice cooker.  Set the rice cooker to “cook”.  When the rice cooker goes off the dish should be done, but check it yourself.  The easiest way to tell whether the dish is done is to taste the rice and ensure its texture is not grainy.  Simple and easy!  (Serves 4-6)

Approximate cooking time:  20 minutes
Approximate advance preparation time:   20 minutes
Serves: 4Ingredients:
2 cups macaroni pasta
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
1-1/2 cups shredded mixed cheeses (mild and Vermont cheddar, mozzarella, and fontina)
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt and pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Place pasta and liquids into rice cooker.  Close lid and press cook.  When pasta goes to keep warm, add the other ingredients, stir with paddle. Close lid and keep on warm till ready to serve. If a larger serving is desired, go ahead and double or triple this recipe…however, when adding the cheese, you may need to add an additional 1/2 cup of liquid if the pasta is not thoroughly cooked, and press cook again.

Here’s a great recipe for making soup in a crock pot.  It tastes great and is worth a try:

Ingredients
-   3 slices bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces
-   4 tablespoons onion, minced
-   10 1/2 ounces can cream of potato soup
-   2 cups milk
-   8 ounces American cheese
-   1 cup wild rice, cooked according to pkg.
 
Directions
In a heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté bacon for 3-4 minutes or until slightly browned.

Add onions and sauté until onions are light brown in color and bacon is crisp. Remove onion and bacon and drain off excess bacon drippings. Set aside.

Prepare rice, instant or uncooked.

Add soup, milk, rice, cheese & bacon mixture. Simmer until cheese melts, approximately 10-12 minutes. If needed, thin with additional milk to appropriate consistency.

One of the staples of the Mexican-American restaurant is the ever-popular Spanish Rice.  Making it isn’t too difficult.  All you’ll need is the following ingredients:

1/4-1/2 cup vegetable oil
1-2 cup long grain rice
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 tomatoes, diced
1/2-1 small onion, diced
3-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons cumin
2-4 tablespoons tomato paste
2-4 cup water, boiled

Cook 2 cups of rice in a rice cooker.  Once it’s done, let it cool for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, fry rice in oil until slightly golden, about 3-5 minutes.

Add salt, cumin, onion and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomato, tomato paste and boiling water. This should boil almost immediately; turn down heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 mins, or until water has evaporated.

 A nice rice side dish for fish or chicken.

1 cup uncooked rice
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
2 tsp. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried oregano
6 cups shredded fresh spinach leaves
4 oz. feta cheese crumbled
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper

Combine rice, broth, and water in your rice cooker. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  The ‘cook and hold’ style rice cooker will switch over to warm setting and chime when ready.  The ’steam type’ cooker, set timer to 20 minutes and check.  The time depends on the type of rice used in recipe.  Brown rice takes longer than most white and converted rices.

Heat oil in large skillet.  Saute onion, mushrooms and garlic until onion is tender.  Stir in lemon juice and oregano. Add cooked rice, spinach and feta cheese; season with pepper.  Toss lightly until spinach is wilted and rice is heated through.
Garnish with roasted red pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

These are more additive than potato chips.

I use my Oster Steamer/Rice cooker for this recipe, but a rice cooker with a steaming tray will work just as well. Place a layer of small new potatoes, 1 to 2 inches in diameter( scrubbed and unpeeled) in the the steamer basket.  Filling the water resevoir that goes underneath this basket, and replace basket on the steamer. Cover.

Set the timer for about 20 minutes. Test when time is up. If potatoes are not completely cooked, simply allow to steam a little longer with lid on.

If using a rice cooker with the tray, add about 3 cups of water to rice pot, place tray in cooker and arrange the layer of new potatoes on tray and replace cover.Turn on the rice cooker, and start timing from the time water starts to boil. Takes about 20 minutes as well.  If all the water evaporates add more water to pot to increase steam time if needed.

Put cooked potatoes in a serving bowl and serve hot with butter, a little salt and pepper.

OR

Steamed New Potatoes with Butter and Parsley.

Mix 2tbs. mellted butter/olive oil with 1 tsp. lemon juice, add 2 tbl. chopped fresh parsley.  Pour over the potatoes in serving bowl, toss to coat and see if you can eat just one. 

A slightly chewy textured side dish with a pleasant combination of sweetness ( barley) and bitterness (Wild rice).
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Provides 7 gms protein, 6 gm of fiber, 17 mg calcium, 0 mg cholesterol, 233 calories  (66 from fat), 591 mg sodium if 1tsp salt
added.

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice, rinced
1/2 cup uncooked pearled barley, rinced

3 cups water
1 tsp salt optional, I didn’t use any
fresh ground pepper

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium/high heat.
Add shallots,garlic and mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes. Mixture should be well coated with oil.
Add wild rice and barley, continue to saute until barley looks toasted and wild rice becomes fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Put mixture into a rice cooker. I used the Oster Rice Cooker
Add water, pepper and salt.  Turn cooker on.
When the rice cooker shuts off or switches to warm cycle check to see if grains are tender.
If not, add a little more water and let cook a little longer.
When done, fluff  and serve hot.

Just a thought:
 I don’t see why you couldn’t use 3 cups of stock instead of water. I would leave out the salt then as well, because most stocks have sodium.