Perfect Rice

When you want a meal that’s quick and easy, a steamer is a great cooking accessory to have around the house. Steaming is the least obtrusive of cooking techniques – the color, texture and flavor of foods is protected during the steaming process. In addition to looking and tasting better, steamed foods contain more nutrients and are lower in fat and calories than foods cooked by other methods. There are many types of steamers; aluminum steamers, rice-cooker steamers, microwave steamers, and bamboo steamers are all available in the market. Steamers are perfect for blanching or steaming vegetables, fish and other foods.

Vegetable and fish cooking times will vary in many steamer recipes. Here’s how to steam vegetables: Bring one to two inches of water to a boil on high heat. When the water reaches a boil start preparing your vegetables. Cut veggies into equal pieces to ensure uniform cooking. Place them evenly on the steamer rack and cover with lid. A few minutes is usually all that’s necessary for cooking the veggies to perfection.

This delicious Crockpot chili can be made with ground turkey or ground beef.  I’ve tried dozens of crock pot recipes, and this one definitely takes the cake… or the chili if you prefer.  It’s great for cookouts, for dinner parties, or just as a hearty meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef
½ cup chopped onion
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 16 oz. can strained pinto beans
½ cup chunky salsa
2 tsp. chili powder
½ cup shredded cheese
¼ cup chopped black olives
Sour cream to taste

Over medium heat, brown your meat in a large skillet with the onion.  Transfer the browned meat to the crockpot with the rest of your ingredients, and mix for a minute or two.  Cover the crockpot and set on low for five to six hours.  Serve with a spoonful of sour cream, shredded cheese, and olives.  Serves about 3-4! 

Here’s a scintillating recipe with a unique draw; this is fried rice, that isn’t fried!  It’s intended to be cooked in a rice steamer, and for all intents and purposes, falls under the category of rice cooker recipes.  But you wouldn’t know this rice is made in a steamer. 

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups calrose rice
½ cup diced bacon
1 ½ cups frozen peas
2 scrambled eggs (chopped up)
3-4 diced onions
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Steam your rice according to the rice steamer’s directions, and while this is happening, place all your other ingredients in a large bowl.  Once the rice has been steamed, spoon it on top of the other ingredients and let sit for three minutes, then stir well, and serve! 

We’re all aware of the recommended 3 servings of vegetables per day, but who wants to be munching on raw carrots and celery all the time?  On the other hand, if you’re eating a lot of stir fry or sautéed vegetables, you can be ingesting excess calories and fat.  The most beneficial and delicious way to get your recommended servings of vegetables is through steaming.  Steamed vegetables lock in all the valuable vitamins in the vegetable, and also bring out the flavor.  There’s few people out there who would prefer raw cauliflower or broccoli over steamed cauliflower or broccoli; this is because steaming makes the texture more pleasant and also easier to swallow. 

Though you can use a vegetable steamer to steam your vegetables, it’s also possible to use a standard rice cooker.  In most circumstances you just need a little water and a pan with a lid to create delicious steamed vegetables at home. 

Simularities

Both require a liquid for the rice to absorb.

Differences

Cooking rice in a Rice cooker

• Shuts off autmatically when liquid is absorbed.
• Come in many sizes, from some that cook a few cups of rice to ones that can make enough for a restaurant.
• Forms a slight crust on bottom
• Drier, fluffier rice is produced

Cooking Rice in a Steamer.

• Slightly less liquid is required
• More time is required to cook rice.
• Rice and liquid are placed in a rice bowl, which is set inside the steamer.
• Need to set a timer to shut off.
• Rice bowls are small so limited to quanities
• Does not form a crust on bottom
• Moister rice is produced

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. 

Protecting the nutritional quality of our food is important when we cook, so why pour it down the drain when we cook our veggies in boiling water.

Steaming foods retain these water soluble vitamins and minerals.

Steamed veggies look bright and very appetizing, and they taste great because their natural flavors are retained.  These are some things I particularly enjoy cooked this way: small red potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas in pod.

Need to watch those calories.  You can steam without using fat.  That means you can eliminate 100 calories every time you omit 1Tablespoon of fat. That’s awesome! But you won’t miss it because the food tastes great, because its steamed.

Using a rice cooker like this is great way to steam your food.  This particular model comes with a steaming tray included.  Pour water in the pot, place the veggies, fish, etc., on the tray,  cover ,turn on and steam.  The booklet included gives the best times for the different foods.