It's a matter of making your own...Minute Rice!

Courtesy of Minute Rice

This is a favorite for many families in America.  A good tasting product that is quick to make. What is not to like here?

Well, after feeding the Young Single Adults yesterday, I came home to a full Rice Cooker.  I had neglected to take the Rice with me. So, I had a lot of rice and not many mouths here who would eat it.  Just and FYI, Rooster Senior will not eat rice without a sauce etc.  

Well, here is my solution, and it is important to know that this was very, very easy.

I pulled out my dehydrator. I put the inserts that I use to make fruit leather on the tray to hold the rice.  

I spread the rice on into one layer on the insert.  I left it on overnight because it needs to be very dry...so leaving it overnight would not harm it.  It would also ensure that it was very, very dry.   I had 7 trays that I filled.

Here is what the dehydrated rice looked like when I opened the Dehydrator.

This is a close-up of the dried rice.  It is really crunchy!

I 'dumped' the rice onto paper towels.  This helped me to keep it in one place as well as scoop the rice from the towel into a jar.  When I had only a few grains of rice left, I lifted the paper towel by the long edges and poured the remaining grains into the container. 

I decided to put my new "minute rice" into jars and seal them with my Food Saver.  

I plan to use the following Directions directly from the Minute Rice web page:

Cooking Directions

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Measurements

Servings	RICE (cups)	Water (cups)
2	1	1
4	2	2
6	3	3
1/2 cup uncooked rice = 1 serving (About 1 cup cooked rice)

Isn't this great?  I little 'mistake' has turned out to be a time saver for me in the future.

Try it!

Rice from.....the Oven!

(Image courtesy of www.bestvacuum.com)

Yes, this is an oven.  So, you may be wondering what this would have to do with our focus item....which is Rice.  Well, the LRH has a very smart mother who has graciously shared the following information with us all.  It's smart, its doable, and I think you should try them.

Hot Oven-Cooked Rice

6 cups boiling water
3 cups uncooked regular rice
1 Tbs. salt

--Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients thoroughly in ungreased baking dish, 13-1/2x9x2 inches, or in a 3 quart casserole. (I usually spray the dish very lightly with Pam.) Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil or casserole lid. Bake 25-30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Makes about 9 cups.

And, if you like that, look at these other Rice dishes that can be made.........in the oven!

Poppy Seed Chicken

1 can cream of chicken soup
½ cup sour cream
4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut in chunks
1 sleeve (roll) Ritz crackers, crushed
¾ cube butter, melted

1-1/2 TBS Poppy See—Mix crackers, butter and poppy seeds together. Mix soup, sour cream and chicken chunks together. Pour chicken mixture into 9x13 inch casserole dish. Sprinkle cracker mix onto chicken mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, uncovered. Serve over rice.

Grandma Nielsen’s Rice Pudding
1/2 c. rice
1 quart milk
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
3/4 c. to 1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Nutmeg to taste

--Wash rice and place in milk in a baking dish in a moderate slow oven. Bake until rice has almost thickened milk or until rice is tender. Separate eggs and beat yolks with half of the sugar. A Tbs. of milk may be needed to add to keep egg yolks from being too dry. Add this mixture and the pinch of salt and vanilla and nutmeg to the rice and milk, stirring swiftly. Return to oven until a thin custard has developed. Remove and pour gradually into the stiffly beaten egg whites which have had the remainder of the sugar added to them. Mix thoroughly; cool until ready to serve.

Sizzling Rice Soup
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 can (8 oz.) bamboo shoots, drained
1 can ( 8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 package (10 oz.) frozen peas
1/4 cup cooking oil

--Cook rice according to package directions. Spread on a greased 15-in. x 10- in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours or until dried and browned, stirring occasionally; set aside. In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, combine the broth, chicken, mushrooms, onions, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bouillon and garlic powder. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add peas; cook for 15 minutes. Just before serving, heat oil in a skillet. Fry rice in hot oil until it is slightly puffed. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Immediately spoon some hot rice into each bowl and it will sizzle. Yield: 10-12 servings (3 quarts).

Creamy Italian Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup water
1 envelope of Italian salad dressing mix (dry
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (8 oz.) pkg. of cream cheese, softened
1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, drained (optional)
Hot cooked rice or noodles

--Place chicken breasts in crockpot, cover with envelope salad dressing mixed with 1/4 cup water. Cook in crockpot on high for 3 hours our until juices run clear. Beat cream cheese and soup until blended. Pour over chicken and cook for one more hour. Serve over hot rice or noodles. NOTE: I cut the chicken breasts into bite-size chunks, and this extends the sauce much more. The original recipe, using the whole chicken breasts, serves 4. With the chicken cut into chunks you can easily get 6 servings.

In a hurry?

(Image courtesy of hubpages.com)

Time is often in short supply...isn't it!  And we want to offer good nutrition....and good taste to our families.  So, consider investing a little time up front to make your own rice mixes and save time.  We all want to avoid the "What are we having for dinner Mom?" comment as often as possible!  Even though some are listed as "Gifts in a Jar", there is no reason that your family cannot benefit from having them on hand.  Give the gift to yourself!

Here are some mixes to try:

Homemade Rice A Roni (http://community.stretcher.com/forums/p/10021/103917.aspx) 

1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked

1 cup thin spaghetti, broken into 1/2" pieces

3 T. butter

2 3/4 cups water

1 T. beef, chicken, or vegetable bouillon powder or granules

1/4 t. onion powder

1/4 t. garlic powder

1 T. parsley

1/4 tsp dried thyme or poultry seasoning

1/8 t. black pepper


Melt butter in medium saucepan or skillet, add uncooked rice, pasta pieces, stir about 5 minutes until pasta is lightly browned.


Add remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Do not lift lid. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, cover and let steam an additional 5-10 minutes

Herbed Rice Mix in a Jar Recipe (http://www.thatsmyhome.com/general/rice-mix.htm

1 package ( 3 pounds ) long grain rice

2 C. dried celery flakes

2/3 C. dried minced onion

1/2 C. dried parsley flakes

2 T. dried chives

1 T. dried tarragon

3 to 4 t. salt

2 t. pepper

Combine the first eight ingredients; mix well. If giving for gifts place two cups each in a jar: makes 40 batches ( 10 cups total ) .

INSTRUCTIONS TO ATTACH TO JAR:

To prepare one serving of rice:

In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring 2/3 cup water and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil. Add 1/4 cup rice mixture. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Yield: 1 serving.

NOTE: To prepare more than 1 serving, multiply the rice mix, water. and butter by the total number or desired servings and cook as directed.

Jambalaya Mix  (http://www.heart4home.net/giaj_jambalaya.htm)

(makes 4 packages)

1/2 C sweet pepper flakes

1/2 C dried minced onions

1/4 C dried parsley

1/2 C beef bouillon granules

1 T garlic powder

1 T black pepper

2 T paprika

1 T dried oregano

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

dash of ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

4 C uncooked rice, divided

4 bay leaves, divided


In a medium bowl, combine pepper flakes, onions, parsley, bouillon, garlic, pepper, paprika, oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, red pepper, and cumin. Place 1/3 cup spice mixture, 1 cup rice, and 1 bay leaf into a sandwich size ziplock bag.


Attach recipe


Jambalaya!


1 package Jambalaya mix

3 C water

16 oz. smoked sausage, sliced

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

In a Dutch oven, bring water, sausage, tomatoes, and jambalaya mix to a boil over medium heat, stirring occassionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 23-28 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove bay leaf to serve.

Types of Rice......

(Image courtesy of www.sciencedaily.com)

This week our focus item is Rice, which seems like a very simple and basic food.  There are many types of rice, so you do have a choice when you purchase it.  In the grocery store, you typically find White Rice, Brown Rice, and Instant Rice.

Here is some information from http://www.wisegeek.com/:

All types of rice break down into two basic categories: whole grain rice and white rice. Whole grain rice has been minimally processed, so that it retains its nutrient rich husk. Because whole grain rice is not husked, it takes longer to cook, but it also tends to be more flavorful, aromatic, and colorful. Whole grain rice also has special storage considerations, as it can go rancid if it is kept at room temperature. White rice, on the other hand, has been processed so that the husk or bran is removed, and in some cases it may be polished to take the germ off as well. White rice requires less cooking, and it has a more mild flavor, but it also has less nutritional value, if this was a concern.

Rice is also defined by the length of its grain. Short to medium grained rice like Arborio is often used in dishes like risotto, where a dense rice which holds its shape well can be very useful. Sushi, on the other hand, calls for a medium grained rice, while other cooks may make long grain rice like basmati to accompany Indian and Chinese cuisine. Different types of rice may also have different levels of starch, causing the rice to be sticky, as is the case with many Asian varieties, or more loose. Others may be enriched with additions of vitamins and minerals to promote nutritional health.

Brown rice is a well known variety of whole grain rice. Cooks can also find wehani rice, which is a more reddish color, as well as black rice, with a black to purple husk. Aromatic rice is usually whole grain, with many regions producing unique aromatic specialties which may be difficult to obtain in other parts of the world. Aromatic rice has a rich, nutty flavor and a range of aromas, depending on the specific varietal. The scent can enhance the flavor of foods served alongside aromatic rice.

Instant Rice is precooked and then dehydrated, so the cooking time is decreased.  An example of this type of Rice is the brand "Minute Rice".

Places to purchase Rice in our area are:

• Lindon Home Family Storage Center (http://tinyurl.com/Rice-LDS-Cannery-Pricing)
• Macey's (In their Preparedness area, they often have large bags of Rice)
• Emergency Essentials (on sale this month in a #10 can) http://www.beprepared.com/
• Alpine Food Storage (they have multiple types of rice and are taking orders now)  http://www.alpinefoodstorage.com/
•  Many local Grocers.

How to store: Keep in mind that White Rice stores for long periods of time.  Who grain rice stored at room temperature can go rancid.  You can store it in buckets or cans, which ever is most convenient for you.  I have buckets with a Gamma Lids so that I can easily get to the Rice of my choice without a lot of lugging etc. 

It is relatively inexpensive, but a great Food Storage Staple.  Stock up!

My Necessary Evil for Rice....

When I look back over many of the posts I had made on this blog, I have decided that it is a bit ridiculous how many "gadgets" I have for the kitchen!  However, this is one I refuse to do without.  In fact, I already wore out my first one.  This is a Rice Cooker.  Yes, I actually have pans that I can cook the rice in...but I use this device.  The reason is that I really am a busy person, and I love the fact that I can come home and have rice that is already cooked and warm!   Today I am going to cook Black Japonica or Jubilee Rice in my Rice Cooker.

Your Rice Cooker will come with its own measuring cup....and it doesn't always have the same measurements as a traditional measuring cup...beware! The manual that comes with the device will tell you how many "cups" of rice to put in for the number of servings you are going to make. It will also indicate the level of water to place in the removable insert (it is black in the above picture). Here is something I learned the hard way, put in extra water if you are going to have your Rice Cooker keep your rice warm for more than 3-4 hours. That way it won't scorch on the bottom.

At our house, the Rooster insists that the rice have either a lot of flavor or gravy. This is because he has lived abroad in countries where Rice was a main staple daily. He said he got tired of plain rice...and will only eat it if it is "jazzed up" a bit. Here I am adding bouillon.

You can program you Rice Cooker.  Since this rice is not white, I am using the Brown Rice cycle.  After the rice is cooked, most devices will keep or hold your rice on "warm" until you turn the unit off.  I love this!

Although it looks a bit messy on the spoon, this is how my rice came out....and it was delicious. We had steak and salad to go with it. "Twas good".

So, if you are a gadget freak like myself....this is really one to get if you are in and out or gone a lot. You can have rice ready and waiting for you when you like!