Category Archives: 18. Starch-Breads, Rice, Pasta and such

Oct24

Perfect Par-Boiled White Rice Cooked in the Micro

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Perfect Par-boiled White Rice Cooked in the Micro

For those of us who don’t have a rice cooker

 

My mother who was Dutch really was not an avid cook however she had a thing about the way she cooked her rice.  Most of the time she made it her Holland styled risotto manner which for her meant stir frying a bit of chopped onion in some butter along with some long grained rice( which she always used), and then she would add chicken bouillon and cook it covered  for about 25 to 30 minutes.  One was NOT ALLOWED to take the cover off to peek. She felt that was her trick to her “perfect” rice. Her rice was excellent and every grain was separate which she was always so proud of.  She was not a fan of the true Risotto or Japanese sticky rice.  I like to do it her way, but sometimes I get a bit busy in the kitchen and so, I have discovered this “modern” way—because I do not have a rice cooker.  This recipe is actually printed on some of the par-boiled long grain white rice packages—but not all of them.  That’s why I thought for those of you who haven’t encountered this easy painless way of cooking perfect rice, I would share the recipe.

 

  1.  In a microwave-safe dish, combine water and rice.  Add butter or olive oil and salt if you wish.
  2. Cover dish and place in microwave on high using the time tables below.  After continue microwaving somewhere between 50% to 70% power according to your micro.  With mine, it was 70%. So the first time, you’ll have to give your micro the power test.  Once again, follow the time tables below.
  3. Remove from microwave and let stand 5 minutes and fluff.
  4. Time Tables:
    1. For 2 servings, ½ C. rice; 1-1/3 C. water; 5 min. high power; 20 minutes 50-70% power.
    2. For 4 servings,1 C. rice; 2 ¼ C. water;  8 min. high power; 20 min. 50-70% power
    3. For 6 servings, 1 ½ C. rice; 3 1/3 C. water; 10 min. high power; 20 min. 50-70% power
    4. For 12 servings, 3 C. rice;6 C water; 15 min. high power; 20 min. 50-70% power

 

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

 

Apr20

Yogurt Biscuits & Apple Butter

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vinaigrette & Palm Soup pics 005Yogurt Biscuits & Apple Butter

Day Light Saving time was first conceived in an essay called “An Economical Project” by Benjamin Franklin while he was in Paris in 1784.  As well, while abroad, he supposedly consistently asked his wife Deborah to ship him barrels of apples because he believed that “An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away”. Therefore, just in the nick of time after Day Light Saving Time has arrived, here are two recipes that besides being delicious, take no time what-so-ever to make; so these tasks will SAVE you time and you will be able to enjoy some home made delights at your leisure even during the evening’s brighter hours.

Yogurt Biscuits

Makes about 20 really good ones

2 Cups all purpose flour

1 Scant Tblsp. Salt

3 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

2-5 Tblsp. Butter (more are better and I use the 5)

1 Cup Plain Yogurt

1. Preheat Oven to 450.

2. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and cut in the butter. (I use 2 knives to cut the butter, as taught in my 8th grade home-economic class and then I use my hands because the butter really needs to be thoroughly blended; or do it the easy modern way– in a food processor)

3. Stir in the yogurt till well blended.

4. Drop tablespoons of dough (and I use my hands to form a nice little flat ball) on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or till golden brown on the tops.

They are best devoured within 15 minutes, however, I think that they are still good later in the day and they seem to freeze just fine.  I warm them up at room temp.

(My inspiration for these comes from Mark Bittman.)

Apple Butter

Makes about 2 cups

1/2 Cup Water or Apple Juice

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Half-Inch Slice of Lemon

1/4 Tsp. Allspice

1/2 Tsp. nutmeg

1/4 Tsp. Cloves

1/8 Tsp. Salt

1 lb. Well-Flavored Green Cooking Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Cut Into 1/8’s

(The stores are full of them at the moment.)

1. Into a blender/processor put all of the ingredients. Cover and blend on high for 15 seconds.

2. Pour into a saucepan and cook over very low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter thickens. .

3. Pour into appropriate containers and keep in the refrigerator or into hot jars and seal.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share. For comments, questions, and ideas please feel free to email her:margot6@mindspring.com.

 

Apr19

No-Trick Popovers

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popovers 016 

 

No-Trick Popovers

Makes 4 popovers

Easy to make and yummy to eat—just right for any person’s busy day!!!

Prepare the batter the night before, keep in the frig. overnight and bake the next morning starting off in a COLD oven. WOW—that’s different!!!

 Serve in beautiful baskets lined with a pretty napkin and let the guests oooooh and aahhhh  over one of your easiest fixed recipes—to go with anything and everything. 

This is what I made this morning, day after the election.  It was so good and I had it with a bit of the crunchy peanut butter and plum jam–both of which I had made very recently.  When baking the popovers, I would strongly suggest using a Teflon muffin pan or to stick free spray your ramekins very thoroughly to get the popovers out with ease.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 C milk

1 Tblsp. melted butter and stick free spray

1 C. flour

4 to 6 ramekins (I use ramekins 3 ½” in diameter)

Directions:

Put ingredients in electric blender, in order listed, cover, and blend on high for about 1 minute—stopping to stir down if necessary. 

Butter and/or Pam spray the 6 ramekins or use Teflon

Pour batter into prepared ramekins set wide apart on a baking sheet, filling cups 3/4 full.

Set ramekins on a baking dish and place in COLD oven on middle rack. Turn on oven to 450 degrees and when it reaches that temp. (you have to watch that part), bake 30 minutes more. 

Towards end of baking time, but NOT BEFORE because they may fall, check popovers and if they are becoming too brown, reduce temperature to 400 degrees.  Bake until popovers are well browned and crisp.  Hopefully you have a glass inset in your oven door so you can peek without opening the door.

You should serve them immediately, but I’ve noticed that they keep just fine for a bit in a 170 degree oven. 

 When you take them out, you can brush over the tops some melted butter mixed with honey and a bit of orange zest and/or just with cinnamon. They are delicious as is and are good with scrambled eggs.  They are great smeared with orange marmalade or lemon curd for breakfast or tea.  And if you would like the popover itself to be sweeter, try adding a tad bit of sugar. You can even add currants or fennel to the recipe. Currants I add to the batter when in the ramekin and the fennel I add to the batter when I am blending it. For a more savory taste, put some herbs (such as dill, etc.) when making the batter. Then serve them with a stew or meat shank recipe.   Once again, imagination is the name of the game.  Bon Appetit.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.