Kitchen Equip Re-org: Rice Cooker

You probably have one of these collecting dust in a kitchen cabinet. You got it for a birthday or a wedding gift and you don't really know how to use it. Never fear, we are going to figure it out...Together.

How:
First of all how does a Rice Cooker work? Its simple really. It heats liquid. Once it boils and produces steam the temperature in the Cooker increases and it tells the thermostat to reduce the heat "switching" from "COOK" to "WARM".

Formula Basic Ratio for cooking rice:
Short Grain is about 1 1/4 cup of liquid to 1 cup Short Grain.
Long Grain is 2 cups liquid to 1 cup Long Grain.
Brown Rice is 2 1/4 cups liquid to 1 cup Brown Rice.

Using these ratios will make REALLY GOOD rice. No problems.

What else can you do: Well Barley, that's a grain and its a no-brainer...3 3/4 cups liquid 1 1/2 cup Barley.

How about a Rice Pilaf? In a rice cooker? toss in a little butter turn to "Cook" add your garlic and shallots, stirring, brown slightly and then your rice, toast lightly and then add your, herbs, liquid etc...and let it do its thing.

Ready to try Risotto? You have lost your mind you say! Just like making a Pilaf, stirring and adding liquid as it is absorbed.

Heat up left over soups, sauces other things: Just dump and heat.

I am going to be playing around with this for a while. We will see what I come up with.

More: Check out this NY Times article...

Enjoy!
J.Jones

Get your Brat on!

Your chef and friend!

Make you own crackers (Goldfish not included)

It's easier than you think. Look at it this way. It's some bread dough you made that didn't rise. So turn it into a cracker. Press some seeds in the top, break them into cool shapes and look your an artist!

Cheddar Crackers

1/2 Cups Butter cut into cubes
1 1/2 Cups Flour Sifted
Good Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 dash Cayenne Pepper
2 Cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated fine

Place all ingredients into a Food Processor except butter and cheese. Turn on for a moment to combine. With the motor running drop the butter in a couple at a time. Then add some of the cheese about 1/2 Cup at a time and pulse to combine. That should resemble a lump of dough. Dump it out onto piece of parchment paper and shape into a log a couple of inches around. Chill for 30 to 40 minutes in the refrigerator. With a serrated knife slice your crackers 1/4-inch
thick.

Bake on a half sheet pan at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool. Store the cooled crackers in airtight containers in a cool place.

Option: You could roll out that dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut with a knife or roller into squares or whatever.

Mix it up! Try different flours or cheeses. Add some nuts or seeds or herbs. It's easy and about as cheap a snack as you are going to get.

Enjoy!
J.Jones

Bbq salad dressing? Or marinade? Or both?

BBQ Vinaigrette

1/2 cup veg oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
2 tablespoon BBQ sauce
1 teaspoons hot sauce (franks or crystal)

Also makes a great mop!

Enjoy!
J.Jones

Granola - Weekend Project

Master Granola Recipe Makes 1 quart

Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 275 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray, then set aside. Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt and Extra Ingredients --except dried fruit -- in a bowl. Bring syrup, oil, water and any Flavoring indicated below to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto prepared pan. Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool. (Granola can be stored in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.) For nutrition information on each granola variation, go to usaweekend.com.

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup Extra Ingredients (see complete list below)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 Tbs. flavorless oil, such as vegetable or canola
• 1 Tb. water
• Flavoring (see below)

Classic Granola
Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
You can replace the 1/4 cup of maple syrup with 2 Tbs. each of maple syrup and molasses.

Crunchy Granola
Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup slivered almonds, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs. sesame seeds, 6 Tbs. currants
Flavoring: none

Granola with Tropical Flavoring
Add the coconut along with the cashews and banana chips.
Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews, 1/4 cup chopped banana chips, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup chopped dried pineapple
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Granola with Cherries and Almonds
Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dried cherries
Flavoring: 3/4 tsp. almond extract

Trail Mix Granola
Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup dark or golden raisins, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips*
Flavoring: none
*Stir chips into the granola only after it has completely cooled.

Orange-Berry Granola with Pecans
Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped pecans,1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup dried blueberries
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
Pear Granola with Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries, 1/4 cup chopped dried pears
Flavoring: 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Orange-Flavored Granola with Pistachios, Mangos and Dates
Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios, 1/4 cup chopped dates, 1/4 cup chopped dried mangos

Flavoring
1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest and 1/4 tsp. allspice

Enjoy!
J.Jones

Source found here

Wet Rub for the weekend

A Wet Rub, you decide how much of each item you want:

• Some good olive oil
• a little Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 or 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 small shallot minced
• 1 or 2 cloves Roasted Garlic mashed (if you don't have any roasted garlic stop what you are doing right now and make some!)
• Kosher Salt
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• Half a glass of Red Wine
• A loose handful of fresh herbs: chopped, torn and bruised
• a shot of Worcestershire

Take a for and poke the steak of your choice all over. Toss all of the rub ingredients in a 1 gallon Ziploc bag and insert the steak or steaks. Roll around pressing the rub firmly into the meat. Let marinate for at least 1 hour.

Grill it. Over high heat for the first few minutes. Flip over and move to part of the grill that is at low heat. Leave the high part of the grill on high. Keep an eye on your grill don't go walking away and letting your awesome steak burn! When it is to your "doneness " take it off of the grill and let it rest on a plate for about 20 minutes.

Now enjoy that steak with some garlic mashed potatoes using some of that roasted garlic you made...you did make the roasted garlic didn't you?

Enjoy!
J.Jones

Chocolate cake in 5 min

I have to admit. I have not tried this. But I am intrigued.

Chocolate Cake In 5 Minutes

4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons oil
1 Mug

1. Mix flour, sugar and cocoa
2. Stir in 1 egg
3. Pour in milk and oil, and mix well
4. Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt)
5. Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug
6. Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

Enjoy!
J.Jones

Dizzy Dee

Ok, ok, ok! After some more research on the web I found something a little more plausible. Someone who can actually bake. I told you any dessert items on this website should be analyzed closely!

Check out what they did here.