White Rice

            White rice is polished rice.  Polishing removes the hull and the bran.  It is more processed and has less fiber and nutritional value.  In most households white rice is most common.  It is very versatile in its uses and in combining flavors. 

 

Long grain rice (such as basmanti and jasmine) is all-purpose rice and makes fluffy rice.  Long grain rice is commonly used steamed as a side dish.  It is often mixed with seasonings and vegetables.  It can be cooked twice as in Spanish rice or fried rice.

 

Long grain on the left and short grain
on the right.  Generic long grain
and arborio on thee right

Short grain rice is shorter and wider.  Varieties of this rice are arborio, carnaroli, Valencia, and bella.  It is used for dishes like risotto, pudding, sushi and paella.  These are dishes that are creamy or dishes that the rice is shaped.

 

Left over rice can be added to soups, pancakes and waffles, main dishes, side dishes and desserts.  It can be used in appetizers, formed in balls and cups.

 

This Week’s Challenge – Try serving rice in a new way

 

            Rice is often served by itself in its fluffy state or mixed with other ingredients.  This week’s challenge is about presentation.  Think of a new way to present your rice.  It can be part of a dessert in a parfait glass, molded into shapes with molds, cookie cutters or my hand.  There are many appetizers that use rice as cups filled with something delicious or rolled into balls.

 I made a rice ring.

I cooked long grain rice in the rice cooker.

I took a ring mold.

I lined the mold with foil, making sure
that t tightly fit the mold and over
lapped the edges

I spoon the cooked, hot rice into the mold.

Tightly packed the rice.

 

Then inverted the mold on the serving dish/

 

Tip for this Week – Hand Shaping Rice

 

            Rice will stick together with little pressure.  Allow the rice to cool enough to handle it.  Wet your hands with water.  Place a small amount of rice in your hand and roll it into a ball.  It can be shaped in to rectangles and triangles, as well as balls and rolls.  Try rolling your shaped rice into sesame seeds, chopped nuts, freshly chopped herbs, or colorful spices like paprika or turmeric.  Ingredients can be hidden in the center for molded shapes, like a piece of meat, cheese, mashed beans or other vegetables or pickles.  Rice shapes can be dipped in batter and deep fried.  So get creative and invent something.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Green Rice

 

Green Rice in a casserole.

1 pack Broccoli, frozen chopped or one bunch fresh chopped

1 C      Rice, cooked with chicken bouillon cubes (3 C cooked)

3          Eggs, beaten

¼ C     Butter or margarine

¾ C     Onion chopped

1 can  Cream of mushroom soup

1 can  Cream of chicken soup

1 ½ C  Cheddar cheese, grated

2 cans  Chicken or  2 C boiled chicken

            Salt and pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

1.    In a skilled sauté the onions in the butter until the onions are nicely browned. 

 

In stead of using canned chicken, I dice two chicken
breasts and cooked them in chicken broth.

I reserved the broth using it to cook the rice.

 

2.    Mix the all the ingredients together.

 

Rice, chicken and onions.

The chopped leftover broccoli is added.

In a separate bowl I blended the eggs, soups
and melted butter.  Pour over the rice mixture
and stir to combine
 

 

3.    Place in a prepared casserole dish.

 

Spread it evenly in the baking dish.

Top with cheese and bake until hot and bubbly.

 

4.    Bake at 325 degrees for one hour.

 

 

Chocolate Rice Pudding

 

½ C     Rice, uncooked

¼ C     Cocoa

½ C     Sugar

1 t        Cinnamon, ground

½ t       Salt

3 C      Milk

1 t        Vanilla

 

The ingredients

5.    Mix the rice, cocoa, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a double boiler.

I used calrosa rice for this.  It s a short grain
rice used for Japanese cooking.

Mix the rice, sugar, cinnamon, salt and cocoa

Ad the milk and blend

Place the double boiler over a pan of boiling water,

 

6.    In a pot that fits the double boiler, bring water to a rolling boil. 

The double boiler should fit the pot so that the
bottom does not touch the water.

The pot lid fit the double boiler. 
I Allowed the milk to begin to boil,
reduce the heat to low and covered it

 

7.    Add the milk to the rice mixture and mix well.

8.    Place the double boiler over the water and cook one hour and 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

The pot covered.

I stirred it every 15 minutes.  The stirring is
important to prevent scorching and lumping.

It will thicken s the rice cooks.

 

9.    The milk should be absorbed and it should have a nice pudding texture.

Allow to cool slightly before adding the vanilla.

 

10. Remove the double boiler from the water and cool slightly.

11. Add the vanilla and mix well.

12. Refrigerate until serving.

13. Serve with thin cream or whipped cream.

 

Make 5 servings of ½ C.

 

I found the recipe in my grandmother’s recipes.  It is from Delicious, Quick, Easy Riceland Rice Recipes, copyrighted 1952

 

Fish of the Week

 

Tuna a la King

You will need to make a white sauce, or béchamel sauce.  See the posting on September 15, 2016.

Tuna a la King served over a rice ring

 

2 T                   Butter, unsalted

½ C                 Onions, finely chopped

3 T                   Flour

3 C                  Milk

Salt  and pepper to taste

1 t                    Thyme, dried leaves

1 lg. can         Tuna or albacore

½ c                  Peas, frozen

½ c                  Corn, frozen

 

The ingredients

I used albacore juice and all.

 

1.    In a large skillet melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft.

2.    Add the flour and make a roux, cooking to the blonde stage.

3.    Slowly add the milk, whisking to incorporate.

4.    Add the tuna, undrained and stir to blend.

Tuna, peas and corn added. Stir to  blend
and allow the peas and corn to cook.  This
 is a good time to taste and adjust the seasoning. 

 

5.    Add the peas and corn, cooking for a few minutes.

6.    Adjust the seasonings.

7.    Serve over toast or biscuits, rice, potatoes or pasta.

 

I made a rice ring to serve with this.

 

Slice and serve

I topped each serving will some grated Monterey jack cheese.

Note:  This is a great way to use leftover chicken or turkey, too.  Substitute 1-1½ C cooked leftover poultry for the tuna.  Also try adding different vegetables, herbs and spices.

 

Happy Cooking!

 

 

 

Entertaining

            There are many decisions that need to me made when you plan to entertain.  I’ve broken it down into four main categories below.  The importance of each category depends on the entertaining you plan to do.  How formal or informal with the event be?   It may be helpful to sit down paper and pencil and make lists. What is the special occasion?

 

The guests should come first. How any will be invited?  How formal will the event be?  Will phone calls be enough got invitations or would written and mailed invitations be better.  If you need a count online invitations are more common.  If there are many guests, make a list. 

 

The food should fix the occasion.  Plan the menu, including beverages.  I like to have a variety of choices, since everyone’s tastes are different.  What parts of the meal are you planning to serve?  With there be appetizers and cocktails before?  Will it be an informal meal with salad, the meal, and dessert?  Are you planning a formal meal with many courses?

Plan enough servings for the guests.  I usually plan for a few more servings.  Look over the guest list for special dietary needs.  Is anyone diabetic, have allergies, vegetarian or needs gluten free.  You may want to take these into consideration or offer options that fix these needs.

Is there a theme, holiday or type of cuisine that you will be serving?  What dishes or options fit this theme?  Make a list of ideas and dishes.  What is in season?  Plan your shopping list.  It is also a good idea to plan your timetable at this point.  What can be made ahead?  What needs to be made closer to serving time?

 

 

The decorations are important, even if you are planning a very informal even.  The decorations don’t need to be elaborate, but some thought should be given.  They are the finishing touch and tell your guest that you want this to be special for them.  Start with the table setting.  Which dishes and serving dishes will you use?  What will be the centerpiece? Do you want fresh flowers or candles? 

House cleaning is in this category.  It may be helpful to make a list of the jobs that need to be done.  This should be started early in your preparations.

 

Extras are the special touch.  I recently heard a quote from Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made the feel.”  Extras do this.  It can be the music for the evening.  It can be a small parting gift.  It can be a memento of the evening, like a printed menu.  It can be home baked goods wrapped and presented as a gift to take home.  It tells people you were thinking of them, and you want this evening to be memorable and special.  I prefer to make this homemade.  I have given a little jar of homemade jelly or jams.

 

This Week’s Challenge – Entertain is a different way

 

            Think of a new way to entertain and make plans for it.  Use the checklist below.  You can decide to put your plans into action or just use the as a planning exercise. An example could be a seven course French meal for six.

 

 

Tip for This Week – Entertaining Checklist

 

            Planning

                        Theme

                        Date and time

            Guests

                        List

                        Invitations

                        RSVP

            Food

                        Menu

                        Shopping lists

                        Preparation timetable

            Decorations

                        Theme/Colors

                        Flowers

                        Table setting

                        Cleaning timetable

            Extras

                        Music

                        Gifts

                        Mementos

                        Entertainment – Games, cards, movies, etc.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Grandma’s Fried Chicken

 

3          Whole chickens, cut into pieces

            Salt water, ice cold

3-4 C  Grease*

3 C      Flour

1 t        Paprika

1 t        Salt

½ t       Pepper

 

The Ingredients

 

1.    Cut up the chickens and soak in salt water for a couple of hours in the refrigerator.  (review posting for March 12, 2016)

 

 

I usually take a little hot water and add
the salt.  You need a lot to brine the
chicken.  Dissolve the salt and let it cool

 

 

 

 

Add the chicken to the salt water and
cover with more water.

Add some ice cubes and refrigerate
several hours or overnight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.    When you are ready to fry the chicken, heat the grease in a heavy cast iron skillet.    Do not put too much in the pan, about half full. 

 

 

This is canola oil and the chicken
fat I had saved from stewed chickens

 

 

 

3.    Place the flour and seasoning in a Ziploc bag.

 

 

 

Place the flour in a large Ziploc
 baggie or paper bag.

Add  the seasonings.  Close the bag
and shake to I the seasonings and flour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.    When the grease is hot, but not smoking, take the chicken out of the refrigerator. 

 

 

Remove one piece of chicken at a time.
Place in the baggie and shake to coat
 the chicken.

Dredge the chicken in the flour and
add to the hot grease.  The ice cold
chicken and the very hot grease is
makes this work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.    Begin with the meaty pieces, breasts, thighs and drumsticks.   Remove the piece from the cold salt water and dredge in seasoned flour. 

6.    Drop into the hot grease. 

 

Allow the grease to heat up between
adding the piece of chicken.   Cook about
20 minutes on each side.  When the
skillet is full, return the rest of the
chicken to the refrigerator.

 

 

 

7.    Fill the skillet and allow to cook on one side until golden brown. 

8.    Turn and cook on the other side until golden brown.   

 

Once the chicken is turn to cook on
the other side, cook about 10-15 minutes.
Watch it closely so that each piece is
evenly golden brown.

 

 

 

9.    Drain on paper towels in a metal pan.  Be sure to use only heat proof pans.

 

The chicken is good warm or cooled.
This is good for picnics or outside
dinning.

 

 

10. Keep the chicken in the cold salt water in the refrigerator until ready to add to the hot grease.

 

Note:  The grease is cooking fat.  I use a combination of cooking oil and chicken fat.  I sometimes add bacon drippings if I have them.  In the olden days, they used Crisco and bacon drippings.  Any oil that can stand up against high heat, like vegetable, corn, canola oil are good.  I would steer away from olive, grape seed, and peanut oils.  I haven't tried coconut fat.

 

 

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Grandma's Fried Chicken

by Unknown June-14-2016

I'm not sure if this recipe is my grandma's or grandma's grandma's. I suspect it is my great grandmother's recipe. It has been in the family a very long time.

Ingredients

• 3 Chickens, cut into pieces
• to cover chickens ice cold salt water
• 3-4 C frying grease
• 2-3 C Flour
• 1 t Paprika
• 1/2 t Pepper
• 1 t Salt

Instructions

1. Cut up the chickens and soak in salt water for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. (review posting for March 12, 2016)2. When you are ready to fry the chicken, heat the grease in a heavy cast iron skillet. Do not put too much in the pan, about half full. 3. Place the flour and seasoning in a Ziploc bag.4. When the grease is hot, but not smoking, take the chicken out of the refrigerator. 5. Begin with the meaty pieces, breasts, thighs and drumsticks. Remove the piece from the cold salt water and dredge in seasoned flour. 6. Drop into the hot grease. 7. Fill the skillet and allow to cook on one side until golden brown. 8. Turn and cook on the other side until golden brown. 9. Drain on paper towels in a metal pan. Be sure to use only heat proof pans.10. Keep the chicken in the cold salt water in the refrigerator until ready to add to the hot grease.Note: The grease is cooking fat. I use a combination of cooking oil and chicken fat. I sometimes add bacon drippings if I have them. In the olden days, they used Crisco and bacon drippings. Any oil that can stand up against high heat, like vegetable, corn, canola oil is good. I would steer away from olive, grape seed, and peanut oils. I haven’t tried coconut fat. 

It is crucial to keep the chicken ice cold and the grease very hot. There is something about the cold hitting the hot that makes the chicken so crispy. This is an authentic Southern recipe and has been in my family for about 100 years.

Details

Prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 3 hour Total time: 4 hour Yield: 36 pieces

Apple Crisp

 

Apple Crisp served with a little cream

6          Jonathan apples, peeled, cored and sliced

½ C     Butter, softened                               

½ C     Flour                                                  

¾ C     Brown sugar                                    

1 t        Nutmeg

1 t        Cinnamon

1½ C   Oats

 

 

The ingredients

 

 

 

1.    Spray a square baking dish or quiche pan with Pam. 

2.    Place the prepared apples evenly in the pan. 

 

I used apples this time, but any fresh fruit
will work.  I used canned fruit in a pinch.

 

 

3.    Mix the rest of the ingredients thoroughly.  It will be crumbly and not hold together.  

 

 

 

The crisp ingredients.

I usually mix this with my hands, rubbing
the butter into the other ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.    Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


 

 

 

Apples cover by the crisp and
ready for the oven.

Apple Crisp just out of the oven.
 Serve warm or cold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experiment with substituting other fruit for the apples.  I have made this with fresh peaches, fresh berries, canned cherries and canned whole cranberry sauce.  All were just as good as the apples.  For Christmas throw in a handful of Craisins.

 

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Apple Crisp

by Unknown June-14-2016

This recipe is from friend Dee Dee Trujillo. It is so good and lends well to experimentation. Have fun with this.

Ingredients

• 6 or more Jonathan apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 C Butter, softened
• 1/2 C Flour
• 3/4 C Brown sugar
• 1 t Nutmeg
• 1 t Cinnamon
• 1 1/2 C Oats

Instructions

1. Spray a square baking dish or quiche pan with Pam. 2. Place the prepared apples evenly in the pan. 3. Mix the rest of the ingredients thoroughly. It will be crumbly and not hold together. 4. Sprinkle the topping over the apples and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.Experiment with substituting other fruit for the apples. I have made this with fresh peaches, fresh berries, canned cherries and canned whole cranberry sauce. All were just as good as the apples. For Christmas throw in a handful of Craisins.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 12 servings

 

Tuna Cucumber Potato Salad

 

1 Can             Albacore packed in water

1 lg.                 Potato, boiled in the jacket

1 C                  Cucumber, thinly sliced

½ - 1 C           Mayonnaise

                        Salt and pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

Prepared potato, cucumber  and albucore

 



 

1.    Boil the potato in its jacket, until it is tender.

2.    Allow the potato to cool. 

3.    Peel the cucumber and cut it lengthwise.

Boiled potato with jacket removed and ready
to dice.  Cucumber peeled and ready to slice.

 

4.    Scoop out the seeds and sprinkle with salt.  Allow it to set.

5.    Remove the skin from the potato.  Dice the potato and place in a medium bowl.

6.    Open the albacore and drain the water.  Add it to the potato.

Potatoes, cucumber and tuna in a bowl.
Add the mayo and seasonings.

Stir to mix the mayo throughout the
salad and refrigerate until time to serve.

 

7.    Thinly slice the cucumber and add it to the potato.

8.    Add the mayonnaise to cover.  Stir to cover all the ingredients.

9.    Season with salt and pepper.

10. I Sometimes add chopped fresh parsley.

 

Serve and a lunch salad.  I sometimes
serve this on a bed of lettuce or greens.



 

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Tuna, cucmber, Potato Salad

by Unknown June-29-2016

This is my mother-in-law's recipe. she is fro Japan, but this does not seem like a Japanese recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 can (7 oz.) Albacore packed in water
• one Potato, boiled in the jacket
• 1C or one whole Cucumber
• 1/2 C to 1 C Mayonnaise
• Salt and papper to taste
• 2 T Parsley, freshly chopped

Instructions

1. Boil the potato in the jacket until tender. Allow to cool enough to peel it.2. Peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and lightly salt. Set it aside.3. Open the can of albacore and drain the water off. I usually give the water to the cats for a special treat.4. Peel the jacket from the potato and dice it. Place in in a medium bowl.5. Thinly slice the cucumber and add it to the bowl.6. Add the drained albacore to the bowl.7. Add enough mayonnaise to cover everything. I usually start with 1/2 C and add more as needed.8. Season with salt and pepper. 9. Set the salad in the refrigerator until time to serve, at least 20 minutes.10, Serve on a leaf of lettuce. The parsley can be added just before serving or added the with salt and pepper.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 20 mins Yield: 4 servings


Happy Cooking!