<p>Tried you Tomato Risotto Rice recipe last night that you posted in post #5. It was delicious!</p>
<p>Glad you liked it. I had to create some alternative for my son who LOVES pasta, but now must be on a Gluten-free diet. </p>
<p>I just ordered that Rice cooker book recommended in post 53. :)</p>
<p>My H wants brown rice every day. In addition, he keeps somewhat irregular hours. He was in the habit of putting on a pot of brown rice, then forgetting about it and burning it. (I’ve never had a problem cooking rice, myself. :rolleyes: ) So I finally broke down and bought a small, basic rice cooker at Target for about $16. I was resistant to having one more thing on the counter top, but it has turned out to be a blessing. The one I bought only has a simple on/off setting, but it produces excellent results.</p>
<p>Last night, I decided to dress up the rice a bit, so I used chicken stock instead of water, and added some ground chipotle, granulated garlic, leftover fresh salsa, and about a cup of home cooked black beans. It was delicious, although I did have to add more water and press the cook button again, because I had deducted the volume of the salsa from the liquid amount. (Which is what I would usually do when cooking rice in a pot.) Perhaps the beans absorbed some liquid. But the end result was fine.</p>
<p>Re brown rice: in my experience, it makes a big difference to buy GOOD brown rice. We buy 20 lb bags of a brand called Wang at an Asian market. It is also essential to NOT use as much water as most American recipes suggest unless you like mush. The Wang bag recommends 2 cups of rice to 3 cups of water, and the results are great. Brown rice from the supermarket is distinctly inferior.</p>
<p>Got this online and it’s very good</p>
<p>Lemon Chive Rice</p>
<p>Ingredients</p>
<pre><code> 1. 3 tablespoons margarine
2. 1 onions, small, finely chopped
3. 2 cups rice, long grain
4. 1/2 teaspoon curry
5. (or) 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
6. 1 tablespoon lemon zest
7. 3 cups chicken broth
8. 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
9. 1/4 teaspoon pepper
</code></pre>
<p>Directions</p>
<ol>
<li>Melt margarine.</li>
<li>Add onions and saute.</li>
<li>Add rice and curry or tumeric and cook until grains of rice are all coated.</li>
<li>Stir in half the lemon peel and all the broth.</li>
<li>Bring to a boil.</li>
<li>Cover and simmer over low heat for 20- 25 minutes.</li>
<li>Stir in remaining lemon peel and chives just before you serve.</li>
</ol>
<p>Going to try this tomorrow…We’ll see how it goes…</p>
<p>**Risotto With Asparagus
**
Ingredients</p>
<pre><code> 1. 8 ounces fresh asparagus, peeled cut 1 inch bites
2. 2 cups arborio rice
3. 1 small yellow onions, chopped
4. 2 tablespoons butter, melted
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
7. 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
8. 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
</code></pre>
<p>Directions</p>
<ol>
<li>Note: When I say 2 cups of rice, this is calculated at the measure size that comes with your cooker which are two measures that is 3/4 of a reg measure cup. So Rice needed for this recipe is 1 1/2 cups in a regular measuring cup.</li>
<li>Measure out the rice and rinse with cold water well.</li>
<li>Add the first 7 ingredients together ( except for the cheese) in the rice cooker.</li>
<li>Close lid and press cook lever down.</li>
<li>When the rice cooker switches to warm, add the grated fresh parmesan cheese. Stir in well.</li>
<li>Serve.</li>
</ol>
<p>ooh - post how it turns out. Sounds yummy!</p>
<p>I have never used my rice cooker for anything but plain rice. I need to try some of these recipes.</p>
<p>I love my fuzzy logic rice cooker! When the kids are home we use it at least 4-5 times per week. It and the coffee thermos are the only appliances that always sit on the counter. (Sometimes the toaster is allowed to join them.) A rice cooker is the one thing my son insisted on having when he moved out of the dorms, and he uses it all the time.</p>
<p>The great thing about the fuzzy logic ones is that you can do lots more than cook rice. For awhile I was making interesting oatmeal dishes, programmed the night before. There was a really good one that used about half granola and half oatmeal. I think you can do polenta and grits, too. Another very successful dish was chicken breast with rice and leeks. I don’t have any of the recipes handy, but if anyone really wants to go crazy with this, get this book from Amazon or your library: The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook by Kaufmann and Hensberger (who also wrote a wonderful book of slow-cooker recipes). It’s my rice cooker Bible!</p>
<p>Another nice thing is that you can reheat rice and other leftovers in the rice cooker. We don’t have a microwave, so this comes in handy. It’s slower but it never wrecks the food you’re reheating.</p>
<p>For those of you looking for a smallish rice cooker, here’s a 6 cup one for sale on Amazon: [Amazon.com:</a> Black & Decker 3 Cups Uncooked Yields 6 Cups Cooked, Rice Cooker: Kitchen & Dining](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Uncooked-Yields-Cooked/dp/B000UWD9OW?tag=dealswoot-20]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-Uncooked-Yields-Cooked/dp/B000UWD9OW?tag=dealswoot-20)</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>That’s the one that my kids each have…just big enough for 1-3 people. Sometimes Wal-mart has it as well.</p>
<p>Wow maybe I should give this a try! Anyone have this model? I want a small one with a keep warm feature and removable inside for cleaning. Negatives?</p>
<p>abasket, the description says it has those features I think. Reviews talk about easy clean up: Product Features</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Kathiep, thanks for the tip on the Amazon offer a few posts above - ordered it on Thursday, had it waiting on my porch yesterday! Now to re-read this thread for some ideas on how to use it!</p>
<p>Great price to try a rice cooker out! If I like it, will pass on this one to my S when he moves into an apt. next year and then get another one for myself!</p>
<p>Ok, the first batch of rice is cooking…my model only has an “on” button and “keep warm” - how does it know how long to cook!!! And if I add say some asparagus do I keep with the same amounts of rice/water? AND, if I want to season it with butter, salt or whatever should I add this when I put the rice and water in???</p>
<p>This I know: You add the seasonings and butter at the beginning and it does magically know how long to cook it. I haven’t tried adding anything else to the rice yet so can’t help you with the asparagus question.</p>
<p>I could have maybe had a tad more water in it - it tastes very good, but I wouldn’t exactly call it light and fluffy. Or maybe I should have had a tad less water?</p>
<p>abasket…the cooker senses when there’s no more water…that’s how it knows to switch to warm.</p>
<p>As for light and fluffy…what kind of rice did you use? Some types are more fluffy, some are more sticky, some are more flavorful…</p>
<p>I doubt you’d need to add more water with asparagus…if so, maybe only a tablespoon more. Add seasonings at the beginning.</p>
<p>time to share some new Rice Cooker recipes!!!</p>
<p>Since we love Mexican Rice in this household, I like to experiment and came up with this easy method…very tasty!!</p>
<p>** Mexican Rice **</p>
<p>3 “rice measure cups” of white rice (a rice measure cup is really 3/4 of a standard cup)
3 1/4 cups of water (using standard measure cup)
About 8 ounces of bottled corn and black bean salsa…medium on the hotness scale (I used a Target brand called "Corn, Black Bean and Roasted Pepper Salsa…I poured in about a cup).
about a 1/2 tsp of cumin (to your taste preference)
some grinds of black pepper
bit of salt…not too much…there’s salt in the salsa.
chopped onions…about 1/4 cup …again, your choice for taste
some shakes of garlic powder - to your preference.
a shake of red pepper flakes (probably about 25 or so flakes)
a bit of veg oil</p>
<p>(If you want, you can use chix broth for some/all of the water…but then maybe not add any salt. )</p>
<p>First I turn on the cooker.and add the oil, </p>
<p>While the cooker is heating, I chop the onion and then add them in.</p>
<p>then while the onions are saut</p>
<p>Thanks. I"m saving this recipe.</p>
<p>The Pot and How to Use it-the Mystery and Romance of the Rice Cooker by Roger Ebert (yes, the movie critic)
ISBN-10: 0-7407-9142-7
Probably not worth buying, I just happen to pick it up at the local library to peruse.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I got that book on Amazon, used, for a low price. I got some great tips from it.</p>
<p>There was a mention about Mac 'n Cheese on the Easter thread, so last night I thought I’d try making it in the Rice Cooker (I’ve never made Mac n Cheese besides the kiddie box type…lol)</p>
<p>Mac 'n Cheese*</p>
<p>about 4 standard cups of uncooked elbow mac (1 lb box)</p>
<p>4 3/4 cups of water</p>
<p>1/4 cup of Half and Half (if you don’t have, then use about 1/2 whole milk and 4 1/2 cups water)</p>
<p>about 1/8 cup finely chopped onion</p>
<p>3 T real butter</p>
<p>1/2 teasp Smoked Paprika</p>
<p>1/4 teas Nutmeg</p>
<p>1/4 teasp Black Pepper</p>
<p>I also added a bit of seasoned pepper (which has some red pepper in it, but not necessary)</p>
<p>About 25 flakes of Crushed Red Pepper</p>
<p>some shakes of Garlic Powder</p>
<p>About 2 tsp of dried chopped chives (I just had this and threw it in…optional or use fresh)</p>
<p>*** *1 Tablespoon of dried veggie flakes (again, I just had this and threw it in…optional…but makes for great color.) *</p>
<p>some Pam and some veggie oil</p>
<p>3/4 cup of Sharp Cheddar …shredded *(if you want it cheesier, you could add more)</p>
<p>3/4 cup of Colby/Jack cheese…shredded *(If you want it cheesier, add more)</p>
<p>(The above cheeses are what I had, you could vary.)</p>
<p>Method</p>
<p>Turned on the cooker and sprayed with Pam and put in about 1 tsp of veg oil</p>
<p>Added the *chopped onions saute and let them saute a bit…pushed around with a wooden spoon.</p>
<p>Then added the rest EXCEPT the cheeses.</p>
<p>Closed the cooker and then began shredding the cheeses. * * I wanted the cooker to do some cooking before I added the cheeses. **</p>
<p>About 15 minutes into cooking, I added the cheeses…stirring completely.</p>
<p>However, I didn’t let the cooker complete its cycle. *About 20 minutes or so into the cycle I looked in and I could see that nearly all the water had been absorbed. * I turned the unit off (not to warm.) * I then stirred again. * If nearly all of the water hadn’t been absorbed at that time, I would have given it a few more minutes. * I’m not saying that there was still visible water left, but the it was still rather moist, which is what you’d want. *No one wants dry mac 'n cheese… *:)</p>
<p>*** Vegetable Flakes *
[Spice</a> Classics Vegetable Flakes - 12 Pack: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet Food](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Spice-Classics-Vegetable-Flakes-Pack/dp/B0029JZAB4]Spice”>http://www.amazon.com/Spice-Classics-Vegetable-Flakes-Pack/dp/B0029JZAB4)</p>
<p>I buy this by the box. *I throw this into a lot of things…plain rice in the rice cooker, meat loaves, marinara sauces, etc, etc. *</p>
<p>Here’s another one that I’ve used - this container is a biggie…about the size of a quart of milk.
[VEGETABLE</a> MIX FRESHLY PACKED IN LARGE JARS, spices, herbs, seasonings: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet Food](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/VEGETABLE-FRESHLY-PACKED-spices-seasonings/dp/B000N8OPFA/ref=pd_sim_gro_1]VEGETABLE”>http://www.amazon.com/VEGETABLE-FRESHLY-PACKED-spices-seasonings/dp/B000N8OPFA/ref=pd_sim_gro_1)</p>
<p>Anyway…it came out pretty well. H ate two big servings and took the rest for lunch today.</p>
<p>I am pretty sure that many optional additions could be included…even some finely chopped tomatoes, or some chopped mushrooms, or finely chopped broccoli, etc.</p>