All of the confidence that I had built up in the last 30+ days of my Food Revolution was put in check in about 30 minutes. If you had asked me what I thought my most challenging recipes would be when I started this, in the top 5 would have been cooking rice. I do not have good luck cooking rice on top of the stove. It makes no sense. All I can figure is that I'm not patient and for that very reason gadget #98 is a rice cooker. But Sunday night I am NOT going to use the rice gadget, I AM going to make rice on top of the stove, in a pot, with water for my next recipe, Rice Salad (pg.125).
I always underestimate how long it takes to make rice and it fooled me again. The first direction in my recipe is to cook 1 1/4 cups of mixed long grain and wild rice according to the package directions. I look at the package and it says that it will need to cook for 30 minutes. Got me again! I need to feed everyone and I'm feeling rushed already. I let out a huge SIGH, send everyone outside and get started chopping. I chop up the roasted red bell peppers, fresh mint, basil and parsley and make the lemon dressing (pg. 107). Okay. So that was 10 minutes. I still have 20 minutes.
I decide to make mojitos while I wait. The blender explodes (I have the worst luck with blenders), I have a sticky mess to clean up which is fine since I still have 12 minutes.
The kitchen is clean and I patiently wait for the buzzer to go off. I take it off the heat and set the timer for another 10 minutes to "sit." More waiting. The rest of dinner is ready. The family is starved and I decide that 8 minutes should be fine to "sit." I open the pot and it looks awful. Its watery. The rice is hard. YUCK! NOW what?!?!? I run to the pantry, cross my fingers for a 90 second bag of rice and find one in the back. I pop it in the microwave, skip the step where Jamie says to let the rice cool and throw it together with the herbs, dressing, a bit of salt and pepper and squeeze a lemon over it.
I am completely shocked when I taste it. Its really good! This proves to me that anyone can make Jamie's recipes and that pretty much anything is salvageable with a well stocked pantry and a little luck. The kid likes it. The husband likes it and I'm completely in shock.
But once again, the rice beat me. Rice 1, Amy 0.
Recipes cooked: 14
Recipes left: 159
Days left: 328
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ReplyDeleteYou are too funny. There is a reason why someone invented microwavable rice! Love- Caryn
ReplyDeleteThe bag of rice that saved me was the one you left at my house :) Funny huh!?!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your sister. You are "too funny" and some things are essential to sanity...instant rice is one of them. More importantly, I really NEED to know... did you sip the mojito off the counter with a straw???
ReplyDeleteAmy--I couldn't make rice to save my life. I know you like Indian--Basmati is super easy to make and if you throw in some peas, butter and salt it's a meal! If you're up for trying another recipe try this:
ReplyDeleteheat 1 tbspn of canola oil in a pot
add 1 cup of basmati rice stir
add a 1 1/2 tspns of salt
add two cups of water stir
when boils simmer on low for 17 minutes and cover the pot. It's done. If it's still wet keep it on a little longer. 17 is my magic number!
if you want -- frozen petite peas from TJ's works great-- add 1/2 bag or 1 1/2 cups before adding water. Add a little less water and you have a meal! if you make 1.5 cups of rice add 3 cups of water and so on...Love your posts!
Let me get this straight, you made Mojiotos on Sunday night and did not yell up the hill to your favorite neighbor?
ReplyDeleteNeighbor: they were awful! I promise to yell up the hill for the next batch :)
ReplyDelete