YumSugar

Sunday Slow Cooker: Cuban Beef and Peppers

YumSugar — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:30:48 -0700

After falling in love with a Cuban-inspired crockpot chicken, tonight I'm cooking along the same vein with a beef and pepper braise that conjures up images of dinner in Havana.

I'll serve the fork-tender flank steak and bell pepper medley over steamed white rice, avocado, and my favorite herb, cilantro. Ready to make your own one-pot Latin meal? Then keep reading.

Emeril Lagasse Cooks Up the Perfect Pot of Rice

partysugar — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:50:26 -0800

While I've watched his television shows countless times, before the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, I had never seen Emeril Lagasse live. I wasn't disappointed: his demonstration was packed and the energetic chef was absolutely fabulous! He made Brazilian fish stew and talked about the importance of tasting your food while cooking. He also recommends seasoning everything with salt and pepper, including the individual vegetables in a salad. Lagasse served the stew with plain white rice and spent a lot of time discussing this sometimes overlooked side dish. To see his technique for cooking the best pot of rice ever, read more.

Start with a good pot that has a lid. Emeril says, "There's no need for a fancy machine like a rice cooker."
Add butter or oil to the pan and heat until melted.
Add the rice, salt, and pepper to the butter. Let it cook for several minutes, until the "rice is coated in oil or butter."
If using any seasonings - "saffron, arugula, smoked paprika, garlic, etc." - add it to the rice now, while sautéing.
Pour in the liquid. You should always have three parts liquid to one part rice. "The liquid usually covers the rice in the pot by 1/4 an inch."
Cover with the lid and cook, leaving it alone, for 20 minutes. "The reason we have lids is to hold condensation. Don't keep opening it while it's cooking!"
After 20 minutes the rice is ready. Fluff with a fork and enjoy.

Have you ever seen Emeril live? What did you learn from the master chef?

Taste Test: Risotto Chips

YumSugar — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:50:32 -0800

I've got a penchant for risotto and Party has a debilitating weakness for chips, so we were definitely intrigued when we received a box of Risotto Chips ($3.49), a new creation released last month by New York Style (the brand behind those irresistible Bagel Crisps). They proclaimed to be all natural, gluten-free, and full of flavor. Were they all that and more? Keep reading to find out.

R.I.C.E. Review

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:25 -0800

After reading the progress reports from the Get Fit For 2010 community group and contest, I noticed one big trend: injuries. They happen to the best of us; if you lead an active life, chances are high you will suffer some bumps, bruises, and strains along the way.

If you happen to sprain your ankle or strain your hamstring, immediate first aid can help you heal faster. No matter if you injured a joint or a muscle you should follow the R.I.C.E. protocol for 48 hours after your injury.

Rest: Take a break for a day or two to let the injured area rest and recover. Your body needs time to heal the injury. Let pain be your guide as to what daily activities are fine. Once you can go about your usual daily routine without pain, slowly ease yourself back into training. Try the elliptical before going gangbusters on the treadmill.
Ice: Apply an ice pack (or a bag of frozen vegetables, wrapped in a towel) to the injured area for 15-20 minutes every few hours. Ice helps reduce swelling and inflammation by slowing blood flow to the injury; it also lessens the pain by numbing it a bit.
Compression: Between ice treatments, wrap an elastic bandage around the affected part to apply pressure and reduce swelling. Compression can also help provide support to a weak joint. It should be fairly tight, but make sure it doesn't press nerves or cut off blood circulation - if the end of the limb turns blue, that's too tight! It's also too tight if you feel throbbing in the bandaged area. For the same reason, don't wear the bandage at night.
Elevation: Let gravity do the work - try to keep the injured limb raised above the level of the heart to prevent fluids from pooling in the inflamed tissues. For an injured leg, prop it up above the hips when lying down. Injured arms can be held up in a sling.

If two days post-injury your pain has increased or the swelling has not subsided, it's best to see a doctor or a sports injury specialist. A medical professional can properly diagnose the injury and recommend the correct form of treatment and rehab to get you back in action sooner than later.

Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:15:10 -0800

This well-known Indonesian rice dish often calls for kecap manis. Do you know what it is?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Barley and Rice

partysugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:50:27 -0800

With the addition of vegetables, barley, and lots of fragrant seasonings, brown rice, normally accustomed to being a staple side, suddenly finds itself in the main dish spotlight. What makes this brown rice a hearty vegetarian meal are the layers of flavor and variety of textures. While fresh thyme and spicy chipotles in adobo may not be the most obvious of food pairings, when tossed with the barley and rice, the ingredients blend seamlessly. Lots of spinach provides a stimulating green color, and chunks of nuts add a necessary crunch. To get this exciting recipe that won't disappoint, please read more.

Spicy Barley and Rice
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp. olive oil
2/3 cup regular (pearled) barley
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup brown rice
1 Tbsp. small fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/2 to 1 tsp. finely chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 cups torn fresh spinach
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

In saucepan cook onion in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender; stirring occasionally. Add barley; cook and stir 3 minutes or until barley starts to brown.
Carefully add broth, water, brown rice, dried thyme (if using), and chipotle pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 45 minutes or until barley and rice are tender and most of liquid is absorbed.
Stir in fresh thyme (if using). Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in spinach and pecans just before serving.

Serves 6.

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The Basics: Brown Rice

partysugar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:15:52 -0800

Brown rice is a staple served all over the world, but up until last week, I didn't know the best technique for making it. I did some extensive research and decided to try Alton Brown's method. Instead of cooking the rice on the stove, he bakes it in the oven. The resulting rice is moist and nutty - with a perfectly snappy crunch. It's not dry or chewy, but flavorful and filling. Brown rice has more nutrients than its white counterpart, and this side dish is definitely going to become my new staple. You can serve it with just about anything from tofu to scallops. For Alton's recipe, keep reading.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Pomegranate Chicken With Walnuts

partysugar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:50:09 -0800

Although I'm a fan of interesting vinegars and exotic sauces, it can be pricey to purchase a bottle of something you may only use once. That's why it's nice to look toward the juice aisle. Juice is an incredibly affordable flavoring agent - and you can drink it after you cook with it. In this recipe, cranberry pomegranate juice is used to season savory chicken thighs. It's an effortless dish that's also elegant enough to serve friends without breaking the bank. Check out the technique and read more.

Pomegranate Chicken With Walnuts
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 cups rice
5 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound), cut into quarters
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 clove garlic, smashed
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups cranberry-pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a medium saucepan, bring the rice and 2 1/4 cups water to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the water has evaporated and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 7 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add the onion, garlic and walnuts to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cinnamon, scraping up any browned bits. Return the chicken and any juices to the pan, add the cranberry-pomegranate juice and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes; transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes; stir in the parsley and pour over the chicken. Serve on top of the rice.

Serves 4.

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Red Beans and Rice Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:50:02 -0800

For true mid-Winter comfort food, look no further than the wallet-friendly pairing of red beans and rice. The Louisiana specialty starts with "the holy trinity" of chopped celery, bell pepper, and onions then combines the veggie medley with red kidney beans and pork to be served over steaming hot rice.

You can follow a recipe that calls for canned beans and is easy on the time, number of kitchen steps, and ingredients. Or stick to the classic version, simmered low and slow with ham, sausage, and bay leaves for added flavor and body. Decide which one when you keep reading.

Try Your Luck With Hoppin' John Soup

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:30:26 -0800

When the revelry of New Year's Eve has come and gone, it'll be time for me to draw up that list of New Year's resolutions. I don't know about you, but with the list of changes I'm vowing to make this year, I'm going to need any good fortune I can get. That's why I'm enlisting the help of hoppin' John. A New Year's fixture on every Southern table, this mélange of black-eyed peas, ham, onions, and rice is said to bring prosperity to anyone who eats it. Blackeyeds, as they're called in the South, are symbolic of coins and affluence; collard greens, with their leaves the color of currency, are another. Supposedly, more pork also means more luck - but that might just be an excuse to enjoy more of the pig.

When New Year's arrives this time around, consider passing the day with a comforting pot of hoppin' John soup. It makes a ton, which means, presumably, that you'll have plenty of luck to go around in the next dozen months. See the recipe when you read more.