Turmeric Rice

The vivid color of this rice is very nice as a side with Indian dishes.

I also like to take leftovers and add salsa to it, and eat with tortilla chips as a snack.

Turmeric Rice

Place in rice cooker:

1 c. basmati rice
2 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 t. ground turmeric
2 c. water

Let cook until 'fish eyes' appear (holes on the surface of the rice). Add 1/2 c. frozen peas and stir them in, letting finished hot rice cook the peas to perfection. Done!

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Let me start out by saying: I am the only one in this family who adores green peppers. 

If your family adores green peppers, and you make stuffed pepper recipes, then this is an amazing version that you should try.

I made this recipe one night and while the two older boys ate it nicely (but not with stars in their eyes, by any means), the youngest refused entirely (I scooped the rice out of his for him and ate his green pepper shell, gladly). My poor husband suffered it down, because he never complains about the food I make, but I could tell he was really struggling. Like I'm-gonna-hurl struggling. His aversion to green peppers is strong and irreversible, it seems (he likes other colors of peppers, and he is okay with green peppers cooked into things like chili or on top of pizza. But a big whole hunk of green pepper on his plate--he just can't do it. Yet he did. He loves me).

But hey, I LOVE GREEN PEPPERS, and you know what, this recipe is for ME! I love, love, love it. It made way too much stuffing, which was great, because the rice itself is amazing. For lunch the next two days, I took the stuffing and sliced up a raw green pepper on top of it, added some cheese, and nuked the whole mess for a couple minutes. YUM. The rice is also super delicious without using any peppers at all, just as a pilaf. I will be making this recipe for myself, even if not for the hubby. He is not picky about almost anything I make, and is always very gracious about my cooking hobby, so I'll let the stuffed green pepper thing go for family suppers. You can bet though, that the next time I get a nice bunch of green peppers, I will be making this for a good week's worth of lunch for myself!

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

4-6 medium peppers
2 T. olive oil
1 c. brown rice (I used 3/4 c. brown rice, 1/4 c. barley)
2 c. vegetable broth
1 small red onion
1 clove garlic
7 oz canned chopped tomatoes
pinch each of dried thyme, parsley and rosemary
1/2 c. peas (can thaw from frozen)
salt and pepper

1. First cook the rice in the vegetable broth and 1/2 c. of water. Either cook in a pot using instructions on rice package or use a rice cooker. Assemble your ingredients while the rice cooks. Read a book while waiting. :)

2. Turn oven on to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry peppers, put them on a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil (I misted them with olive oil using a mister, click here to see). Bake peppers for 12 minutes.

3. Let peppers cool on the pan enough so that you can slice them in half, remove stems and seeds. Lay them, open side up, on the baking sheet.

4. Peel and dice the onion. Pour 1 T. olive oil in pan, bring it to medium heat, and throw the diced onions in. After 3 or 4 minutes, mince the garlic and add it to the onion. Cook for another minute, then add the tomatoes, herbs and a little salt and pepper. Let the mixture bubble and simmer on med/low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the rice and peas to this mixture, then spoon in the halves of pepper.

5. Put the stuffed peppers into the preheated oven for 10 minutes. For extra flavor, sprinkle shredded cheese of your choice on top after the 10 minutes, switch the oven to broil, and broil for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is beautiful and bubbly.

Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans

Oh wow, this soup hit the spot on so many levels. The roasted garlic was just the right touch. Noah couldn't get enough of it! I'm not sure how he fit so many bowls into his little tummy at once, but it kept disappearing and he kept asking for more. I found the soup very tasty and fulfilling. Great soup to divide into individual portions in freezer containers for later!



Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans

TooManyLegos via Veganomicon

2 bulbs roasted garlic (top sliced off, drizzled with olive oil, wrapped in foil and roasted at 400 for 30 to 40 mins)

1 T. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced as small as possible

1 c. long grain brown rice

2 bay leaves

2 t. dried thyme

1 t. dried marjoram

2 t. salt

several pinches freshly ground black pepper

2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can navy beans, drained and rinsed

56 oz water (fill up tomato cans)

Preheat soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes, until translucent.

Add rice, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the water, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes.

Squeeze roasted garlic out into a bowl and smash it with the back of spoon to make a smooth paste. Add to the soup once the rice is nearly tender. When the soup is completely cooked, add the navy beans and heat through. Remove bay leaves and serve!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

These wraps are so delicious! The tortillas had a nice crisp on the outside, and the filling tastes wonderful. I use shredded rotisserie chicken, but I think this would be good even without meat. The recipe says to spray with cooking spray, but this is a recipe where my olive oil mister comes in handy. I use my favorite base rice, which is almost always on hand in the fridge. Everyone in the family loves these!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps
CallMeLou

*Makes 6 wraps*

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. (Optional: on some of the wraps, I dotted the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat sour cream before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center (it made the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.

My Favorite Base Rice

This is the base rice I use for most dishes that call for cooked rice. I learned the method from someone on the babycenter cooking board (as soon as I remember, I'll give you credit, promise!) The barley adds awesome texture and flavor! Tastes wonderful on its own too.

Put into rice cooker:

1 1/3 c. brown rice
1/2 c. pearl barley
4 c. chicken or veggie broth, or 4 c. water with 2 bullion cubes

Cook per directions on your rice cooker. My rice cooker likes to burn things, so I watch for the 'fish eyes' to appear (little holes all across the surface), telling me the rice is ready.

Mulligatawny

Fun name to say, delicious soup to eat! My whole family liked this hearty soup. It is the perfect thing to make for chilly winter night. I served it with a green salad and some homemade french bread : sliced very thin, brushed with olive oil and garlic, and toasted in the oven. I used 2 heaping t. of curry powder, not knowing if the flavor would be too overpowering, but next time I'll go ahead and use 3 full t. Very fulfilling and delicious!

Mulligatawny

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 apple, cored, peeled, and chopped

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (I used 2 c. rotisserie)

1/2 c. flour

2 to 3 t. curry powder

5 c. chicken broth

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

salt and pepper

2 c. hot cooked rice

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, green pepper, apple, and chicken (unless using rotisserie like me...if so, add chicken with the broth in next step). Saute for about 15 minutes. Turn the heat to low.

2. In small bowl, mix the flour and curry powder. Add the mixture to the pot, then stir and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth (rotisserie chicken now if you are using it) and tomatoes. Partially cover the pot and simmer the soup for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

3. To serve, place about 1/4 c. of rice in a bowl and ladle the soup over the rice. Makes about 8 cups.

Source: Family Fun magazine

Mexican Rice

Another babycenter recipe that has become a tried and true for me. It reminds me of 'restaurant' Mexican rice--fluffy and light.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients

1 c. white rice (I use long grained)

Vegetable oil

3 T. white onion, chopped (I use more...I love onions)

2 cloves chopped garlic

1/2 c. canned plain tomatoes, blended smooth (I like to use salsa)

1 Knorr chicken bullion cube

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. salt (I omit this...bullion cube has enough salt for us)

2 c. water

Pour rice into saucepan and add enough oil that all the rice is evenly coated (I've never measured it, but I'd guess about 2 or 3 T.). Stir almost constantly over medium heat until the rice is very 'tan'. Add the onion and garlic and continue to stir for another minute. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. You can add a bit of frozen veggies at this point if desired. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove lid, fluff it up, and enjoy!

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

This is the kind of soup that I would describe as 'soul food'. Thick, hearty, and it warms you up more with each bite. Very fulfilling, and a great way to use leftover thanksgiving turkey. Try not to omit the almonds...I think it is the secret ingredient that gives a little extra 'wow'.

from AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
• 2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups turkey broth
• 1/3 cup shredded carrot
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup half-and-half cream

Directions

1. Bring the wild rice and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender but not mushy, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, fluff the rice with a fork, and cook uncovered 5 minutes more. Set the cooked rice aside.
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion and celery until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook until it turns a pale yellowish-brown color, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the turkey stock until no lumps of flour remain. Stir in the carrot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook, whisking constantly, until the stock is thick and smooth and the carrot is tender, about 2 more minutes.
3. Stir in the wild rice, turkey, salt, pepper, and almonds. Return to a simmer, and cook 2 more minutes to heat the ingredients. Stir in the lemon juice and half-and-half; bring the soup almost to a boil, and serve hot.

Green Rice

Another variation of rice that we enjoy with our Mexican-themed suppers!

Ingredients

2 fresh green chiles, preferably poblanos (in a pinch I use a small can of green chiles)

1 small green pepper

1 c. long grain white rice

1 garlic clove

large bunch cilantro

small bunch flat-leaf parsley

2 c. chicken stock

2 T. vegetable oil

1 small onion, chopped

salt

1. Dry roast the chiles and green pepper in a griddle pan, turning them frequently so that the skins blacken but the flesh does not burn. Place them in a strong plastic bag, tie the top securely and set aside for 20 minutes.

2. Put the rice in a heatproof bowl, pour in boiling water to cover and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Drain the rice, rinse well under cold water and drain again. Remove the chiles and peppers from the bag and peel off the skins. Remove any stems, then slit the vegetables and scrape out the seeds with a sharp knife.

4. Put roasted vegetables in a food processor (I use Magic Bullet), with the garlic. Strip off the leaves from the cilantro and parsley stalks, reserve some for garnish and add the rest to the processor. Pour in half the chicken stock and process until smooth. Add the rest of the stock process the puree again.

5. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion and rice and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat until the rice is golden and the onion translucent. Stir in the puree. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender. Add salt and garnish with the reserved herbs.