Happy Halloween Pumpkin Cake!

Today is Halloween, so I wanted to make a special treat for my kids.  I usually make cookies or rice krispie treats on Halloween.  But, lately I have been in the mood for pumpkin pie.  Only one problem, my kids don't like pumpkin pie or pie of any kind in my son's case.  So, I decided to make a pumpkin cake instead.  Everyone likes cake.  And this cake not only tastes like pumpkin, it's shaped like a pumpkin!  It is so cute.  I had to share it with you.

PUMPKIN CAKE

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
3 eggs
1 ice cream cone
1/2 cup powdered sugar
milk (you only need a Tablespoon or two)
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
red and yellow food coloring
green sugar (if you don't have it, make it:  just put a little sugar in a small zip bag and add 1 or 2 drops green food coloring.  Close bag and mix well with your hands until all the sugar is green)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a bundt pan well with cooking spray.  In a large bowl mix pumpkin and eggs with a whisk until well blended.  Add in cake mix.  Stir well until thoroughly mixed.  Pour into bundt pan.  Bake for 45 minutes.  (Just 3 ingredients!)  Meanwhile, make glaze:  Mix powdered sugar with milk (start with 1 tablespoon) and whisk until smooth.  If too thick, add a little more milk.  If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.  When done with glaze, dip ice cream cone into the glaze and set on a plate upside down.  Sprinkle green sugar all over the ice cream cone.  Let dry.  Add 3 drops red and 5 drops yellow food coloring to the remaining glaze and mix well.  Add pumpkin pie spice.  Mix well.  When cake is done let sit in pan for 5 minutes.  Then invert onto a rack (put rack on top of a cookie sheet with edges).  Let it cool for about half an hour.  Then pour orange glaze all over the cake (the cookie sheet will catch any glaze that drips down).  If you want, you can sprinkle orange sugar over top of cake.  Let dry, then put onto a serving plate and place the green cone in the middle for a stem.

This cake is great for Halloween or Thanksgiving.  It's fun for a bake sale or a Harvest Festival, or even a gift for a neighbor.  Happy Fall Y'all!

Chicken Paprika

Chicken Paprika is my son's all time favorite dish.  In case you've never read my blog before, let me first say that my son is also known as the pickiest eater ever.  But, when I cook Chicken Paprika, he can't get enough!  I have a picture of him when he was about two years old with his face in the plate.  He was eating it like he was in a pie eating contest.  Look Mom no hands!  But, I'm not complaining.  At least he's eating.  My daughter and my husband like it, too.  A rare dish that we all agree on.  Woohoo!

I learned how to make this dish in a cooking class I took in college.  I had never tasted it before and just fell in love with it.  I've been making it ever since.


CHICKEN PAPRIKA

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 TBS butter
3 Tbs canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp paprika
3/4 cup chicken broth
8 oz sour cream

Saute onion in butter and oil on medium-low heat until caramelized.  This takes some time, but it is very important.  The onions should look like this:

Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.  Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and paprika.  Brown chicken over medium heat about 5 minutes per side.  Return the onions and add the broth to the skillet.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove chicken and place on a serving platter.  Turn off heat then add in sour cream.  If you put the sour cream in when it's on the heat, the sour cream will curdle!  Just blend the sour cream into the broth and it will make a delicious sauce.  Pour the sauce over the chicken.  I like to serve this over angel hair pasta.

This is what it looks like when it's finished.  I hope you'll give this one a try.  Who knows, maybe your kids will go all "pie eating contest" too!  Just put out some extra napkins.

A New Take on Old-Fashioned Favorites

Old-fashioned food is the best.  There's something so comforting and warm about it.  Maybe it's because you're grandma used to make it for Sunday dinner?  Or maybe because your mom made it for you when you needed cheering up?  No doubt about it, good food makes good memories.  Classic, old school recipes are classics for a reason.  They're time-tested.  People have been making them and eating them forever.  Why?  Because they're delicious!  But, sometimes these recipes require a lot of work and a lot of us just don't have the time.  So, today I'm going to show you a new take on some old-fashioned favorites.

The first recipe is Pot Roast.  It's usually made in a pot on the stove top or in the oven and requires a lot of babysitting.  My version is made in the slow cooker.  Just throw it together in the morning and that evening, you have a delicious, tender meal waiting for you.

SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

1 (2-3 lb) chuck tender roast
1 large carrot
1 stalk celery
2 green onions (or 1 yellow onion, sliced)
2 cloves garlic, sliced into thin slivers
seasoned salt
1 (14.5 oz) can whole tomatoes
1/2 of a package of dry onion soup mix

Cut the carrot and celery into long, thin sticks.  Cut green onions in half.  Lay them in the bottom of the slow cooker (like a bed of flavor for your roast to sit on).  Cut small slits into the roast (deep, but not all the way through - you're making little pockets to put the garlic in).  Stuff the sliced garlic into the slits.  Season the roast all over with seasoned salt.  Drain the juice from the tomatoes into a bowl (keep this - you'll need it).  Add the tomatoes to the slow cooker.  Mix 1/2 package of the dry onion soup mix with the reserved tomato juice.  Place roast on top of the vegetables.  Pour tomato juice mixture on top of roast.  Add enough water to make the liquid level go about 1/3 of the way up the roast.  Place lid on slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

This is what it looks like before you cook it.

This is what it looks like after.  It's so tender that it falls apart.

Another classic is Salisbury Steak.  My version is easy and it's baked instead of fried.  But, it's still very tender and when you serve it with the onion gravy, it's down-right comfort food heaven!

SALISBURY STEAK WITH ONION GRAVY

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 (6oz) package chicken flavored stuffing mix (Stove Top)
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup diced onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Zip the stuffing mix in a food processor until fine crumbs.  (Or put it in a ziploc bag and smash it with something - but you want fine crumbs)  The great thing about using stuffing mix is that it already has all the seasoning you need.  Put the onions and stuffing mix crumbs in a big bowl.  Add water and stir well.  Add ground beef and mix together, but don't over mix (that'll make the meat tough).  Form into 6 oval-shaped patties.  Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.  Serve with gravy.

ONION GRAVY

2 TBS diced onion
1 TBS butter
1 pkg Pioneer brown gravy mix (2 cup size)  or use two 1 cup size gravy packets

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Saute onion until soft and golden.  Add 2 cups water and gravy mix.  Whisk well!  Let come to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, whisking frequently.

Mashed potatoes go well with either of these dishes.  A tip about mashed potatoes:

If you're going to the trouble of peeling and boiling potatoes, make extra.  Take the left overs and divide them out into a muffin tin.  Put the tin in the freezer for an hour or two (until just frozen), then pop the potatoes out and put into a large freezer bag.  Then, you have individual servings of mashed potatoes ready to go.  All you have to do is take out what you need and thaw them in the microwave.

So, that's my take on old-fashioned favorites.  I hope you prepare these recipes for someone you love.  Remember, good food makes good memories!

Easy Halloween Cookies

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  The decorations, jack-o-lanterns, and candy (oh the candy!) make for a fun season.  When I was a kid, we lived in the middle of nowhere.  So, trick-or-treating meant loading up in the back of my dad's truck and driving from house to house.  But, not before we made special treats in the kitchen with my mom.  She usually made us popcorn balls, which were so delicious and still remind me of Halloween.  Those memories mean so much to me.  That's why I think it's important to make special memories with my kids.  This year we made easy Halloween cookies.

These cookies are "easy" because they start with a box of cake mix.  No measuring.  Gotta love it!

EASY HALLOWEEN COOKIES

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 stick margarine, melted

2 eggs

M&Ms for decoration

granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix together the cake mix, melted margarine, and eggs until well blended.  Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet (about 2 inches apart).  

For BLACK CAT COOKIES:  Dip the bottom of a glass in granulated sugar (pour a little onto a plate) then flatten each cookie.  Pinch the top of the cookie to form cat ears.  Dip a fork in sugar and press on each side of the cookie to form cat whiskers.  Place yellow M&Ms for eyes and brown M&M for nose.  (or use any color you want)  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let cool a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

For GOBLIN COOKIES:  After you drop the rounded tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet, place two M&Ms into the dough for goblin eyes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes, then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

If you want, you can add candy corn teeth or licorice mouth, etc.  Use your imagination!

So, there you have it.  Halloween cookies that are quick, easy and fun.  Make a batch this year for your little Goblins.  You'll be the best Mummy ever!  

Chicken Kabobs

If you've been reading my blog, then you probably know I cook a lot of chicken.  I'm always looking for new recipes.  I like to find different and interesting ways to prepare it, otherwise I get bored.  So does the family.  And who wants to hear (after working hard to prepare a meal), "Oh.  This again."?  That is a direct quote from my son.

Whenever I try something new, I can always tell when the family likes it.  They don't say much (too busy eating).  I mostly get a thumbs up from a kid with a mouthful of food.  I'll take it.  When they don't like it, they let me know it.  In no uncertain terms.  I've always taught them that honesty is the best policy and they can be brutally honest!  

Here is the newest attempt at new and different chicken:


SWEET BBQ CHICKEN KABOBS

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (you can use breasts, but I like dark meat for this-it doesn't dry out as quickly as white meat)
1 small can pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper
your favorite BBQ sauce
seasoned salt

If you are using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for about 15 minutes so they don't burn on the grill.  Preheat your grill (I used my indoor cast iron grill pan) to medium-high heat.  Spray with cooking spray or brush with some canola oil.  Cut each chicken thigh into 8 squares.  Season with seasoned salt and set aside.  Cut red bell pepper (you can use any color you like, but red is sweeter) into small squares (you won't need the whole pepper).  Drain pineapple and reserve the juice (you'll need it later).  Thread a piece of pineapple onto skewer.  Then, a piece of chicken.  Then a pepper.  Then chicken.  Then pineapple.  That way you get the flavor of pineapple and pepper on each piece of chicken.  Keep going until you have used 4 pieces of chicken, 3 pieces of pineapple and 2 peppers on each skewer.  You should begin and end with pineapple.  Once you've threaded all 8 skewers, place them onto the hot grill.  Let cook about 5 minutes on first side, then flip and grill another 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix reserved pineapple juice with some BBQ sauce (use about twice as much bbq sauce as pineapple juice).  Whisk together.  After the kabobs have cooked for 10 minutes, brush the sweet bbq sauce on and then flip them over and let cook one minute.  Meanwhile, brush sauce on other side, then flip one last time.  Let cook one minute, then remove from grill.

I served these on a bed of rice pilaf.  You can use a box mix or my recipe (which is pretty easy and I always have these ingredients on hand)

RICE PILAF

1 TBS butter
1 TBS canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced
2 TBS diced red bell pepper (use the extra from the kabobs)
salt/pepper
1 cup long grain rice
1 3/4 cups chicken broth

In a saucepan (with a tight fitting lid), heat butter and oil on medium heat.  Add garlic, onion and bell pepper.  Saute for a few minutes.  Add rice.  Stir and toast up rice for a few minutes.  Salt and pepper (a little more than you think-rice sucks it up).  Add chicken broth.  Bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Then remove from heat.  Remove lid and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is just a base.  You can change it up by adding different ingredients or seasonings.  Make Polynesian rice by substituting 1/2 cup pineapple juice for 1/2 cup of the chicken broth.  Make Spanish rice by substituting 1/2 cup tomato sauce.  Make it Mexican rice by using some taco seasoning.  Just use your imagination and whatever's in your pantry!

I had a great lunch the next day by mixing the chicken, pineapple, peppers and rice together.  It was like getting take-out, but free!  (and delicious)

So, that's my newest way of making chicken.  By the way, the family gave it a thumbs up.

Easy Mexican Food

I love Mexican food.  My kids do, too.  My son, aka pickiest eater ever, can put away some tacos!  My daughter and I both love taco salads.  But, who doesn't love a "salad" with meat, cheese, and sour cream?

The following recipes are not "authentic" Mexican cuisine.  But, they are simple and delicious (and worth trying)!  Here are some easy Mexican recipes:

CHICKEN TOSTADAS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 pkg taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
flour or corn tortillas (soft taco size, not the really big ones)
Taco fixings:  lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, sour cream, green onions, black olives, etc.
canola or vegetable oil

Cut the chicken into thin strips.  Brown them in a skillet over medium-high heat.  (use a bit of oil or spray the skillet with cooking spray first)  Drain any oil (if there is any).  Add 3/4 cup water and taco seasoning.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat some oil in a small skillet (about an inch deep).  Once the oil is hot (a great way to check is to put the end of a wooden spoon into the oil, if it bubbles up around the spoon, the oil is ready), put in a tortilla.  Let it fry until golden and crispy, then flip and fry the other side.  This should only take a minute or two.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Sprinkle on some salt, if you like.  Then build your tostada.  Put the fried tortilla on a plate and add some of the chicken, then cheese, then any toppings you like.  Yummy!

Of course, you can substitute ground beef or turkey for the chicken if you want.  Easy and delicious and a nice change from regular old tacos.



This next recipe was given to me when I was in college.  I worked at a Senior Citizen Center.  The director there was talking about this dish and I remember thinking, "My Mama needs to make that for me!"  Ah, to be young and have mom do everything for you.  Now, I'm the mom making it for my kids.  But, it always brings back memories of my care-free college days.


MEXICAN CORNBREAD CASSEROLE

1 lb ground beef
salt/pepper
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb pepper jack cheese, shredded
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can Green Giant cream corn (this brand works best, but use what you've got)
1 large onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown ground beef.  Drain.  Salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.  In a large bowl, make batter by mixing cornmeal, eggs, milk, soda, salt and cream corn.

*There are two ways to do this.  I'll give you both.  The first way is to layer:   Grease a loaf pan.  Layer half the batter, then all the meat, then all the onion, then all the cheese, then the other half of the batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  This makes it come out as a loaf, obviously, that you can slice.

The second way you can do it (easier, I think):  Grease a casserole dish (I use an 8 inch square dish).  Mix the meat, onion and cheese in with the batter.  Pour everything into greased casserole dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your dish.  You want it to look set and golden.

This is so delicious!  One of my favorites!


This next recipe is great if you are watching your calories and fat.  Plus, it's fun to make with the kids and versatile.

MAKE YOUR OWN CHIPS

Flour tortillas
cooking spray
salt (or any seasoning you like)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Cut flour tortilla into 8 wedges (I use a pizza cutter to do this).  Put the wedges on the cookie sheet.  Spread them out so they're in a single layer.  Spray them lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle on some salt (or whatever seasoning you like).  Bake until light golden brown and crispy.  5-10 minutes or so.  Keep an eye on them!  They can burn quickly!


Have you ever had fried ice cream at a Mexican restaurant?  Here is an easy way to make it at home.  Plus it's a little better for you because the chips aren't fried (or, at least I tell myself that).

"UNFRIED" ICE CREAM

flour tortillas
butter or margarine, softened
cinnamon
sugar
vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Spread a little bit of softened butter on each tortilla (front and back).  Sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on both sides.  Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges.  Place in a single layer onto prepared cookie sheet and bake until light golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.  Keep an eye on them because they can burn quickly!

Scoop some ice cream into a bowl and poke the warm cinnamon chips down into the ice cream.  Yummy!!!
If you want, you could garnish with a little drizzle of caramel sauce.


So, there are my easy Mexican recipes.  Nothing spectacular, but really easy to make and really easy to eat.
  

Birthday Party!

Today is my nephew's birthday.  He's five.  When I asked him what he wants me to get him for his birthday present, he said, "A pirate sword.  I guess that would be alright?"  How cute is that?

A few weeks ago it was my son's birthday.  He's thirteen.  When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he said, "A golf cart."  I wish they could stay five forever.

With all these birthdays, I have birthday party on the brain.  So, I thought I'd post some recipes and ideas that are party favorites.

The first recipe is a classic.  And, yes I know you can buy it in a bag, but I promise it is sooo much better when you make it yourself.

CHEX MIX

1/2 stick butter or margarine (butter tastes better)
1 tsp season salt (use Tony's for a little kick)
4 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
7 cups Chex cereal (any combo of corn, wheat, rice, or all of one)
1 cup goldfish crackers or cheez-its
1 cup peanuts
1 cup pretzels

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Melt butter.  Add season salt, onion & garlic powders and worcestershire sauce.  Stir well.  In a large bowl, stir together Chex, crackers, peanuts and pretzels.  Pour butter mixture over cereal mixture and stir well.  Pour onto a baking sheet.  Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  Spread onto paper towels to cool.  Store in an airtight container.

*As a variation, you can substitute a packet of ranch dressing mix and omit the worcestershire, season salt and onion and garlic powders.

The next recipe is my son's favorite party food.  They are always a hit at any party and are so easy to make.

PIGS IN A BLANKET

1 tube refrigerated biscuits (pillsbury)
20 Lil Smokies cocktail weiners

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut each biscuit in half.  Wrap each half around one lil smoky.  Lay seam side down on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, until golden and puffy.


My son's favorite dessert is pudding on a cloud.  Do you remember that?  It's just chocolate pudding sitting on some cool whip.  Well, for his birthday this year, I made him a Pudding on a Cloud Cake.  Here's how I did it.

PUDDING ON A CLOUD CAKE

1 box chocolate cake mix (plus ingredients to make it)
1 (8oz) container cool whip, thawed
1 pkg instant chocolate pudding mix (4 serving size)
1 cup cold milk

Make cake according to package directions using two 9 inch round cake pans.  Let them cool completely.  Cut each cake round in half horizontally, so you have 4 thin round layers.
In a large bowl, mix milk and pudding mix until well blended.  Fold in thawed cool whip until the frosting is well blended and light and fluffy.  Place one cake layer onto cake plate.  Frost with a bit of frosting.  Place second layer on top.  Continue layering and frosting.  When you place the last layer, frost top and sides.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

The next thing I want to show you is how to make a sturdy reusable gift bag.
Take an empty cereal box and cut off the top flaps.  Leave the bottom intact.  Cover the box with wrapping paper, taping it well.  Then, using a hole punch, punch two holes near the top of the box on each side.  Thread some ribbon through the holes and tie the ends together.  Easy and a great way to reuse and recycle!

So, there are a few ideas for your next birthday party, gift-wrapped just for you!  It may not be a golf-cart, but I hope you enjoy!

Cheesy Volcano Meatballs

When my son was small, getting him to sit still long enough to eat took skill and, let's face it, magic.  I used to call him my little jumping bean, because he never stopped moving!  He would literally run laps around the dinner table.  So, I had to come up with fun foods that would grab his interest.  One thing that I did was form his mashed potatoes into the shape of a volcano.  Then, I'd poke a hole down the center and fill it with "gravy lava".  He had so much fun using his fork to make the lava spew down the volcano.  Silly, I know, but it caught his attention long enough to make him eat.  Those days of mashed potato volcanoes and gravy lava were my inspiration for this recipe.  Even though my son's a teenager now, he still likes it when a meal is fun and different, and he loved this one.


CHEESY VOLCANO MEATBALLS

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I like to make my own by zipping day old bread in the food processor)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
salt/pepper
1 egg
1 - 2 TBS water
15 small cubes of mozarella cheese (you can even cut up string cheese, if you like)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, onion & garlic powders, oregano, and salt & pepper to taste.  Add egg.  Stir to combine.  Add ground beef.  Mix together thoroughly, but don't over mix.  If mixture is too dry, add 1 - 2 TBS of water.  Once mixed, use a 1/8 cup measuring cup (or a small ice cream scoop) to divide out the meatballs.  It should make about 15 meatballs.  Place 1 cube of mozarella cheese inside each meatball and roll so meat completely covers the cheese.  Place meatballs in a  greased baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.  Serve with your favorite spaghetti sauce.  (I like to let them simmer in the sauce for a bit)

These make great poboys (subs, hoagies, whatever you call them.  I guess that depends on where you live).

Or, you could serve them with "Octopus Legs" (spaghetti) or any other fun-shaped pasta you want.

So, have a side of fun with your supper tonight.  Whether your a kid, or a kid-at-heart, you'll love these volcano meatballs!

Red Beans & Rice on Mondays

Red Beans & Rice are a Louisiana tradition.  I think they are one of the first dishes that come to mind when you think of Louisiana food.  I know they are one of my favorites!  They were a staple in my house growing up.  In fact, red beans were the first solid food I ate as a baby.  So, it's no wonder they hold a special place in my heart.

Tradition dictates that red beans and rice are eaten on Mondays.  The reason for that is because in the old days, Mondays were "wash day".  The women of the house would be doing laundry all day long, so they needed a meal that didn't require a great deal of attention.  They'd put on a big pot of red beans and let it simmer all day, usually with the ham hock leftover from Sunday dinner.

Nowadays, we may not be doing laundry on Mondays, but we still enjoy our red beans and rice!

This recipe is even easier because it's made in a slow cooker.  Plus, you don't even need a leftover ham, smoked sausage works just as well.


RED BEANS & RICE

1 lb. dried red beans (soak them in a big bowl of water overnight the night before)
1/2 lb smoked sausage, cut into small chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
chicken broth (enough to just cover the beans -about 3 1/2 cups or so)
Tony's or Cajun seasoning
hot sauce, optional

In slow cooker, add beans that have been soaked overnight, rinsed and drained.  Add sausage, onion and bell pepper.  Add enough chicken broth to just cover the beans (don't add too much or they won't be creamy).  Season to taste with Tony's.  If you like them spicy, add more seasoning (even a few dashes of hot sauce).  Otherwise, just a little seasoning (that's up to you).  Give it a good stir.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours total.  After 4 hours of cooking, stir and smash some of the beans up against the side of the slow cooker.  This will help make the beans creamy.  Recover and continue cooking on HIGH for 2 more hours.  So, 6 hours total.  So easy and down-right delicious!  Serve with rice.

A lot of people have trouble cooking rice.  I used to.  It would always come out too gummy or too hard.  But, I finally figured out the way to make perfect rice every time.

RICE

Get out a saucepan with a tight fitting lid.  Add 1 cup long grain rice and 1 3/4 cup water.  Season with a dash of salt, if desired.  Bring this to a rolling boil, then give it one quick stir.  Cover, lower heat to LOW and simmer for 17 minutes.  (I know that sounds ridiculously exact, but that's what works)  Turn off heat, remove the lid and let it sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork before serving.

If you need more rice, just adjust the measurements accordingly.  I always thought it was a 1 to 2 ratio (rice to water), but I find if I go a little shy on the water, the rice doesn't come out gummy.  Much better!

So, there you have it.  My recipe for creamy and delicious Red Beans & Rice.  It could not be easier!  The hardest thing about this recipe is remembering to soak the beans on Sunday night.  So, next Monday make some red beans!  Laundry is optional.