Rice Pudding

 

This is a recipe for using it up when you have too much cooked rice.

Ingredients: 

• two bowls of cooked rice
• two cups of whole milk
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• a few handfuls of raisins or craisins
• about a teaspoon of vanilla extract I guess
• 1/3 tsp salt
• some cinnamon to taste

Cook the cooked rice, and most of the milk in a saucepan on medium for about 10 minutes, uncovered. It's okay if the rice has gotten a little dried out, because it will soak up the milk. You don't want high or you'll burn the milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5 more minutes.

Vegetarian Thai Coconut Curry

This is not the prettiest picture, but it was yummy food! I saw a recipe for a sweet potato lentil curry that looked OK, but I thought I could make it better. Here's my version.

2 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt

curry powder

chili powder

1 C dry lentils

2 C water or broth (I used chicken broth)

1 yellow or red onion

2 cloves garlic

1-2 inch knob of ginger

2 bell peppers

1 can coconut milk

1 1/2 TBSP Thai red curry paste

fresh basil or cilantro

2 1/2 C uncooked rice

1. Preheat the oven to 400.* Get your rice cooking.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes and spread on two half-sheet pans. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt, curry powder, and chili powder (about half as much as the amount of curry powder). Toss till they're fully coated and spread them out evenly on the pan.

3. Bake for 20 min, turn them over, and bake for 10 more min. 

4. While the potatoes are roasting, pour the lentils in a small pot. Cover with the two cups of liquid and bring to a boil. Then turn it to low and let it simmer. 

5. Meanwhile, dice the onion and saute in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat till soft, about five minutes. While it's cooking, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and cut your bell peppers into 1/2" squares.

6. Toss the garlic and ginger in with the onions and stir for about a minute, until fragrant. Add the bell peppers and cook for 2 more minutes or until slightly softened.

7. Pour the lentils and any remaining liquid into the onion/pepper mixture and stir to combine.

8. Open the can of coconut milk and add it to the sauce pan. Stir in red curry paste. Let it simmer until the sweet potatoes are done cooking.

9. Once the sweet potatoes are out of the oven, check the lentils for tenderness. They may need up to 5 more minutes to soften to your desired texture. Mince your fresh herbs.

10. Once the lentils are done cooking, add the sweet potatoes and herbs to the pan and heat through for 1-2 more min. 

11. Serve over rice, with a side of garlic naan to entice any skeptical children to the table.

 

One Pot Cheesy Mexican Lentils, Black Beans, and Rice

Rachel found this recipe at https://reciperunner.com/one-pot-cheesy-mexican-lentils-black-beans-and-rice/ It's delicious. I could eat the whole pot by myself, it goes down so smooth, but it's enough food to feed a family of eight if six of them are kids or teenagers.

ONE POT CHEESY MEXICAN LENTILS, BLACK BEANS AND RICE
yield: 5 SERVINGS
prep time: 20 MINUTES
cook time: 50 MINUTES
total time: 1 HOUR (if you overlap some of the prep time with the cook time)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, grated or minced
1/2 cup uncooked long grain brown rice
1/2 cup uncooked French green lentils, rinsed (red or brown lentils may also be used)
2-3 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (optional)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
15 ounces black beans (canned), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup fire roasted tomatoes, drained
4 ounces diced green chiles (canned)
1 small zucchini, shredded
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1 cup red enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded cheese, I used sharp cheddar and part skim mozzarella
Cilantro for garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large pot or saucepan over medium high heat.
2. When the pot is heated spray with cooking oil and add in the onion and garlic.
3. Sauté for a couple minutes then add in the brown rice and lentils.
4. Add in the vegetable stock, stir and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low.
6. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender.
7. If there is any excess liquid drain it.
8. Season the rice and lentils with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and chipotle powder.
9. Add in all of the remaining ingredients except 1/4 cup of the cheese and stir together.
10. Heat the mixture until the cheese is melted.
11. Top with the remaining cheese and cover with a lid.
12. Heat on low until the cheese is melted and the mixture is bubbly.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: YIELD: 5 SERVING SIZE: 1
Amount Per Serving: CALORIES: 498 TOTAL FAT: 14g SATURATED FAT: 8g TRANS FAT: 0g UNSATURATED FAT: 5g CHOLESTEROL: 39mg SODIUM: 1274mg CARBOHYDRATES: 65g FIBER: 18g SUGAR: 11g PROTEIN: 30g

Cajun rice and sausage

I made rice and sausage the other day with kielbasa instead of ground sausage. I chopped up a bell pepper with the celery. I added some thyme and cayenne pepper (maybe 1/4 tsp) and a bay leaf to make it more cajun-y. We liked it a lot.

Dill Mushroom Rice

I took all the about-to-go-bad ingredients from our fridge this week and put them in a pot with a few other ingredients. Lo and behold, it turned out tasting pretty great! (This is according to Rachel, not just me, so yes you can trust that assessment.)

Ingredients:

One bunch of fresh dill, chopped fine

One bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped rough
One medium brown onion, halved, then sliced the other direction to make a bunch of c-shaped onion pieces
6-8 oz of fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 medium tomato, smashed
Two cups of white rice
1T butter
2 t vegetable oil
1 bouillon cube, vegetable or chicken (I actually used some leftover packets of flavoring from two kinds of ramen noodles, but I think the boullion cube would approximate it pretty well)
In a separate sauce pan, melt the tablespoon of butter on medium heat
Add the dill, cilantro, and bouillon, then sautee the onions and mushrooms for three minutes.
Add the cooked rice and vegetable oil, and mix well.

Directions:

-Cook the rice

-In a separate sauce pan, melt the tablespoon of butter on medium heat
-Add the dill, cilantro, tomato, and bouillon to the butter, then sautee the onions and mushrooms in it for three minutes.
-Add the cooked rice and vegetable oil to the sauce pan, and mix well.

Shrimp Biryani

I got this recipe from an arabic food blog.  It is sooo good. What's in the parenthesis is from me. When I made it, I didn't cook the rice as long because it doesn't take long to cook the kind I bought.  After layering the shrimp and rice, you just want to cook it until it's done.  

Cuisine: Arabic

Category: Arabian Gulf

Serves: 8 persons

Difficulty: Medium

Cost: Medium

Preparation time :     20 minutes

Cooking time :     1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice or 400 g

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onion or 250 g, finely sliced (if you want crunchy fried onions, wring out the onions in a towel before frying)

2 medium onion or 250 g, finely chopped

500 g shrimp, peeled, raw, de-shelled & de-veined

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup fresh dill or 50 g, finely chopped

3 tablespoons curry powder

2 cinnamon sticks

5 whole cardamom pods

3 cubes MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon or 30 g (the bouillon cubes here are bigger so be generous)

½ cup water or 125 ml, hot

2 cups cilantro leaves or 100 g, roughly chopped

6 cups water or 1½ liters

2 tablespoons ghee (or oil)

1 tablespoon saffron, powder (didn't use this as I haven't found it yet and it's very expensive)

pinch of salt

pinch of ground pepper

Preparation

Wash and Soak rice in cold water and set aside for 30 min.

In a large pot, heat vegetable oil, fry sliced onions till golden brown, remove and set aside.

In the same pot on medium high heat fry chopped onions till golden, add shrimp and sauté till pink (about 4-5 minutes), add tomato paste, Garlic, Dill, Spices, Cinnamon sticks, Cardamom pods, MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon , and Water and bring to a simmer. Add chopped fresh coriander leaves and remove from pot and set aside.

In the same pot, bring to boil 1.5 liters of water, place rice and cook until rice is ¾ cooked (andante).

Drain rice in a colander and discard excess water.

Melt Ghee on the bottom of the same pot; add a layer of strained rice, followed by a layer of shrimp and onion mixture and a sprinkle of Saffron powder. Follow this step until all the rice and shrimp sauce is used.

Steam rice and shrimp on med-low heat until rice is fully cooked (about 20 minute).

Gently fluff cooked rice ensuring even distribution of rice and shrimp.

Serve on a large plate, and garnished with fried sliced onions.

Rice and mushroom casserole

Image and recipe from http://www.everyday-reading.com/2011/11/vegetarian-recipe-9-rice-and-mushroom.html

Rice and Mushroom Casserole

(adapted from 101 Cookbooks)

Serves 6

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice

1 TB olive oil

8 ounces mushrooms (brown or white) cleaned and roughly chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves minced garlic

1 bunch spinach or chard, roughly chopped (if using chard, separate the stems from the leaves and chop the stems like onions)

2 eggs

1 cup crumbled queso fresco (you could use another semi-soft cheese like feta or even fresh mozzarella or goat cheese)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt (if you're using feta, you may want to skip the salt entirely)

1/2 tsp pepper  

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese 

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Put both rices in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stir once, cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook about 45 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease a baking dish (somewhere in the 9x9 range is a good size. I use an oval pan that's about 6 x 12).

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil. Add mushrooms and stir every few minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and are slightly brown. Add onions (and chard stems if using them) and cook for another 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 more minute and remove pan from heat.Add spinach or chard leaves and cook 2-4 minutes until wilted. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, queso fresco, sour cream, salt (if you're using it) and pepper.

Add the cooked rice and the mushroom/onion mix and stir until well combined. Spread half of this mixture into prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese over the rice mixture and then pour the rest of the rice mixture on top of that. 

Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and finish it off with the Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes more.

Serve hot. 

Savory Mustard Chicken Thighs

Recipe and photo from here: http://www.wittyinthecity.com/2011/08/man-pleasing-chicken/

preheat your oven to 450ºF

mix together:
1/2 cup of dijon mustard, 
1/4 cup of maple syrup, 
1 tablespoon of rice/rice wine vinegar. 

Salt and pepper 1.5 lbs chicken thighs

Then pour the mustard/syrup mix over the chicken in a foil-lined baking dish

Put the chicken thighs into the oven, and let them bake for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165ºF. Baste the tops of the chicken with more sauce half way through.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Plate the chicken, making sure to spoon some extra sauce over the top. Sprinkle over some fresh rosemary.

We served this with some seasoned brown rice and vegetables.

Pinto Beans and Rice

1 (1 lb) bag dried pinto bean
1/3 cup picante sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon garlic , minced (kind in jar is okay)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3 bay leaves
1 cup cooked white rice (we found that it needs about twice this much.  So I cook 1 cup of uncooked rice.  Brown rice also works)

Rinse beans in colander.  Put in a crock pot (or large pot).  Cover with water, plus about 2 inches over top of beans. Add all ingredients, except rice.

Cook on high in crock pot about 4 hours til tender. (Crockpots vary greatly on cooking times. It could take much longer in yours, so the first time allow longer to cook and then you will know how long cooking time will be in the future.).

(Add water if necessary) May also cook on low overnight.
Add rice and cook until rice is warm.

Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients
1 cup black beans 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes 
1 tsp ground cumin 
Salt/Pepper

1 cup brown rice 

Directions
Cook beans either by soaking overnight (which I never remember to do) or by the hot soak method.  

Cook rice.  When rice is cooked add all other ingredients and heat through.  

This was originally a slow cooker recipe, so you can put the beans in the slow cooker after soaking and add the other ingredients except the rice.  Cook on high for about 4 hours.  You'll probably need to add some water, but don't add too much, because you'll just be stirring in the cooked rice and you don't want it too soupy.  When beans are cooked, add cooked rice.  

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Here is a recipe, along with the following few, that we found to use up our food storage before we moved.  


1 large onion, diced small
2-3 tsp. olive oil
1 T minced garlic
1 T Creole Seasoning (recipe below)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste (I didn't use salt because the creole seasoning has salt, and I only used a little bit of pepper)
4 cups cooked small red beans (or use 3 cans red beans, rinsed and drained and add 1/2 cup more chicken stock)
3 cups diced lean ham or Louisiana Hot Sausages (dice into pieces about the size of the cooked beans)
3 cups homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. green Tabasco (or use a smaller amount of red Tobasco)
2-3 bay leaves
1 tsp. red wine vinegar

3 cups cooked white rice for serving

If using dried beans, soak overnight and cook on stove until they are fairly soft, or cook in pressure cooker about 25 minutes. Drain beans. If using canned beans, rinse with cold water until no more foam appears, then drain.

Cut ham or sausage into small pieces, about the size of cooked beans.

Heat olive oil in a heavy frying pan, then saute diced onion about 5 minutes, or until onion starts to brown. Add garlic and saute 1 minute, then add Creole Seasoning, dried thyme, and dried oregano and saute 1-2 minutes more.

Put onion mixture into small crockpot. Add cooked beans and diced ham or sausage. Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, bay leaves, and red wine vinegar, and stir to combine.

Cook on high for 4-8 hours, until the beans are dissolved as much as you prefer. I like this best when the beans are at least 3/4 broken apart and dissolved into the liquid. Canned beans are usually softer and will break apart more quickly.

Serve hot, topped with white rice.

Creole Seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Seafood Paella

http://www.parents.com/recipe/rice/seafood-paella/

One of the best things we've eaten in weeks. Easy to prepare and different from our usual fare.

I would recommend this in the slow cooker. It was really flavorful that way and I don't think it would be as flavorful with a shorter cooking time.

Also, note that it is 5 TOTAL hours of cooking time, not 4.


Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6 servings

Nonstick cooking spray
3/4 cup chopped assorted colored sweet peppers (I used about twice this much)
1/2 cup chopped onion
(I also added some diced carrots)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked regular brown rice
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
12 oz. fresh or frozen shrimp in shells, thawed, peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise
12 oz. tilapia fillets, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
Directions

1. Coat a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; add peppers, onion, and garlic and set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine the broth, rice, thyme, crushed red pepper, and turmeric. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 4 minutes or until just boiling. Pour over vegetables in cooker.

2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 hours. Stir in shrimp, tilapia, and peas. Cover; cook 45 minutes more, stirring once. Remove cooker from liner; let stand, covered, for 10 minutes (fish should flake, shrimp should be opaque, and rice should be tender). Makes 6 servings.

Stovetop Method: In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sweet peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir for 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in crushed red pepper, turmeric and rice. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and thyme; bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add shrimp, tilapia, and peas. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more or until rice is tender, shrimp are opaque, and fish flakes. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

Curried Chicken Legs with Carrots, Rice, and Lime

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/curried-chicken-legs-with-carrots-rice-and-lime


Serves 4

4 whole chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs), about 3 pounds total
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 pounds carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths, halved lengthwise if thick
1 cup brown or white basmati rice
2 limes, zest slivered and juice squeezed
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place chicken in the center of a large rimmed baking sheet; season with curry powder, salt, and pepper. Scatter carrots around chicken. Roast, occasionally brushing chicken and tossing carrots with pan drippings, until chicken is cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a small saucepan with a lid, bring 2 cups water to a boil; season with salt and pepper. Add rice; return to a boil. Stir, and reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and scatter lime zest over rice. Cover pan, and let steam 5 to 10 minutes.
3.Transfer chicken to a plate. Sprinkle lime juice over carrots (still on hot baking sheet); toss, scraping up and incorporating any browned bits. Fluff rice gently with a fork; serve with chicken and carrots.
.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Curried Chicken Legs with Carrots, Rice, and Lime - Martha Stewart Recipes

shrimp, egg, and cabbage fried rice

I had some cabbage and shrimp to use up before moving and made this stuff. It's rich and really yummy. I could have just eaten the cabbage plain as it's prepared here as a side dish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/shrimp-and-egg-fried-rice-with-napa-cabbage-recipe/index.html

Prep Time:

20 min

Cook Time:

10 min

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 1/2 small head napa cabbage, core removed and finely sliced
• Salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups cooked long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed in warm water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 bunch scallions, sliced, for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil in a wok or a large nonstick skillet over medium-high flame. Give the oil a minute to heat up, then add the shallots, the ginger, and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage is wilted and soft, about 8 minutes; season with a nice pinch of salt. Remove the vegetables to a side platter and wipe out the wok with dry paper towel.

Put the pan back on the heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and to the wok and saute gently until fragrant. Add shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until pink. Set aside on platter with vegetables. Add remaining oil to the wok and when hot, crack the eggs into the center. Scramble the egg lightly, then let it set without stirring so it stays in big pieces. Fold in the rice and toss with the egg until well combined, breaking up the rice clumps with the back of a spatula. Return the sauteed vegetables and shrimp to the pan along with the peas and season with salt and soy sauce. Toss everything together to heat through. Spoon the fried rice out onto a serving platter, and garnish with scallions and peanuts.

Kung Pao Chicken

This is a GFCF recipe that Rachel's sister, Deb, sent us. Very delicious! (the recipe calls for pork, but we use chicken)

1/3 c water

1/4 c soy sauce

2 1/2 T sugar

1 T lemon juice (or 1/2 T vinegar)

2 T cornstarch

1/4 t dried crushed red pepper (we use cayenne)

2 T oil

3/4 lb meat cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2-4 large garlic cloves

1 red or green pepper cut into thin strips

1 small onion chopped

1/4 c unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)

Hot cooked rice

Combine water, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and cayenne in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth; set aside.

Pour oil into wok or large skillet, turn on to med-high heat until oil is very hot. Add pork and garlic; stir-fry about 3 min or until meat is cooked. Add pepper strips and onion; stir fry 3 min just until veggies are tender.

Stir in soy sauce mixture; cook, stirring constantly 1 min or until thickened. Stir in peanuts. Serve over rice. Makes about 4 medium servings

Chicken and Egg Fried Rice

Rachel's mom made this while we were there for Thanksgiving. It tasted good and looked really easy to make, so we got the recipe from her. Enjoy!


Nicean's Favorite Fried Rice
Submitted by Holly Hanson

1 to 2 chicken breasts or 10 chicken tenders, cut into small pieces
8 baby carrots, finely sliced
1/2 white onion, chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas
3 cups cooked brown rice (use your favorite method to prepare this)
3 eggs, scrambled & chopped
1 to 2 garlic cloves, crushed or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 stick butter, melted

Marinate chicken in soy sauce or if you don't have much time, mix chicken with soy sauce just before cooking. In a large fry pan, cook chicken in small amount of olive oil. Add carots and onion and saute until clear. Add frozen peas and cook until soft.
Add cooked brown rice to the fry pan mixture. Scramble 3 eggs, chop, and add to mixture.
Stir garlic into melted butter and add to the mixture.
Mix together well. Add soy sauce to taste.

Curried Shrimp

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs Shrimp, the more the better. Use big ones as the little salad shrimp get lost in the sauce. Precooked and frozen are fine. Thaw them out and dry them off before cooking.

½ cup White Flour (skip the flour or use corn starch for GFCF)

2 C uncooked Rice : 4 cups of water : 1 tsp salt

1 large Onion, diced

1 large Green pepper, coarsely chopped up

2-3 cans Tomato Soup

Curry Powder (Red Hot Chili Powder is optional: add this to the tomato soup if you want the curry to be spicy)

1-2 T Sugar

4-6 T Butter

Start the rice cooking first.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. I use one with a non-stick coating. Add onions and cook just until golden. Meanwhile, dredge the shrimp in flour and then LIGHTLY fry in the butter with the onions. Sprinkle the shrimp liberally with curry powder and lightly with sugar. Fry a bit more, turn over and sprinkle second side with the curry powder and sugar. Add the green peppers just before you add the cans of tomato soup so they are not overcooked. Add water as needed to keep the sauce saucy. Taste the sauce and add more curry and hot sauce if wanted. Cook only until the sauce is all hot and bubbling. Serve over the rice.
You can make this more of a curry by serving it with small dishes containing finely chopped fresh green pepper, raisins, coconut, chunk pineapple, etc.

Mom's Orange (Lemon) Thyme Chicken and Rice

Time: 45 min.
Serves: 2-6 (depending on how much rice you make and how big the people are who eat it)

Chicken: 1 to 1.5 lb boneless or 2-3 lb w/ bones
Flour for dredging chicken: 3-4 Tbs for boneless or more for boned
1 medium onion, diced
5 long sprigs of lemon thyme. Pull off all the leaves to get about 1 Tbs of fresh thyme (use 1 to 2 tsp if it's dried). Set aside 1/2 tsp of it (1/4 tsp if dried) for the rice.
1 c. rice for every two hungry adults you want to serve
1 tsp of orange peel zest (optional)
1 cup of milk (optional)

Start the rice cooking. Use a 2 to 1 ratio of water to rice BUT substitute 2-3 Tbs of orange juice concentrate for 2-3 Tbs of the water. Mix in the reserved 1/2 tsp of thyme leaves.

Sautee the diced onion in about 1 Tbs. of butter or oil.

Dredge chicken in flour mixture (consisting of the flour, the majority of the thyme and the optional orange zest). If you want it to stick well, dip the chicken in milk first.

Add the dredged chicken to the sauteed onions and brown the chicken on all sides (but don't cook it all the way through). Add about 4-6 oz. of concentrated orange juice (from a can of frozen juice) and a cup or two of water (depending on how much gravy you want at the end). Simmer chicken until it's tender and cooked through (about 20 min. for boneless, 5 minutes longer for boned). Put a lid on it if you want more gravy when you're done.

You can make this recipe substituting concentrated lemonade and lemon rind if you prefer, and it will come out much more sour and bitter. But you may like it!

Wild Rice Meatball Primavera

Prep time: 45 min.

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs (or crushed up Saltines)
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbs oil
2 cups water
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 package (16 oz) frozen broccoli medley (that's with cauliflower), thawed
1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Fast Cook Recipe (or your local store-brand's version)

Combine turkey, bread crumbs, and egg; mix well. Shape into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch meatballs (makes about 20-22)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook meatballs 6-7 min. or until brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Combine water and soup in skillet; bring to a boil. Add meatballs, vegetables and contents of seasoning packet, reserving rice. Cover; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add reserved rice to skillet; mix well. Cover; cook 5 min. more or until hot. Remove from heat; stir well. Cover and let stand 5 min. before serving.

Serves 6

Rice and Sausage

1 lb of sausage
1 cup celery and 1 cup onion cooked with sausage
1 box both packs of dry chicken noodle soup (delete or replace with GF noodles)
1-2 cups of rice
chicken bouillon/ soup base to taste (NO MSG!)
enough boiling water to cover
some pepper
bake at 350 until water is absorbed (about 40 min if water is boiling, 60 min if not)