ONE-SKILLET CHICKEN & GINGERY RICE

 

~ What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking, written by Caroline Chambers

CHICKEN & RICE
1 T. neutral oil
1 1/2 c. long grain white rice
2-inch piece fresh ginger
2 1/2 c. water
2 t. kosher salt, divided
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat

SAUCE
1 T. neutral oil
2 T. red curry paste
13.5 oz. can full-fat coconut milk
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. fish sauce
2 t. honey or sugar
10 cilantro sprigs, chopped

Heat oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add rice and grate ginger directly into skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until fragrant. Stir in water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. 

Season chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, then lay over rice. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender and and thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken is 165 degrees. Remove skillet from burner and allow rice to steam for 10 minutes. 

While rice and chicken cook, warm oil in small pot over medium heat. When it shimmers, add red curry paste and stir 1 minute or until very fragrant an sticking to bottom of pot. Stir in coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, and honey. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook, stirring often, 7-10 minutes or until the consistency of heavy cream or thin yogurt. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Sprinkle cilantro on chicken and rice, then cover with sauce.

Notes: I use oyster sauce instead of fish sauce because it's what's on hand and opt for honey instead of sugar. 

CHICKEN, RICE, & SPINACH CASSEROLE

 ~ Bethany Weathersby

6 c. cooked brown rice

2 lb. chicken, cooked and shredded 

16 c. fresh spinach, roughly chopped

12 oz. grated pepperjack cheese, divided

1/2 t. cayenne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine rice, chicken, spinach, two cups cheese, and cayenne. Pour into 9x13-inch pan, then sprinkle with remaining cup cheese. Bake 30 minutes. 

Notes: This concoction came from a combination of leftover shredded chicken thighs, spinach that needed to be used up, and a few staples. Quantities of chicken, spinach, and cayenne are estimates because it didn't occur to me to measure before I mixed everything up.

WILD RICE VEGETABLE BAKE

 ~ Simply in Season: Recipes That Celebrate Fresh, Local Foods in the Spirit of More-With-Less, written by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

1 c. wild rice, rinsed and drained
2 c. chopped onion
1 c. pearl barley
2 c. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
2 c. winter squash, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
2 c. parsnips, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c. apple cider or juice
3. c. chicken or vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Boil rice gently in four cups of water for 10 minutes; drain. Saute onion in oil or butter. Mix rice, onion, and barley in 9x13-inch pan. 

Spread sweet potatoes, winter squash, parsnips, and mushrooms over rice and barley mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour juice and broth over top. Cover tightly with foil and bake for one hour. 

Notes: I use butternut as the winter squash and include mushrooms. There's still quite a bit of liquid in the pan when we pull it out of the oven, but it doesn't take long for the grains to absorb it. 

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

~ East Meets Vegan: The Best of Asian Home Cooking, Plant-Based and Delicious, written by Sasha Gill

2 1/2 T. vegetable oil
7 oz. extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
1/4 t. turmeric
1/4 t. black or regular salt
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
3 c. cooked rice, chilled (preferably jasmine)
1 T. + 1 t. soy sauce
1 t. sriracha
2 t. sesame oil
1 1/2 c. pineapple chunks
1/2 c. frozen peas
cilantro leaves for garnish
roasted cashews for garnish

Pour half the oil into a wok or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry tofu and turmeric in oil until dry and firm, similar to scrambled eggs. Add salt, then transfer to a plate.

Wipe pan clean. Add remaining oil and fry garlic, scallions, and ginger three minutes or until fragrant. Add rice and cook for two minutes, breaking up any clumps.

Stir in soy sauce, sriracha, and sesame oil. Mix in pineapple, peas, and tofu. Stir until well-combined, then cook for two more minutes to heat through.

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro and cashews.

Notes: Firm tofu works fine if that's all you have access to. If you've never pressed tofu, you need to remove it from the package, then wrap in lint-free towel or paper towels and place on cutting mat. Top with something heavy, like a skillet or baking pan, for 30 minutes to press out excess moisture. As always, I grate frozen ginger instead of chopping fresh. 

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WILD RICE HOT DISH

~ unknown source

3 c. boiling water
1 c. wild rice
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 10.75 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
2 4 oz. cans sliced mushrooms
14 oz. can bean sprouts, drained
10.5 oz. can condensed beef broth
1 1/3 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 bay leaf, crushed
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1/4 t. each: celery salt, garlic powder, onion salt, paprika, pepper, and poultry seasoning
1/8 t. dried thyme
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, pour water over rice and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet, brown turkey and onion. Drain, then add to rice with remaining ingredients, except almonds. Transfer to a 9x13-inch pan. Cover and bake for two hours. Sprinkle almonds on top; bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer.

Notes: I use fresh mushrooms instead of canned and sometimes sub ground beef or venison for the turkey.

CREAMY CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE

~ Heavenly Homemakers

4 c. chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 c. brown rice
2-3 c. cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1/2 teaspoon or more garlic powder
salt, to taste
1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

In a large pot, bring broth, carrots, and onions to a boil at high heat. Stir in rice and place lid on pot. Reduce heat to low and cook for 45 minutes.

When the rice is done, stir in chicken, garlic powder, and whipping cream. Cook about five minutes more until heated through.

Serve directly from pot or pour into 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Makes about 11 cups, depending on the size of carrots and amount of chicken.

Notes: Be sure to slice the carrots thinly and dice the onion finely so they aren't too firm.

CILANTRO LIME RICE

rice
water
chopped cilantro
lime juice

Prepare as much rice as desired, then stir in cilantro and lime juice to taste.

Notes: I looked at several recipes online and they all had some variation of this basic recipe. Different types of rice were used, some recipes included oil and/or lime zest, and broth was sometimes used instead of water in cooking the rice. If you want a more precise recipe, then just search online and you'll find many to choose from. Otherwise, just make it to suit your preferences. I start with about one half cup of cilantro and three tablespoons of lime juice for six cups of cooked rice, then add more to taste.

CHICKPEA CHILI

~ The Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals, compiled by Phyllis Pellman Good and Louise Stoltzfus

2 small onions, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained 
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
cayenne, to taste
1 1/3 c. yogurt
4 c. cooked brown rice

Saute onions and garlic over medium heat. Add chickpeas, tomato sauce, and all the seasonings. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding water if it becomes too thick. Serve with a topping of yogurt and with rice on the side.

Notes: Despite the seasonings, this was a little bland for our family the first time we made it. It's an inexpensive and filling meal, though, so we've made it again and Tim's played with the seasonings a bit to make it more tasty. I use a quart-sized bag of garbanzos I'd previously cooked and frozen and just mixed the rice in with the chili before serving. We've done it with and without yogurt and with sour cream instead.  

COSTA RICAN-STYLE TILAPIA WITH PINEAPPLE, BLACK BEANS, AND RICE

~ Food Network

1 c. long grain white rice
2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. orange juice
3 limes, divided - one juiced and two sliced
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro, divided - plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. sugar
salt & pepper
4 5-7 oz. tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2 c. salsa
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. diced fresh pineapple

Combine the rice and broth in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.

While rice is cooking, whisk orange juice, lime juice, oil, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, garlic, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Add tilapia to the marinade, turning to coat, and marinate in fridge for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the cooked rice, salsa, beans, pineapple, and remaining 2 tablespoons of cilantro in a 2-3 qt. baking dish. Remove tilapia from marinade, reserving marinade, and lay over the rice mixture. Pour reserved marinade over the fish. Layer the lime slices over the fish.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily and is opaque. Garnish with more cilantro before serving.

Notes: I've used both brown and white rice, bottled lime juice instead of fresh limes, crockpot beans from the freezer instead of canned beans, and both fresh and canned pineapple.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND COCONUT RICE

~ Kama Derksen

1 c. coconut milk
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 c. rice
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 T. butter or olive oil
2 15-oz. cans black beans or 4 c. crockpot beans, drained
2 t. chili powder
1/8 t. cayenne
1 c. chicken broth
juice of 1 lime
2 green onions, chopped
3/4 c. chopped cilantro
1 c. toasted coconut

Bring coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, salt, and pepper to a boil. Add rice and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover, then reduce heat and simmer until tender.

In a dutch oven, saute onions in butter or oil until soft. Add beans, chili powder, cayenne, and 1 cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, adding more broth if the beans are too dry.

Place cooked rice and beans, lime juice, green onions, cilantro, and coconut in serving dish and mix well.

Makes about eight cups.

Notes: I like to use my rice cooker to make the coconut rice, which frees up my big burner for making the beans. It's wonderful as is, but you can add a dollop of avocado dressing to your serving for some extra flavor.

ORIENTAL SHRIMP SALAD

~ Robin on Thrifty Fun

SALAD
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 c. frozen peas
1 c. salad shrimp
1 1/2 c. diced celery
1/4 c. diced green onions

DRESSING
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. salt
3 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 t. curry
1/2 t. sugar

Cook rice; cool.  Mix  peas, shrimp, celery, and green onions into rice.  Mix dressing ingredients and toss into salad mixture.  Refrigerate overnight.


Notes: I took a sample bite before refrigerating and didn't notice any difference when I ate it for dinner the next day, so I don't think it's essential that you make it so far in advance.  

BROWN RICE LENTIL SALAD

~ allrecipes

1 c. uncooked brown rice

2 c. water

2 t. chicken bouillon

2 c. cooked lentils

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

2/3 c. green onion, thinly sliced

2 T. chopped parsley

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 T. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 t. lime juice

4 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the rice, water and bouillon to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until rice is tender. Cool.

In a bowl, combine the rice, lentils, tomato, onions and parsley. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over rice mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes: I use either use plain water or chicken broth instead of water and bouillon and serve it over lettuce and/or spinach leaves. In order to streamline things, I put one cup uncooked rice, one cup dried lentils, and four cups water or broth in a rice cooker and cook them together.

BROCCOLI & CHEDDAR QUICHE WITH A BROWN RICE CRUST

~ Closet Cooking

CRUST
2 c. cooked brown rice
1/4 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 egg

FILLING
4 eggs
1 c. milk
2 c. broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces and blanched
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 green onions, sliced
1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the crust ingredients in a bowl. Press the mixture into a pie plate, about 1/4 inch thick. Bake until the edges and bottom just start turning golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.

Adjust oven temperature to 375 degrees. Mix the four remaining eggs, milk, broccoli, cheese, and green onions in a bowl. Season with nutmeg, if desired, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture into the pie crust. Bake until golden brown and set in the center, about 30-35 minutes.

Notes: This takes 45-50 minutes for the center to set each time I make it, whether as directed or doubled in a 9x13 pan. I like using cayenne in place of nutmeg, sometimes use pepperjack instead of cheddar, and prefer roasted broccoli over blanched. The crust doesn't really stay together when you serve it, so you may find it easier to just make an egg, broccoli, and cheddar scramble and a pot of rice.  

CHICKEN & GREEN BEAN STIR FRY

~ Tannis/Collector of Recipes & Sonlight Forums

1 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces

4-6 T. sesame oil, divided

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

salt & pepper, to taste

2 T. minced ginger

2 T. minced garlic

1/2 c. + 2 T. soy sauce

2 T. apple cider vinegar

sesame seeds

cooked rice

Steam green beans until crisp-tender and bright green; set aside. 

Meanwhile, heat half the sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink. Remove from skillet and set aside. 

Add remaining sesame oil to skillet. Once hot, add steamed green beans, ginger, and garlic. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken back to skillet, along with soy sauce and vinegar. Cook 2-3 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken. 

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.  

BETTER THAN POTATO SALAD

~ Debbie Hyland

4 c. cooked rice
8 radishes, sliced
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeded & chopped
2 c. thinly sliced celery
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise
3 T. mustard
3/4 t. salt

In a large bowl, combine rice, radishes, eggs, cucumber, celery, and onion. In a separate container, combine mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Pour over rice mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least one hour before serving.

Notes: This has the taste of potato salad with the texture of rice. Yum! We use about one cup of grated carrot in place of the radishes. The flavor is pretty mild, so you may want to add some of your favorite seasonings, pepper, or extra salt.

SPINACH LENTIL SOUP

~ allrecipes

1/3 c. uncooked white rice
2/3 c. water
1 t. vegetable oil
4 oz. kielbasa, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
6 c. water
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. dry lentils
10 oz. fresh spinach, chopped

In a pot, bring the rice and 2/3 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the kielbasa until lightly browned. Mix in onion, carrot, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until tender. Stir in 6 cups water, broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.

Stir the cooked rice and spinach into the soup, then continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.

Makes about ten cups.

Notes: This is fine made as directed, but I always modify it a bit. First, I use brown rice and add it and the 2/3 cup of water to the pot along with the lentils. Second, I make sure to use 8 cups of liquid, but vary how much each of broth and water according to the mood I'm in or what's on hand. Third, I often use Aidell's chicken & apple sausage instead of kielbasa. Finally, I throw in 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic, double the kielbasa, and add a couple extra carrots. It's delicious!

SIMMERED ITALIAN RICE

~ Swanson advertisement

3 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 t. Italian seasoning
1 1/2 c. uncooked white rice
2 c. chopped, fresh spinach
1 c. parmesan

Bring broth and Italian seasoning to a boil in 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir rice and spinach into saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in cheese. Serve with additional cheese.

Makes about 7 cups.

Notes: We make this with brown rice and let it cook a little longer. Sometimes I skip the saucepan and throw everything except the cheese into the rice cooker, then put parmesan on the table for people to sprinkle over their own serving. 

RICE, KALE, & EGGS

~ Growing in Grace/Sonlight Forums

eggs
rice
kale, any big center ribs removed
sesame oil
Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce


Put rice in the rice cooker or start it on the stove.

Chop up kale. Heat up a skillet, pour in small amount of sesame oil. Toss in kale and splash with Braggs; stir until tender.

In a separate pan, heat sesame oil. Scramble eggs in bowl, then pour into hot skillet and stir until cooked thoroughly.

Serve rice, kale, & eggs.

Notes: Quantities are dependent on how many people you're feeding, so do what works for you. I serve all three items mixed together, so after I've cooked the kale, I put some in each person's bowl, then use the same pan to heat the eggs. As the eggs and rice finish cooking, I add some to each bowl. Or, depending on my mood and the way the day is going, I just dump it all in one big serving bowl, mix it up, then let everyone dish their own.  I've also made it with quinoa in place of rice and think it's really good with toasted sesame seeds sprinkled on top.  

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - soy sauce

ASIAN LETTUCE WRAPS

~ allrecipes

4 c. water
2 c. uncooked white rice
1 T. vegetable oil
1 lb. ground pork
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 t. minced garlic
14 oz. package firm tofu, drained and cubed
2 carrots, shredded
3 T. hoisin sauce
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. sesame oil
1/4 t. hot chile paste
1 head iceberg lettuce leaves, separated

In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, until water is absorbed. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Cook the pork, green onions, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. Add the tofu, carrot, Hoisin, and soy sauce, stirring frequently until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil and chile paste.

To serve, spoon a small amount of rice into each lettuce leaf, top with the stir-fry mixture, and drizzle with additional soy sauce or hoisin, if desired. Wrap the lettuce leaf to enclose the filling.

Notes: So good!! I make the rice in a rice cooker, cooking it while I prepare the meat mixture. I coarsely chop a can of water chestnuts and use it in place of the tofu. Sometimes we chop lettuce and scoop the rice and meat mixture on top, eating it like a salad, rather than a wrap. Other times we serve the meat, rice, and a green salad all separately. This is not a spicy dish, so if you like extra heat, then add more chile paste.

ORANGE-CASHEW CHICKEN & RICE

~ Taste of Home magazine - October/November 2009

2 c. instant brown rice
2 11 oz. cans mandarin oranges
1/2 c. chopped cashews
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. teriyaki sauce
1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 T. canola oil
1 c. chopped bok choy
1/2 c. minced chives

Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, drain oranges, reserving one cup oranges and 1/4 cup juice. Save remaining oranges and juice for another use. In a small bowl, combine the cashews, broth, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and reserved juice; set aside.

In a large wok or skillet, stir-fry chicken in oil until no longer pink. Add cashew mixture and cook one minute longer. Add the bok choy, chives and reserved oranges, then cooking, stirring often, another two minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork; serve with chicken mixture.

Makes about four cups of meat mixture.

Notes: This is even better with some ginger added to it. We never buy instant rice, so we just serve this with regular brown rice. If you're not sure what to do with all the unused bok choy remaining on the head you bought for this recipe, whip up a batch of bok choy with garlic & ginger to serve as a side dish to round out your meal.