Tag Archives: rice

Why Should I Read the Pentateuch? Part 1

Posted on by

Most of the people I know approach reading the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible, Genesis-Deuteronomy) with one of two feelings. Either they dread reading it, but do so out of a sense of obligation, or they start off determined to “just get through it”, and end up quitting somewhere in the middle of Leviticus. Genesis is usually pretty good reading, it is filled with many famous stories such as the Creation, Cain and Abel, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Esau and of course, Joseph and his coat of many colors. Even Exodus is pretty interesting with God … Continue reading →

Going Forward Through the Sea

This week’s Torah portion describes one of the greatest miracles ever recorded: The Splitting of the Red Sea. It is said that even the simplest handmaid who saw this event experienced the highest level of prophecy. The Lubavitcher Rebbe has said that the we are currently in the era of the messiah and the Ultimate Redemption. This redemption will resemble the redemption from Egypt, which we read about in the Book of Shemot, or Exodus. Since the coming Redemption will be even greater than the exodus from Egypt, we can expect to see miracles even more astounding than the splitting … Continue reading →

Leaving Egypt Every Day

According to the Torah, every day every person should feel as if he or she has left Egypt. The Jewish people escaped from slavery thousands of years ago to serve Hashem and to travel to the Promised Land. What does this event or series of events have to do with our lives in 2007? The Hebrew word from Egypt, Mitzraim, is also related to the word meaning boundaries or constrictions. Every day, we face challenges to our spiritual life. Just having to work 9 to 5 (or like me, at all hours, off and on) seems like an obstacle to … Continue reading →

Szechuan Chicken & Veggies

This [easy] recipe that I have for Szechuan Chicken & Veggies is so special to me since one of my wonderful neighbors gave it to me. My neighbor happened to mention how different yet delicious her new recipe was to make for her guests, so I asked her to let me try out the recipe. I am so glad I asked her for this Asian recipe because my family and I absolutely love it, and now I cook it probably once a month. Now I don’t know what you normally cook, but besides this recipe, I don’t normally cook Asian … Continue reading →

Frugal Food: Ideas for Leftover Rice

Rice is one of those very frugal foods that, when used, can really help your budget. I often buy huge containers of rice in bulk at the warehouse stores. Whenever I make rice, I always double the amount and use it in other dishes. You can cook it and freeze it, too, of course. This way, I incorporate this inexpensive and nutritious food into our diets on a regular basis. You can choose to use enriched white rice, brown rice, basamati rice, etc. While exotic brands will cost more, they are not that expensive and are nice for a change. … Continue reading →

Frugal Food: Lentil And Rice Casserole for the Crockpot

There is no doubt that rice is one of the champions of frugal food. It is very inexpensive and can be used to plump up many a meal. We buy large bags of rice from a warehouse store to keep in our pantry. To make it handy to use rice for any meal, I simply empty the large bag into a large dry cat food container. The cat food containers are square and roomy and come with lids that seal very tightly. When I need some rice it is easy to simply take my measuring cup over to the container, … Continue reading →

Roast Goose with Wild Rice

Every Christmas, I love to watch the 1938 version of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol.” I think it is funny where everyone gets so excited about the Christmas goose. I think it would be cool to have a truly traditional Christmas dinner like that, so I went out and found this recipe. Now, if I can just find a goose at the grocery store, I will be set! For this recipe, you will need a 12-pound goose, salt, wild rice, hazelnuts, two Granny Smith apples, one small onion, ground savory, fresh parsley, black pepper, and all-purpose flour. To prep for … Continue reading →

Quick and Easy Party Dishes

My daughter’s playgroup meets this week for our Halloween bash (eight moms and 12 kids under the age of four—so it’s not a huge gathering). Since we are celebrating a holiday we decided to forgo our usual small-snack-only rule, instead each mom is required to bring one main or side dish. Since I am not hosting the party (whew) it means I need to find a versatile dish that will travel well. The following are some of my tried and true party/potluck dishes. I will be making and taking one of them along on Tuesday (I haven’t decided which one … Continue reading →

Quick and Easy Rice Side Dishes

I am always looking for a quick and easy side dish because I get so tired of doing the same old “green beans” or “mashed potatoes” thing. Here are a few rice dishes you might want to try: Herbed Rice Pilaf For this recipe, you will need long grain rice, celery, onion, butter, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, dried oregano, and dried thyme. To prep for this recipe, you will need to chop enough celery to make one cup and enough onion to make 1/2 cup. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a skillet over medium heat, saute … Continue reading →

5 Reasons Why You Need a Rice Cooker

Posted on by

1. Perfect rice every time. Rice cookers are amazing magical mechanisms. OK, maybe they aren’t magical and it is all mechanics but I never, ever made a decent pot of rice until a friend gave me a rice cooker. I haven’t burned rice or had crunchy rice ever since! In fact, it comes out perfectly cooked every time. 2. No stovetop splatter. Starchy rice water in a pot on the stove gets hot! I used to have to dodge the liquid, hot magma as I tried to stir the rice so that it didn?t stick to the bottom of the … Continue reading →