Posts Tagged ‘rice’
Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli
May 21, 2013 | 
Author The other day I spotted a 2.5 quart crock pot in a sale bin at Kroger. For $9.99. With purple polka dots! With my need for a smaller crock pot, minimal funds, and love for purple it’s like it was meant to be mine and therefore I swiped it up and purchased it (and heck yea for extra gas points). Hopefully cooking smaller volume recipes in this smaller crock pot will solve my issue with things cooking too fast in my larger 5 quart one, although it still lacks a timer setting on it so I will still have to depend on my plug timer.
Unfortunately, I bought the 2.5 quart crock pot after making this recipe I am sharing with you today, so I cannot yet report on it’s functionality just yet. So as usual for my 5 quart crock pot this recipe cooked twice as fast and therefore be sure to adjust the cooking time based on your crock pot’s mannerisms. But cooking time adjustments aside, this was an awesome meal. The beef was tender and the sauce was so good I ended up using every last drop on top of some leftover rice. Yes, I ate just the sauce over some rice because I enjoyed it that much.
One year ago: Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Cream Sauce
SLOW COOKER BEEF & BROCCOLI
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
1 cup beef consumme or beef broth
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups broccoli florets, cooked
White rice, cooked
Directions:
- Coat the inside of the crockpot with nonstick spray.
- In the crockpot, whisk together beef consume, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
- Gently place your slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat.
- Turn crockpot on low and cook for 6 hours*.
- When done, in a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of the cooking liquid to create a slurry, pour back into crockpot, and stir to mix well. Cook on low for an additional 30 minutes to thicken up the sauce.
- Serve with broccoli florets over white rice.
*Cooking times may vary. My crock pot cooks hot with smaller volumes and only took 3 hours.
Source: Adapted slightly from Table for Two.
Red Velvet Rice Krispie Treats
Tomorrow I meet with my graduate committee to determine my fate for the remainder of the school year and hopefully the last of my graduate career. Which means I will be preparing bribe-worthy treats tonight and ordering up lots of coffee in the morning to keep them happy. But for now, enjoy this other equally bribe-worthy treat.
Every year for a labmate’s birthday I come up with a different red velvet creation. The lab as a whole loves my red velvet cake, but I don’t want to make the same thing every time so I find new variations. With my excess of stress in preparation for my presentation to the committee and writing a research paper to be published, I decided to go for something a little easier to make without sacrificing taste. And these red velvet rice krispie treats taste just like red velvet. But what is red velvet without cream cheese frosting? It is the most important part!
Two years ago: Leftover Turkey Tetrazzini
RED VELVET RICE KRISPIE TREATS
Makes 16 bars
Ingredients:
BARS
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 (10.5 ounce) bag mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup red velvet cake mix
6 cups Cocoa Rice Krispies cereal
FROSTING
4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
- Coat a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add marshmallows, cake mix, and vanilla stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Fold in the cereal until well combined and coated.
- Transfer sticky cereal mixture to the prepared pan, pressing down until the top is level. Allow to cool completely.
- While the bars are cooling, make the frosting. With a hand-held electric mixer in a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)
- Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy. Spread on cooled treats.
Source: Rice Krispie Treats from Pass the Sushi. Frosting from my Gluten-Free Green Velvet Cake Balls.
Posted in Brownies & Bars, Desserts, Holidays, Valentine's Day | 
Tags: cream cheese, marshmallows, red velvet, rice | 
11 Comments »
Buckeye Rice Krispies Treats
Today I get to watch the Ohio State vs Penn State game live and in person at Beaver Stadium in State College, PA! I’ve been told that they will attempt to white-out Ohio State by having everyone in the stadium wear white and you better believe I will be wearing my scarlet, loud and proud. Normally I’d wear my away game jersey (white) since we are in fact the visiting team, but not this time! I will not contribute any white to this white-out. I will act as a pimple, ruining a white face. Ok, I am not sure I want to call myself a pimple, but you know what I mean. Did I mention I am tailgating and attending this game with a whole group of friends, who happen to all be PSU alums? I’ve braved the same situation in Ann Arbor, MI so I think I’ll be just fine.
But just in case, I brought along some yummy treats to make sure they see the benefits of keeping me around. These are peanut butter rice krispie treats, rolled up and dipped in chocolate just like buckeye candies. I think they look even more like buckeye nuts than the original due to their more irregular shape. Of course none of my friends will call them that, claiming they are merely peanut butter balls, but we all know the truth. They just don’t want to admit that they could possibly like anything called a buckeye. But anywho… let’s eat, drink and watch some good football.
Regrettably, I will be missing two friends get married due to not being able to foresee these two events falling on the same day. But thought I should at least give them a shout out. Hope you have a wonderfully special day surrounded by family and friends!
One year ago: Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese
BUCKEYE RICE KRISPIES TREATS
Makes about 4 dozen treat balls
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 (10.5 ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
- Line a large baking sheet with wax paper; set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.
- Off the heat, add the peanut butter and stir until completely melted and smooth. Add the cereal, stirring gently until coated. When cool enough to touch, roll into 1-inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Microwave the chocolate chips on 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth (or use a double-boiler). Using a tooth pick inserted into each, dip each Rice Krispies ball into the chocolate, leaving an “eye”. Return to wax paper and repeat with remaining treats. Let cool at room temperature until set, about 1 hour. (You can also refrigerate the treats for about 30 minutes to speed up the process.) Store in an airtight container.
Source: Adapted slightly from Brown Eyed Baker.
Posted in Brownies & Bars, Desserts, Truffles & Bark | Tags: buckeye, chocolate, marshmallows, peanut butter, rice | 6 Comments »
Pork Chops with Pineapple Fried Rice
Fried rice is one of my favorites although I’ve only made it myself a handful of times. It is likely due to Qing bringing in fresh homemade fried rice for us at work sometimes, and I am convinced I cannot make it any better. One of these days I need to watch her make it. She uses Asian BBQ pork which you can only buy at the Asian grocery store – another place I need to check out evidently.
Meanwhile while planning to invade her kitchen, I took a stab at fried rice again with this pineapple and pork chop version. Granted there is no competition when it comes to Qing’s fried rice, but it was still quite good. Next time I would use less onion, but that may just be my preference. But I really thought the grilled pineapple was a must for the flavor of this dish. Start up your grill!
Be sure to check out the original post by The Pioneer Woman for great step-by-step photos.
One year ago: White Chocolate Coconut Chili Macadamia Nut Cookies
PORK CHOPS WITH PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/2 whole pineapple, cut into spears and skewered
2 cups cooked white or brown rice
6 whole pork chops
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, sliced
8 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce (more to taste), divided
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Sriracha, or other hot sauce
Salt to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs
1 cup chopped carrots
1-1/2 cup frozen peas
Directions:
- Grill (or saute) pineapple spears until they have good marks/color on the outside. Slice, then set aside.
- Heat butter and oil over medium high heat, then add the pork chops to the pan. Saute on both sides until they have nice color.
- Throw in the sliced onions and work them into the crevices between the chops. Shake the pan and move the onions around and let them cook for a good couple of minutes.
- When the onions are starting to soften, add 6 tablespoons pf the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and hot sauce. Shake the pan, stir it around, and let it cook and bubble up for a good couple of minutes until the pork chops are completely cooked and the sauce is thicker. Remove the pork chops to a bowl, then let the sauce bubble up and cook for another 30 to 45 seconds. Pour it over the pork chops. Set aside.
- Add a small amount of oil to the same pan (without cleaning it) and return it to the stove top over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir it around, then crack in the eggs and immediately stir them to scramble them a bit. Add carrots, peas, and remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Add cooked rice and stir it around to cook for a couple of minutes.
- To serve, pile rice on a plate, then top with pineapple chunks, pork chops and onions from the sauce. Drizzle a little bit of sauce over the top.
Source: Adapted slightly from The Pioneer Woman.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars
I’ve been told my poster presentation went well yesterday. I was dying all day to know how it went, and I am still craving more details but it will have to wait until they return Wednesday night. Ahhhh! But until then…
Chewy granola bars are my absolute favorite. I’ve tried making granola bars in the past, but they never turn out quite as chewy as I would like. Then I cam upon the no-bake granola bar and it changed everything. Especially since this particular recipe includes peanut butter. I even added some mini Reese’s pieces to them instead of mini chocolate chips. Happiness really can come in bar form.
NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS
Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 cup mini Reese’s pieces
Directions:
- Cut out an 8 x 8 inch square of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan.
- In a large sauce pan, add butter, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Stir in the oats, crispy cereal, and pretzels. Stir until well coated. Pour into the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top and gently press into the granola bars with your hands.
- Place the bars in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Cut into bars and serve.
Source: Adapted slightly from Two Peas and Their Pods.
Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Breakfast, Granola | Tags: honey, oats, peanut butter, pretzels, Reeses, rice | 33 Comments »
Vegetable Fried Rice for One
Despite waking up at 5:30am every day this past weekend to play with yeast (not the baking kind), I had a pretty nice weekend. It’s amazing how much I accomplished in the little amount of free time that I had, and how relaxed I felt by Sunday night. Even got in a lovely phone chat with my friend Amber back in Columbus. It’s the little things that keep me going 
. Especially since as I write this, it is 10pm and I am doing that graduate student research thing at lab.
This recipe serves one person and it’s quick and easy to prepare. Perfect match for my mission to not produce any leftovers before I head out of town, in combination with my sparse time. It was also my first time ever using fresh ginger, and smells amazing! I never want to use dried ground ginger again. Which brings me to a question, how do you store ginger root? Is it supposed to be refrigerated or left out on the counter?
VEGETABLE FRIED RICE FOR ONE
Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 medium zucchini, quartered and thinly sliced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup cooked brown rice, cold
1 cup baby spinach
Directions:
- In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high. Add egg and cook until set. Transfer to a cutting board.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add carrot, and zucchini and cook, stirring until softened, about 3 minutes. Add scallion, ginger, and garlic and cook until scallion is soft, about 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Add soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Coarsely chop egg and stir into rice, serve.
Source: Adapted slightly from Everyday Food June 2012.
Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
The Holiday Recipe club is a fun way to play with holiday-themed ingredients or recipes, but until now they have all been associated with American holidays. A little while ago, there was discussion within the group whether people would be interested in exploring other holidays outside of the US and as you can see from today’s post, the motion was passed! For today’s first international HRC post we are celebrating Buddha’s Birthday by using either gram masala, tofu, or sesame.
Sesame grabbed my attention and I first thought of making Sesame Chicken, but I was convinced I had already posted a recipe for that – wrong. Even if I had, it would’ve still totally been worth trying out this recipe because it’s done in a slow cooker, making it so easy to prepare. And healthier too because it’s not fried! Granted that means you lose the crispy action, but I didn’t miss it that much knowing it was better for me.
Want to join us in celebrating more National and International holidays? Check out the HRS’s contact page. Also be sure to check out the end of this post for the rest of the HRC line up.
One year ago: Fried Mac and Cheese
SLOW COOKER HONEY SESAME CHICKEN
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1.25 lbs)
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 onion, diced
2-1/2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp sesame seed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced, pressed or grated
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 cup dry brown rice
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb broccoli florets
Directions:
- Put chicken into crock pot.
- In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken.
- Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet until hot. Add broccoli and saute 5-6 minutes or until cooked but tender.
- Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Whisk cornstarch into liquid in the crock pot. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Shred chicken or cut into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve chicken over rice with broccoli, garnish with sesame seeds.
Source: Adapted from Prevention RD.
Posted in Chicken, Entree, Slow Cooker | Tags: chicken, Chinese, honey, rice, sesame, soy sauce | 19 Comments »
General Tso’s Chicken
Do you ever crave takeout food, but don’t feel like going out to get it? Yet somehow you will stop at the grocery store in order to make it yourself? It happens to me more than I can count. At first I feel lazy, but somehow head in the opposite direction. Whatever the explanation, I made this chicken and it was worth all the effort.
And can you believe it? This was my first time cooking with chicken thighs! Unless you are cooking the entire thing, I somehow had it in my head that people only used the breast meat. I am glad I have been set straight.
But as usual I forgot to sprinkle the scallions on top. And then I ate it before I could realize it in order to take more pictures – I’m a hungry girl! Sorry already chopped up scallions, I promise to give you another purpose!
GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN
Serves 4
Ingredients:
CHICKEN
1-1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 egg white
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Canola, Peanut, or Vegetable oil for frying
SAUCE
1 Tbsp peanut, canola or vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp Chinese chile-garlic sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
FOR SERVING
1/2 cup cashews, roughly chopped
4 whole scallions, thinly sliced
Steamed brown rice
Steamed broccoli
Directions:
- Prep the chicken: In a mixing bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce, egg white, and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch until a thick slurry forms. It will look gummy but smooth.
- Add the chicken pieces and stir until all are evenly coated. At first it may appear that it will not come together but it does!
Set chicken aside, covered lightly with plastic wrap, at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. - Begin the sauce: Add the tablespoon of oil to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Stir the garlic and ginger into the oil and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining sauce ingredients until smooth. Pour into the garlic and ginger, stirring, until the sauce becomes thick and shiny. Once the sauce thickens, lower heat and keep the saucepan over a low burner partially covered to stay warm.
- To fry the chicken: Heat 1/2-inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided frying pan or skillet over high heat.
- When the oil is shimmering, add one piece of chicken at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook chicken for 4 minutes on each side, or until deep golden brown and crisp on both sides.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat the process until you’ve cooked all the chicken.
- Then slide all of the fried chicken into the prepared sauce and toss to coat. (If desired, add some steamed broccoli and cashews to coat with the sauce also.) Increase the heat to medium, stir and cook just until hot all the way through.
- Sprinkle with sliced scallions and serve immediately over rice.
Source: Tasty Kitchen
Beef Negimaki With Broccolini and Rice
For some reason I always feel like I don’t eat enough red meat, so when I saw this recipe I immediately wanted to make it. Especially since it sounded really good and easy. I couldn’t for the life of me find broccolini so I was forced to just use broccoli. Where on earth is that stuff in a grocery store anyway?? Not in the produce section or frozen even. Maybe it’s a specialty store item, boo. I can’t imagine it really changed anything other than the appearance. After all, the flavors of this dish were perfect (hoisin sauce FTW) and cleanup was a snap!
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 lb top round, thinly sliced and cut into 12 strips
8 scallions, cut into 3-inch-long pieces
1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup instant brown rice
1 lb broccolini
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Directions:
- Heat grill. Fold four 18-inch-long pieces of foil in half; unfold and coat inside with cooking spray.
- Combine hoisin, soy sauce, vinegar and oil in a bowl; coat beef with marinade. Place a handful of scallions and carrots on end of 1 strip of beef (tips should hang over edges of meat); roll up beef to enclose vegetables and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining beef, scallions and carrots.
- Place 1/4 cup rice in center of 1 half of each piece of foil; top rice with 3 beef rolls each. Surround rice and beef in each packet with 1/4 of broccolini; season all with salt and pepper.
- Fold foil to close and crimp 2 sides of each packet, leaving 1 side open; pour 1/4 cup broth into each packet. Crimp third side of packets to seal; place on grill; close lid; cook until packets are fully puffed, 10 minutes. Carefully cut foil to open; serve.
Source: SELF Magazine
Posted in Beef, Entree | Tags: broccoli, carrots, Chinese, hoisin sauce, rice, scallions, soy sauce | 5 Comments »
Stuffed Green Peppers
As a child I was a very picky eater. No cheese on my burgers (I cannot believe I ever shunned cheese), no lettuce on my tacos, meatloaf had a gross texture, and I almost always had an aversion to anything green – unless it was a kiwi fruit. I used to say that the only vegetables I liked were carrots, corn and potatoes. Needless to say, but this dish here was one of my least favorites. But like this dish and many others I didn’t want to ingest, I was told that I had to take three more big bites (after painfully trying to eat most of it) and then I was allowed to be done.
Thankfully I overcame my fear of vegetables (and most importantly cheese on my burgers). I think it had a lot to do with on-campus eating selections while in undergrad. The Ohio State University had an large range of places and things to eat, but after awhile I got bored due to my selectiveness and started trying new things. So here I am today eating many things I would have immediately stuck my tongue out at during my early years on this planet. Those who did not know me before college probably wouldn’t believe I used to be a picky eater. Although I still dislike meatloaf as I cannot get over the consistency. Bleh.
Since I like green peppers today, I asked my dad for his recipe for stuffed green peppers wanting to give them another chance. Apparently he didn’t have a recipe specifically for them, but apparently uses his recipe for stuffed cabbage. I changed a couple of things, such as eliminating the sauerkraut, and the end result? I now like stuffed green peppers!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
4 green bell peppers, that can stand up on their own
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb each ground beef and Italian turkey sausage
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1-1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
10.75 oz Healthy Request condensed tomato soup
16 oz BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
1/8 cup water
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Cut off the pepper stems, remove seeds, and hollow out (save pepper scraps for next step). Sprinkle the insides with a little salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish.
- Dice pepper scraps. Melt butter in a medium skillet, then saute pepper, onion and garlic until tender. Remove mixture, then cook ground beef and Italian turkey sausage until lightly browned.
- Put the pepper mixture back into the pan with the meat, add the diced tomato and dried spices, and saute 2-3 minutes. Then stir in cooked rice and 1 cup cheese, until just melted. Stuff the filling mixture into the peppers.
- Mix together in a medium bowl the tomato soup, BBQ sauce, sugar and water. Pour over peppers and into the baking dish.
- Cover the peppers with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, put remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top of each pepper. Put peppers back into the oven, uncovered, and bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese is melted.
- Spoon sauce from pan onto plate and serve stuffed peppers on top.
Source: Adapted from My Dad’s Koluky (stuffed cabbage)
