Times Are Changin'

I have subscribed to Martha Stewart's "Everyday Food" magazine for years. I can always count on great flavor and relatively easy recipes. I was intrigued by the title of their most recent issue "Shop Smart, Eat Well, Save Money!" With all that is going on in the world today, it is nice to see these magazines focus on what is really important to many of their readers. So, I anxiously flipped through it, hoping to acquire some fantastic tips that would save me thousands! But guess what...after reading, I felt like I was already a step ahead. Don't get me wrong, they had some great stuff in there, i.e. they talked about cutting meat out of one meal a week, because veggie meals often cost less, and cooking whole chickens and using the meat for three different meals. The cool part was, they essentially promoted FOOD STORAGE! Hello! They had a whole section on dried beans and how much money you can save by cooking them on your own rather than buying them canned (we will talk a bunch about beans in the coming months). They also focused on Rice and how great it is because it can store so long. Yahoo! See, we are not weird...just a little ahead of the curve!

Here are a few of their tips...

• Plain cooked rice will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator; always add a splash of water and reheat completely before serving.


• Long-grain rice has a lower starch content then the short-grain variety, giving it a delicate texture and fluffy, distinct grains when cooked.


• Serve the rice as an accompaniment to stir-fries, stews, and curries. It can also be the main ingredient in dishes like Ham Fried Rice and rice pudding. We even found that it makes a great risotto.

For Perfectly Cooked Rice...

In a 2-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1 3/4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in 1 cup long-grain white rice. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook until rice is just tender, about 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Now for a little something tasty...

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

2 T butter

1/2 t dried thyme

10 oz button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 C long-grain rice

1 can (14.5oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1/4 C grated Parmesan

1. In a deep, 9-inch microwave-safe dish with a tight fitting lid, combine butter and thyme. Microwave until butter has melted and thyme is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Microwave until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate.

2. In the same dish, combine rice, broth and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Cover, and microwave 9 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, and microwave until rice is tender, 9 minutes more.

3. Stir in mushroom mixture; microwave until risotto is heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. (If the risotto is too thick, add water as needed.) SERVES 4

~Everyday Food, April 2009