Herbed Brown Rice with Crispy Shallots

It was only a matter of time. I made it through Independence Day, a rowdy river weekend and a surf trip. Of course I use the term surf trip very loosely. More like a really fun trip where I also surfed for a little while and then relax in a hot tub with a glass of vino.

But that is neither here nor there.

What is here, is a soon to be new scar.

The worst part is, I didn’t even do anything cool to earn it.

I very rarely use the curling iron, so I should have known it would be my demise.

Not realizing that the barrel was still hot, I attempted to put the hair tool away as to please my landlord (Mom and Dad). Unfortunately, I ended up whipping it around and right into the under side of my left arm.

You know that part of your arm where the skin is as smooth as a baby’s butt and as thin as tissue paper?

Yeah, that part.

And now that I’ve gotten you all excited about my super awesome burn, here is a really yummy side dish to take your mind off of it…

You will need…

1 cup brown rice

1 bullion cube

1 white onion, diced

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

4 green onions, chopped

½ cup vegetable oil

3 shallots, thinly sliced into rings

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by adding your onions to a medium pot and heat it over medium heat.

Cook the onions until they start to brown. About 4 minutes.

Add in the bullion cube, oregano and the rice. Cook the rice until it is slightly toasted. About 2 minutes.

Pour in 2 cups of water and bring the water to a boil.

Once the liquid boils, immediately reduce the liquid to a slow simmer and cover.

Cook the rice for about 40 minutes until all the liquid has absorbed.

When there are 10 minutes left until the rice is done, heat the oil in a medium pan over high heat. 

When the oils I very hot, add in the shallots and fry them until they are crispy and brown.

Sprinkle them with salt, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and lay them on a paper towel to cool and drain.

As soon as the rice is cooked, add in the green onions and fluff the rice.

Serve hot and topped with the crispy shallots.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Herbed Brown Rice with Crispy Shallots

1 cup brown rice

1 bullion cube

1 white onion, diced

2 tablespoons chopped oregano

4 green onions, chopped

½ cup vegetable oil

3 shallots, thinly sliced into rings

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by adding your onions to a medium pot and heat it over medium heat.

Cook the onions until they start to brown. About 4 minutes.

Add in the bullion cube, oregano and the rice. Cook the rice until it is slightly toasted. About 2 minutes.

Pour in 2 cups of water and bring the water to a boil.

Once the liquid boils, immediately reduce the liquid to a slow simmer and cover.

Cook the rice for about 40 minutes until all the liquid has absorbed.

When there are 10 minutes left until the rice is done, heat the oil in a medium pan over high heat. When the oils I very hot, add in the shallots and fry them until they are crispy and brown.

Sprinkle them with salt, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and lay them on a paper towel to cool and drain.

As soon as the rice is cooked, add in the green onions and fluff the rice.

Serve hot and topped with the crispy shallots. 

Spanish Rice

Happy Friday Friends!

I had a whole post written, and I decided it sucked.

And then in my Friday afternoon haze, I stumbled upon this video.

This great white circles these two Hawaiian dudes in a fishing boat for about seven minutes.

They get crazy up close footage, but that isn’t the insane part.

I don’t know if I’m delirious because it’s Friday, or if this is really funny. But either way, I had to share.

Be warned that the footage has a lot of profanity.

However, this rice dish is completely clean.

And tasty.

You will need…

1 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked white or brown rice

1 onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

Start by heating the oil in a pot over medium heat.

Add the rice, onion and the pepper and sauté it until the rice is browned and the onions are tender. About 5 minutes.

Then, stir in the water, tomatoes and the bouillon cube.

Season with the chili powder and salt.

Cover the mix and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is completely absorbed.

Serve hot.

And steer clear of great whites.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Ginger, Orange Brown Rice

For someone who doesn’t like rice, I sure make a whole lot of it.

As more and more of my friends start popping out little humans, the conversation at my family dinner table has more frequently been about children and parenting.

Naturally, as is with most people, my standards for parenting are based off of dear old mom and dad. My parents and I spend a decent amount of time discussing my childhood and the things that did and didn’t work.

While my brothers and I give my mom a really hard time about what we did and didn’t eat, she did a really good job of providing a balanced meal almost every night of the week.

There was almost always a protein, a salad or vegetable and a starch of some sort on our plates. Even though some diets or nutritionists may say that’s not the best way to eat, I think it is absolutely the best way for kids to eat.

It not only provides balance, but it teaches balance.

And while I may have strayed from this balance in my college days, now when I cook, I try to make sure there is a little bit of everything.

That little story right there was a really long way for me to explain to you why I cook so much rice.

Story or no story, I try to jazz up my rice so that it accompanies the protein I’m making for that evening. I made this to go with my delicious sea bass last week and you should too.

You will need…

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 cup brown rice

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon finely chopped or fresh ginger

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Start by heating the oil in a medium sized pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions and let them sweat until they are translucent.

Add the rice and sauté it for 1 minute.

Then, add the orange zest and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.

Add the stock to the mixture and bring to a boil.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until rice is tender.

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Wild Mushroom and Onion Rice

I pretty much don’t like rice. I find it very bland. Probably because it is.

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but every time I post a rice dish, there are lots of things in it. I usually put as much stuff as I can in it to mask the fact that I’m eating rice.

So the other night when my brother was over for dinner and I was having a meltdown an hour before dinner time, I tried to nix this dish in crunch time.

I had three burners and an oven going and I was overwhelmed.

But Albert being Albert, he decided three dishes weren’t enough for dinner and demanded that the rice be made.

Ugh. Brothers.

Of course I am a lovely and obliging sister, so I made the FREAKING rice dish.

And I totally didn’t complain at all while I did it.

But, it was worth every second of discomfort, because it was yumtastic.

Yes, as a matter of fact, I did just make up a word.

It was delicious AND I got the chance to teach Albert’s girlfriend how to properly cut mushrooms.

Baby steps Samm, baby steps.

You will need…

3 cups chopped mixed mushrooms (white, portobello, shiitake, etc.)

1 medium onion, diced

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups cooked white rice or brown rice

Soy sauce, to taste

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup sliced green onions

Start by melting the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Sauté the mushrooms and onions in the butter until both are soft.

Stir in rice, soy sauce, salt and pepper, and green onions.

Cook the mixture until all the ingredients are warmed through.

Serve hot.

Turns out demanding brothers are good for something.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Lime and Green Onion Brown Rice

There is nothing I love more than sitting down at a keyboard and putting my thoughts down or recounting a funny story.

There is nothing I hate more than when I sit down at a keyboard and I have nothing to say at all.

How can I or anyone else for that matter have nothing to say? Things are happening all around us. Every second of every day memories and life moments are being created.

Yet, sometime I sit down at the computer and literally have nothing.

Thank you writers block.

It might have to do with the fact that while this dish is tasty a great staple, it isn’t exactly inspiring.

So here is to you uninspiring rice dish. Thank you for being there not only when I have no idea what to make for dinner, but also when I have no idea what to write about.

You are the nothing better to do dish.

And I loved you.

You will need…

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/4 cups light brown rice

2 limes, zested, 1 lime, juiced

2 cups chicken stock

3 to 4 thin green onions, whites and greens, chopped

Heat the oil in sauce pot over medium to medium-high heat.

Stir in the rice and toast for 1 minute.

Add the lime zest and stock, bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 18 minutes.

Add the green onions and the juice of 1 lime.

Fluff with fork, transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Hi my name is Angela, and today is brown rice kind of day.

Love and Beer Floats,

Angela

Brown Rice, Tomatoes and Basil with Tangy Vinaigrette

I don’t think that I am alone in telling you that it is not exactly in my nature to be drawn to healthier foods. I know most of my friends have to make conscious efforts to choose healthy foods and I am no exception.

So, with bikini season fast approaching (and some new bikini’s in my dresser drawers) I am trying extra hard to make good food choices.

Which often becomes very difficult after three drinks and as many hours of dancing. That fast food joint looks really good circa 1 am and it is just so easy to have the cabby drive through.

Of course I always buy him a cheeseburger.

I don’t feel like I should deprive myself of moments like that every so often, so in an effort to be bikini ready I am making better choices during the week nights.

NFT is no exception. Until October. Then we can bring on the butter.

Last week I decided to try and make a friend out of an enemy. I have never been a huge rice fan, but I despise brown rice.

Well, I despised brown rice.

Until I made this dish.

Instead of being dried out and tasting like a yogi’s well worn mat, it was moist and flavorful. The diverse flavors and textures of the basil and tomatoes made this brown rice dish more than tolerable and the tangy dressing got me out of my chair for seconds.

Of brown rice.

You will need…

1 cup brown rice

2 cups low sodium chicken stalk

½ tablespoon butter

¼ cup white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or way more if you are my roommate)

1 pound ripe tomatoes diced

1 cup packed basil chopped

In a medium sized pot, mix the rice, chicken stalk and butter and bring it to a boil.

Stir the mixture once, cover it and let it simmer for 40-50 minutes. When the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed, transfer the rice to a serving bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, oil and salt and pepper. Preferably in a bowl, but sometimes we have to make do with what we have.

Pour the dressing over the rice and add in the tomatoes and basil.

Mix well and taste for seasoning. You can always add salt and pepper, but you can never take it away. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Now watch your junk food loving family and friends go back for more.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela