Festive Rice Salad

I have no recollection of eating this salad prior to making it here the other day but it was in my “tried and true” recipe box so I must have at some point. The recipe card is written in my aunt’s handwriting. Perhaps she brought the salad to a family gathering and jotted the recipe down for me to take home? I don’t know.

At any rate, it’s a delicious salad.

I used a type of rice called “forbidden rice”. It’s an heirloom variety I found at a little shop in the city. It’s very black and surprisingly keeps that color even after cooked. I think it’s beautiful. It tastes like wild rice so you could use that instead. Or really, any rice. My recipe card here says long grain brown rice. Use what you’ve got!

Oh, one more note. Do not substitute any type of vinegar for the white stuff called for here. It gives the salad a special tang. Well, you could substitute, I suppose, but it wouldn’t be the same and me thinks just not quite as yummalicious.

Festive Rice Salad

Adapted from Taste of Home

3/4 cup uncooked rice

10 oz (about 2 cups) frozen peas, thawed

1 small red pepper, diced (I used frozen)

3 T minced onion

1/2 cup craisins

1/3 cup peanut oil

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 T maple syrup

1/2 t dried dill weed

1/4 t salt

1/4 t ground mustard

1/8 t black pepper

Cook the rice. Cool. Mix it with the peas, peppers, onion, and craisins.

In a small bowl, whisk  the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, dill, salt, mustard, and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature or refrigerated.

Yield: 5 – 6 cups

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Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

My aunt Krista brought this salad to a family get together over the weekend. I tasted it and promptly fell in love. She sent the recipe to me. I made it…and could hardly stop eating it.

I don’t usually buy parsley out of season but I happened to be testing some recipes for a locally produced cookbook and needed fresh parsley. Sometimes I love an excuse to buy EXACTLY the ingredients needed for a recipe instead of substituting things I have on hand! So I have a large bunch of parsley that needs used up right now and this recipe used a few tablespoons. Perfect.

Also perfect was the jar of dried cranberries I have in the pantry right now. I haven’t bought dried cranberries in a looong time so I’m guessing these things are almost 2 years old. They aren’t spoiled but they aren’t the tastiest to eat out of hand so I’m using them in granola and baked goods. This salad was a good use for a few tablespoons.

I love when delicious food happens like that. Jada thought it was delicious, too. I had given her a taste after I mixed it up and then when she saw it on the table for supper, she hollared, “I’m gonna have a big, big pile of that stuff! I really, really like it!”

So there you have it…a family approved healthy salad and without further ado, here you go…my version of Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pecans!

Quinoa Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pecans

Adapted from here

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed well

1 1/2 cups water or veggie stock

1/2 t salt (if using water)

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 T finely minced onion or fresh chives

2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted and cooled

1/3 cup dried cranberries

2 T fresh lemon juice

2 T olive oil

a few grinds of fresh black pepper

a pinch of granulated garlic

In a sauce pan, cook the quinoa, water or stock, and salt (if using). Bring the mixture to a boil and then leave it to simmer for 15 minutes (lid on). Cool quinoa to room temperature.

Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients. When quinoa is cool, mix that in, too. You can either serve it immediately or chill and serve later.

Yield: about 5 cups

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Simple Rice Pilaf

I put out a call for a good pilaf recipe the other day and a few of you gave me some good suggestions. I ended up combining a recipe I found online and the suggestions of Margo. We loved this pilaf so thanks for your help Margo!

Simple Rice Pilaf

Adapted from here

2 t butter

1/2 c chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 c white rice

2 c chicken stock

1/2 of a roasted red pepper, chopped

1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the butter in a pot until melted. Add the onion and garlic and slowly saute until onion is soft. Add the salt and rice and toast this for a few minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 – 25 minutes or until rice is soft. Stir in the red pepper and cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4

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Macaroni and Cheese with Stewed Tomatoes

I know there are a million macaroni and cheese recipes out there but I thought I’d share mine. I suppose I should say it’s adapted from somewhere but really, macaroni and cheese is about as adaptable as it gets so everyone has their particular little twist. This just happens to be mine.

We eat it with stewed tomatoes and green beans…a classic childhood meal of my family and I’m glad Brad has taken to the tomatoes. The two are a delicious pair. Um, the macaroni and tomatoes, that is. Not Brad and tomatoes.

Macaroni and Cheese

9 oz (a generous 2 cups) uncooked macaroni

3 T butter

4 1/2 T flour

2 1/4 c milk*

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

9 oz (a generous 2 cups) shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar and co-jack)

Cook the macaroni in boiling water until al dente (I don’t bother salting the water since this is a salty dish anyway).

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and then while continuously whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Keep whisking until smooth. Add the salt and pepper and stir until it’s thick and bubbly. Turn off the heat and stir in the cheese.

When macaroni is done, drain it and then mix it with the cheese sauce. Pour into a 7 x 11 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 til bubbly and a bit brown on top, about 25 minutes. Serve immediately with stewed tomatoes.

Serves: 6

Stewed Tomatoes

1 quart canned tomato chunks

2 T cornstarch

2 t honey

1/2 t salt (if tomatoes are unsalted)

Mix everything together in a sauce pot. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and serve.

Yield: 1 quart

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Coleslaw

Confession: I NEVER measure when I cook. Bake, yes, but cook, no. I am probably not the best one to have a food blog. I write down all of these measurements for you and yet, I really just throw things together and then make an educated guess as to how much it was. I hope things turn out ok when you make them. Please tell me if something just does not seem right.

That aside, here’s my go-to coleslaw recipe these days. I really have no idea how much mayonnaise and sugar I used. I hope these proportions turn out a tasty result if you should decide to try it.

I especially like the black pepper in this recipe. I had never thought to use it in coleslaw but I really think it makes a difference.

This recipe hails from an aunt of mine. She once made the most delicious coleslaw at a family get together. I asked her for her recipe and of course SHE never measures either. So she told me what she threw together and this is what I have come up with. I still think her version was tastier but it’s probably because I can’t bring myself to put in more sugar. And if I remember correctly, she used celery, too. So go ahead and make those changes if you want.

Coleslaw

Recipe adapted from Aunt Shirley’s

6 – 8 cups thinly sliced cabbage (like, really thinly sliced)

2 cups shredded carrot (1 huge carrot ought to do it)

3/4 cup real mayonnaise

3 T sugar

1 T red wine vinegar

1/2 t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

Mix everything together. It’s good immediately but I like it best if refrigerated for an hour or so…gives it time for the flavors to meld. I even love this leftover the next day for lunch, if it lasts that long.

Serves: probably 8 but we usually scarf it down in one meal

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