Rice Cooker Stars in Pantry Meals

By David Hu

Last week was Pantry Week on Special Fork and I shared some of my favorite tips and tricks for what to stock in your pantry. One thing I didn’t mention is my trusty rice cooker. A rice cooker is key to effectively using rice, a go-to pantry staple, since it cooks your rice for you while you make the rest of the meal.

So with that in mind, we’ve been running a Zojirushi rice cooker sweepstakes than ends this week (Sunday Oct 21, 2012). It’s not too late to get in on the action. Click here to enter.

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Make an Easy, One-Skillet Meal

By David Hu

Here’s a recipe that’s especially welcome on nights when you just don’t feel like cooking. Meat, veggies and rice come together in one skillet, so dinner is an efficient, one-dish meal. You do have to cook some rice first, however, but if you have a rice cooker, it’s a simple matter to measure out the rice and water in the pot, turn it on and come back to it when the rice is done.

Ground beef or lamb, green pepper and eggplant are an especially delicious combination of Mediterranean flavors. Quick, easy and hearty, this is a great dish for a brisk fall day.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

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Stirring the Pot

By Andrew Hunter

Certain foods can be found in every kitchen around the world, especially when they’re comfort foods. Rice is eaten at family tables from Korea to Argentina and places in between because all cultures are drawn to food that is comforting and makes us feel at home. Italians love Arborio, a short grain rice, for risotto, a creamy mixture that’s fit for peasants and kings alike.  It’s Italy’s ultimate comfort food.

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Thanksgiving Leftovers, Chinese Style

By Sandy Hu

We always buy a big turkey for Thanksgiving, the better to have leftovers for ourselves and our guests. As soon as the feast is done, out come the baggies and plastic containers so we can apportion the food and get them back in the fridge to chill (for food safety’s sake) until guests depart.

I separate the nice turkey slices first. Then I bag the smaller chunks. And finally, I wrap the carcass in plastic wrap.

The next day, we’ll have sliced turkey breast on split baguettes spread with cranberry sauce for lunch. For dinner, we like hot turkey sandwiches served open-faced, drizzled with leftover gravy and stuffing on the side.

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Hot-Cooked Rice? So nice!

By Sandy Hu

You might think that rice is in my blood, in my veins. But you would be wrong.

As a kid, I was a mashed potatoes girl. And it’s only as I developed an appreciation of food and cooking that I learned to appreciate rice – the firm little morsels with just a little bite, that when chewed slowly, develop a sweetness that fills the mouth with flavor.

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