Asian-Inspired Pineapple Brown Rice

If you’re looking for an Asian-inspired side dish, this recipe is probably one of the best I have tried in a long time. I couldn’t believe how much flavor was packed into this rice, with so few ingredients. Actually, it was so good, I would even consider skipping the entrée and making this the main event. Easier to prepare than fried rice and far superior to take-out options. And, as an added bonus, it’s a healthier choice, because it’s prepared with brown rice. Want to know how simple this is to make? Sauté brown rice, yellow bell pepper, green onions and ginger in sesame oil just until rice starts to brown. Add soy sauce, undrained pineapple chunks and water; bring to a boil and simmer until done. How simple is that? The pineapple adds a perfect touch of sweetness to the dish, without being overpowering. Usually, I would add garlic (since I add garlic to everything), but it wasn’t needed here. As is, it’s a perfect blend of ingredients, making it fragrant, sweet and savory. No matter how amazing your main entrée is, this side dish is going to steal the spotlight.

Although Basmati Brown Rice is shown, I would suggest substituting regular brown rice (see comments below).

The original recipe, at Skinny Kitchen, calls for Basmati Brown Rice. I would “highly” recommend substituting regular brown rice. Despite all my best efforts, I was unable to get a tender texture with the brown Basmati. I cooked it almost 20 minutes longer, increased the heat, and even added more liquid. But, the end result still had a crispy bite to it. I would even substitute white Basmati rice, just reduce the cooking time. But, this recipe is so good, that doesn’t discourage me from making this again. I just won’t use Basmati brown rice the next time.

Chop bell pepper (red or yellow). Slice green onions. Mince ginger. (I always keep a knob of fresh ginger in the freezer. I cut off what I need, wrap the rest in plastic wrap, place in a resealable plastic bag, refreeze; and I’m good to go the next time I need some fresh ginger.)

Cut pineapple chunks in half, but do not drain liquid. You will be adding the reserved juice to the rice.

Over medium heat, in large nonstick pan, heat sesame oil until hot. Add rice, bell pepper, green onion and ginger. Stirring constantly, sauté until rice begins to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add soy sauce, pineapple chunks with juice, and water. Stir to blend.

Bring mixture to a boil. 

Cover pan and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. 

Fluff with fork before serving. 

ASIAN-INSPIRED PINEAPPLE BROWN RICE
Source: Adapted from Skinny Kitchen
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 cup regular brown rice (or substitute white Basmati*)
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped (or substitute red bell pepper)
• 4 Tablespoons green onions, sliced
• 1/2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained, cut each piece in half
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce (preferably low sodium)
• 1-1/3 cups water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Over medium heat, in large nonstick pan, heat sesame oil until hot. Add rice, bell pepper, green
    onions and ginger. Stirring constantly, sauté until rice begins to brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from
    heat.
2. Add soy sauce, pineapple chunks with juice, and water. Stir to blend.
3. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover pan and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and liquid is
    absorbed, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving. 


*NOTE: If substituting white Basmati rice, reduce cooking time accordingly.

Skillet Kielbasa Casserole

As far as ease and convenience, the next best thing to a crockpot dinner is a skillet meal. One complete supper; one skillet to clean. For all the kielbasa lovers out there, have I got a one pot wonder for you: kielbasa, rice, peas and mushrooms, topped with melted Cheddar cheese. The colorful medley of ingredients creates an enticing blend of complementary flavors. This irresistible dish is sure to satisfy the heartiest of appetites. So, skip the oven and go from stove top to tabletop in no time flat.

Slice kielbasa in 1/2-inch medallions.

Melt 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. 

Add soup and water to same skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. 

Add rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18 minutes.

Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for an additional 7 minutes. Stir. Increase heat to medium and cook, covered, for 8 minutes longer, or until rice is tender and peas are heated through. Stir again.

Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese, cover and let stand 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

SKILLET KIELBASA CASSEROLE
Source:  Adapted from Taste of Home
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
• 14 ounces to 1 pound kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas
• 1 jar (6 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa. Cook, stirring
    occasionally, until lightly browned.
2. Add soup and water to same skillet. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
3. Add rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 18 minutes.
4. Stir in peas and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for an additional 7 minutes. Stir. Increase heat to
    medium and cook, covered, for 8 minutes longer, or until rice is tender and peas are heated through.
    Stir again.
5. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese, cover and let stand 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Orange Rice

This is one of those extremely versatile, no-fuss side dishes using only 4 ingredients. Combine instant rice with orange juice, chicken with rice soup and some grated orange peel; cover with aluminum foil, bake for 30 minutes (no peeking), uncover and bake for 10 minutes more. That’s it! Done. All the mixing is done right in the casserole dish, so no extra bowls to clean afterwards. The refreshing “summery” taste of this Orange Rice would be an ideal way to serve up those grilled kabobs. Scoop a bed of prepared rice on a platter, garnish with some mandarin orange segments and lay the kabobs atop. Or, make it a main meal indoors. Brown pork chops in a skillet. Mix rice, juice and grated orange peel in casserole dish. Lay the browned chops over the rice mixture. Pour the canned soup over all. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes; uncover and bake for 10 minutes more. How versatile is that? You have a stand-alone side dish, an outdoor complete meal option and an indoor complete meal option; and I was able to give instructions for all three choices in just a few sentences. A flavorful and different way to serve up plain ol’ rice (and the kids will love it)!

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Grate orange peel.

In 2- quart casserole dish, combine instant rice (Minute rice), orange juice, orange peel and canned soups. Stir to combine (right in the casserole dish). 

Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; uncover. 

Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more.
 
If desired, garnish with mandarin orange segments. 

ORANGE RICE
Posted by:  www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2-2/3 cups instant rice (Minute rice)
• 2 cups orange juice
• 2 cans (10-1/2 ounces each) chicken with rice soup
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• Mandarin orange segments, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.
2. In 2- quart casserole dish, combine instant rice (Minute rice), orange juice, orange peel and canned
    soups. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; uncover. Return to oven
    and bake for 10 minutes more.
3. If desired, garnish with mandarin orange segments.

Variations:
To make pork chops with orange rice – Brown pork chops on both sides in skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Place rice in 2- quart baking dish. Pour orange juice over rice. Arrange browned pork chops on rice. Pour chicken soup over all. Cover and bake at 375° F. for 40 minutes; remove cover and bake for additional 10 minutes.

To serve with grilled kabobs – Prepare rice according to directions above. Scoop a bed of prepared rice on serving platter. Garnish with mandarin orange segments. Lay kabobs atop rice.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

Since the clocks rolled back, our dog has been getting us up an hour earlier each day. We love her dearly, but I’m going to have to teach her how to tell time. Anyway, I took advantage of that extra hour this weekend and rummaged through my recipe archives and came up with this “blast from the past” side dish casserole. This is definitely an “oldie but goodie.” I can’t remember exactly where I originally found it, most likely on the back of a box or can (where most of my older recipes came from). I can’t promise that this is going to make your kids fall in love with broccoli, but they’re less likely to protest at the dinner table with this recipe. This is so quick and easy, and can be put together right in the same casserole dish you bake it in; so, cleanup is a breeze! This is another one of those convenient, “I don’t have time to cook” recipes. Yes, this probably is the original Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole you remember from your childhood. (Ugh, my age is showing.)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Chop celery (3 or 4 stalks should equal 3/4 cup, approximate is fine). It gives the casserole a little crunch.

Melt butter.

Ready? Here’s the laborious procedure. In a casserole dish (2-1/2 to 3 quart should suffice), combine all ingredients except cheese. Stir to combine.

Cover and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bubbling around edges. Stir in cheese. Return to oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Whew! That was time-consuming.

CHEESY BROCCOLI RICE CASSEROLE
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small jar (8-ounces) Cheez Whiz
• 2 boxes (10-ounces each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well drained
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can cream of celery soup        
• 1 cup Minute Rice (uncooked)
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 stick (8 Tablespoons) butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In 2-1/2 to 3-quart casserole dish, combine all ingredients, except cheese. Stir well to combine.
3. Cover and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges.
4. Remove from oven. Stir in small jar of Cheez Whiz. Return to oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until
    cheese is fully melted.

Red Beans & Rice with Kielbasa

Nothing beats a one-pot meal. Not only is cleanup easier, but all the flavors meld together while simmering, creating one sensational dinner. In New Orleans, red beans & rice is a Monday tradition. Monday used to be the traditional “wash day,” so women were able to attend to their laundry while red beans cooked on the stove-top all day, seasoned with the leftover hambone from Sunday. Of course, Monday is no longer wash day and Sunday is no longer ham day; yet Monday still remains red beans & rice day in many homes & restaurants in New Orleans. This recipe doesn’t require cooking beans all day or serving ham the day before. It’s simple enough to prepare any night of the week and the addition of kielbasa, instead of Andouille sausage, makes it less spicy and more family-friendly. Despite its easier and more modern preparation, this one-pot wonder does not sacrifice on taste.

I prefer to use Emeril’s Essence (home-made) as a seasoning. I think it packs more of a punch than store bought Creole seasonings. If you’re concerned about the heat from the cayenne pepper, Emeril’s recipe for Baby Bam (a kid-friendly version), has a similar Creole blend of spices, but without the red pepper and makes a perfect substitution when less heat is desired. My pantry is literally full of home-made spice mixes. I just think they taste better. I put them in air-tight containers and label them with the date made, so I always have the spice blend I need, when I need it. (I've included both recipes below for your convenience.)

Chop the green pepper, onion and celery. Slice the kielbasa.

Add olive oil and butter to dutch oven, along with kielbasa slices. Cook over medium high heat until browned, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium and add chopped green pepper, onion and celery. Cook until vegetables are softened, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; scraping up browned bits from sausage when stirring.

 

Reduce heat to medium high. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a rapid boil.

Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Cornbread makes an excellent accompaniment to this “stove-top” casserole!

RED BEANS & RICE WITH KIELBASA
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 packages (about 13 ounces each) kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 small  onion, chopped              
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 can (14 ounces) dark red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (14 ounces) light red kidney beans, drained
• 32 ounces chicken stock (or broth)
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons Creole seasoning (preferably Emeril's Essence made from scratch)
• 2 teaspoons TABASCO® brand Original Red Sauce, or other Louisiana hot sauce
• 2 cups long grain converted rice, uncooked
• 2 small bay leaves

           
DIRECTIONS:

1. In dutch oven, add olive oil, butter and kielbasa slices. Cook over medium high heat until browned,
    stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add vegetables. Cook until vegetables are softened, 7 to 10 minutes,
    stirring occasionally (and scraping up browned bits from sausage).
3. Increase heat to medium high. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a rapid boil.
4. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until rice is done, about 30 minutes, or until liquid is
    absorbed.
5. Remove bay leaves before serving. Cornbread makes an excellent accompaniment to this "stove top"
    casserole.


 
EMERIL’S ESSENCE
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.




EMERIL’S BABY BAM
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 3 tablespoons paprika

DIRECTIONS:

Place all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Then store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Yield: About 3/4 cup