Rice Pudding and Rhubarb Sauce - Trying new things..

I didn't think I liked rice pudding. Rice pudding seemed like such a bland, old fashion dessert. I usually prefer cakes and pies and fruit cobblers. But this recipe is wonderful! The secret? Arborio rice! Another Chef Alli recipe done in the electric pressure cooker.
Arborio rice is an Italian short-grain rice. It is also grown in Arkansas, California, and Missouri in the U.S., but the package I got said "product of Italy". When cooked, the rounded grains are firm, and creamy and chewy compared to other rices, due to their higher starch content. The higher starch content and slow cooking create a very creamy dish. It is also used in the preparation of risotto.
Our favorite topping for the pudding was the Easy Rhubarb Sauce that I've included the recipe for. I originally made this sauce as ice cream topping to take to a gathering of friends. I don't have a photo, but someone asked if I'd brought salsa for topping, so that is what it looks like!

EPC Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

I cup Arborio rice (only this type!)

1 ½ cups water

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

½ cup sugar

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ cup raisins or golden raisins

Directions:

In electric pressure cooking pot, combine rice, water, and salt. Lock the lid in place and select High Pressure for 3 minutes. When times sounds, unplug EPC (so pudding won’t scorch on the bottom) and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, release any remaining pressure in EPC with a quick pressure release. 

Add 1 cup whipping cream and ½ cup milk and sugar to rice in EPC pot; stir to combine. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs with remaining ½ cup milk and vanilla. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into EPC pot. Select sauté and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; turn off the EPC and remove pot; stir in raisins. 

Rice pudding will thicken as it cools. Serve warm or pour into serving dishes and chill. Serve topped with whipped cream, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. 

The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it cools. Stir in additional milk or cream until your desired consistency is achieved. 

We loved it warm soon after it was made. But it was also good cold, or warmed in the MWO. We served it by itself or topped with rhubarb sauce. 

Easy Rhubarb Sauce

Ingredients:

⅓cup sugar

¼ cup water 

2 ¼ cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Add rhubarb; cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon peel and nutmeg. 

Puree mixture in a blender or with a submersion blender to make a smoother texture. 

Serve warm or chilled over pound cake, ice cream, or pudding. Refrigerate leftovers. 

EPC Easy Mac and Cheese

I keep finding new recipes and ways to use my Electric Pressure Cooker - also known as "InstaPot". After a great session yesterday by Chef Alli at our county Women in Ag Day, I'm inspired again. As Alli told us, we have to leave the EPC on the counter! Don't let it go to the storage room or pantry - otherwise known as the 'appliance graveyard'. If it is out where you see it you will be more likely to think of using it. 
I've found the EPC the best way to cook many cuts of meat. We still do the ribeyes and t-bones on the broiler or grill of course, and hamburger browns easily in the skillet (although I think you can brown ground beef in the pressure cooker). But for roasts and big hunks of meat (HOM) the pressure cooker is the way to go. Quick, tender, and easy prep. But aside from meats, its also fun to find sides and even desserts for the PC. 


I made this Mac and Cheese today for a club covered dish lunch and it is very tasty. I don't think I would have tried the recipe from reading the ingredients, but seeing Chef Alli do it and tasting her results was the test, and it passed with A+. Cheddar Cheese Soup? Well, I've had a can in the pantry for a couple of years I wondered what to use it with! Egg mixed in sour cream? Alli assured us that this would be safely cooked in the hot mixture of macaroni and I tested it with a food thermometer. It did reach 190 degrees, recommended safe temperature for a cooked egg is 160 degrees, OK.  I think you'll agree with me that all these unusual ingredients combine for a very tasty mac and cheese.  

CHEF ALLI'S ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER MAC AND CHEESE

Ingredients:

3 cups elbow macaroni (or your favorite pasta)

3 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. dry mustard (or spicy brown mustard)

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

1 can Campbell’s Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup (10 ¾ oz)

1 egg beaten with ½ cup sour cream

1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

Directions:

1.  Bring the chicken broth to a boil in the pressure cooker (manual setting). 

2.  Add the macaroni, give it a quick stir and lock the lid in place. Choose high setting for 6 minutes. (if using a larger pasta in place of elbow macaroni pasta, set the timer for 7 minutes). 

3.  When the timer sounds, perform a Quick Release to remove all pressure from EPC. 

4.  Stir in sour cream/egg mixture, mustard, shredded cheese, soup, and Rotel; combine well. 

You can continue to keep the mac & cheese warm in the EPC on the warm setting until serving. 

Butterscotch Cowboy Cookies

Chewy, moist, sweet, crunchy. I have a new favorite cookie recipe!
I've used the same chocolate chip/oatmeal cookie recipe for years. Thinking it couldn't be beat. The addition of a pudding mix made a good flavor that can be changed with the seasons and kept the cookies soft. Then I tried a new recipe from Chef Alli. I've made this twice in the last two weeks and the family loves them. The original recipe calls for crushed corn flakes but I used Rice Krispies. Left from plans to make lots of Rice Krispy bars I guess. They add just the right crunch. My fresh pecans from southeast Kansas add a good flavor also.

BUTTERSCOTCH COWBOY COOKIES        

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 cups oatmeal

2 cups butterscotch morsels

2 cups sort-of-crushed corn flakes

   or rice krispies

1 cup toasted chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugars until well blended; add eggs, beating in one at a time. Add vanilla and water. In a separate bowl, combine flour with soda, baking powder and salt; add dry ingredients to butter mixture and combine well. Add oatmeal, morsels, corn flakes and pecans and mix again until well combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place heaping spoonsful of cookie dough approx. 2” apart, into a greased parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten each mound of cookie dough slightly, using a fork, than bake, uncovered, for 10-11 minutes or until golden brown and slightly set at center when lightly touched. Let cookies set in baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Makes approx. 30 large cookies.

Cooking the PC Way

The new trend in food preparation is PC - not 'politically correct' or 'personal computer' - but Pressure Cooking, specifically with an Electric Pressure Cooker. I bought one of these new appliances last winter but hadn't been too adventurous with it. After a couple of classes with Chef Alli, I'm trying lots of new recipes beyond my weekly prep of steel cut oats.
The electric pressure cooker is not your grandmother's pressure cooker! No need to clear the kitchen for fear of an explosion or to do guess work for the time and pressure. The electric pressure cooker does cook with pressure and steam within a sealed pot which allows the food to get hotter than the normal boiling point and to cook faster. Most foods cook three to ten times faster than conventional cooking.
That said, the time factor can be misleading. Times given in instructions and recipes may not allow for the time it takes for the cooker to build pressure before cooking time starts, or for the time to allow for a natural release of pressure (if used instead of a quick release).
It is safe and easy to use. The simplest have high and low pressure selections. Others may have selections for various types of food. The timing is preset but can be adjusted.

Here's the soup I served with sandwiches for the family after a long day of travel and moving work. I had prepared the ingredients ahead of time so it all went into the pressure cooker pot and cooked very quickly.

SPICED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

 1 Tbs. curry powder

¼ tsp. five spice powder*

¼ tsp. cinnamon

2 ½ - 3 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, cut in half, seeds removed, and flesh cut into chunks**

1 yellow onion, diced

2 Granny Smith apples, cored, seeded, and diced

3 carrots, chunked

2 Tbs. packed dark brown sugar

1 Tbs. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 bay leaf (optional – I left this out so I didn’t have to fish it out later!)

1-2 tsp. freshly grated ginger root

3 garlic cloves, smashed and minced

zest and juice of 1 orange

1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

sour cream, for garnish

pepitas (or sunflower seeds), for garnish

*Don’t have 5-Spice powder in your cupboard? I didn’t either. Here’s a substitution recipe: 3 Tbs. cinnamon, 6 star anise or 2 tsp. anise seeds, 1 ½ tsp. fennel seeds, 1 ½ tsp. whole black peppercorns, ¾ tsp. ground cloves. Combine in a coffee or spice grinder.

**Choose a butternut squash with a long neck. The seeds are in the bowl of the squash and the neck will be all usable vegetable. Cut off the ends of the squash and prick all over with a fork. Microwave for 3 minutes 30 seconds to soften it for easier peeling and cutting. Peel, cut open and remove seeds from large part at bottom with a spoon. 

Place all ingredients except garnishes into pressure cooker pot; lock lid into place and choose high setting for 20 minutes. When times goes off, perform a quick release to remove all pressure from pressure cooker; remove lid and let soup cool slightly. Use immersion blender to puree soup; or process soup, working in batches, in food processor until smooth. Garnish and serve. 

Slow Cooker Method:

Place all ingredients except garnishes into greased slow cooker; cook on the lowest heat setting for 6-7 hours or on high heat setting for 3-4 hours. (Vegetables are done when they are very fork-tender.) Use immersion blender to puree soup; or process soup, working in batches, in food processor until smooth. Serve soup garnished with sour cream and pepitas or sunflower seeds.

And about those Steel Cut Oats - I make a week's work on Monday and stack the bowls in the refrigerator for a quick breakfast. Into the pressure cooker pot (I spray the pot with oil first), put 1 cup dry steel cut oats and add 3 1/2 cups liquid. Most PC recipes call for water, I think oats made with water are not too tasty. Because dairy products tend to be 'iffy' in the PC, I use about 3 parts milk and 1 part water. That seems to keep the milk from overheating too much but still has a rich flavor. Stir to combine the liquid and oats a little, seal the lid and set the timer for 6 minutes on high. I let the pressure release naturally after cooking and this allows more time for absorbing the liquid and softening the oats. For my breakfasts, I divide the oats between 5-6 bowls, sprinkle with brown sugar, dried cranberries and sliced almonds. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Easy breakfast! 

Shredded Beef - Freezer Meal

Many of the many freezer meals prepared at the Kansas Farm
Bureau "Train the Trainer" session. 

Freezer meals are a popular food concept  now. The idea of quick weeknight meals after a few hours of prep ahead on the weekend makes sense. Even though I have more week day time for food prep now, I'm enjoying the convenience of having a supply of freezer meals for quick preparations.  

 

Recently I attended a session by Chef Alli on Freezer Meals. Sponsored by Kansas Farm Bureau, and called Train the Trainer, it was aimed to Family and Consumer Sciences teachers and Extension agents as well as involved community members or County Farm Bureau board members. Our Greenwood County group was the high school FACS teacher, the K-State Research and Extension county FCS agent, our Farm Bureau county coordinator and myself. We had a great time learning more about telling the agriculture story, how the food produced in Kansas is viewed around the world, and hearing from some women ag producers who do a good job of telling their story. The afternoon with Chef Alli was a hands-on demonstration of how to share the story of ag products through food preparation. 

Our Greenwood County crew

Each group prepared 4 of the provided 10 meal packages and each person had 4 meals to take home. The preparation method uses lots of plastic bags to contain the ingredients for freezing, but I think at home some freezer-oven cookware could also be used. Here's one of the recipes our family enjoyed. It made a very tender and tasty beef roast with ingredients I usually have. Using the slow cooker made it especially simple. I cooked the meat all day Saturday, shredded it in the late afternoon and prepared the sandwiches on Sunday. I'll do this recipe again even without the freezer assembly. 

Our preparation at home, hamburger buns instead of
hoagies, with BBQ sauce, onions, beef and cheese. 

Lazy-Butt Pepperoncini Beef Subs

Freezer Prep:

1. Add the following ingredients to a gallon bag and massage to combine:

            4 cloves peeled garlic

            2 cups pepperoncini with juice

2. Add 1 chuck roast (3-4 pounds) to prepared ingredients in gallon bag, then massage bag to combine ingredients with roast; seal bag.

3. Cut 6 slices provolone cheese in half to make 12 elongated pieces, then place into a new quart bag; seal bag, then attach cooking directions label

4. Place both bags of ingredients into new gallon bag and seal.

The prep is simple. Thaw in refrigerator 1-2 days before cooking.

For these beef subs you will need to purchase hoagie buns and make Caramelized Onions (recipe below).

 Place roast and contents of bag into a greased slow cooker; cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 7-8 hours, or until beef shreds easily with a fork and is very fork-tender. Brush hoagie buns with olive oil and place onto a baking sheet; bake in preheated 375 degree oven for a few minutes until toasted. Dress buns with a bit of bbq sauce; top with caramelized onions (recipe below), warm shredded beef, and provided provolone slices. Pop subs into a very hot oven for just a few minutes until cheese melts. Serve at once! 

Caramelized Onions

Thinly slice 2-3 pounds yellow onions. In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2-3 Tbs. canola oil over medium high heat; add onions to pan and sauté, stirring, until onions begin to soften. Reduce heat to medium low; add a splash of white wine, a splash of good balsamic vinegar, and 1-2 Tbs. dark brown sugar. Cover pan and cook low and slow until onions are a deep golden brown in color, stirring often. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Good served with baked beans and coleslaw 

Jan’s Note: I reduced the amount of onions to what would be needed for one meal for our family (6 sandwiches) and used 3 large onions. Then as the remaining meat was used for sandwiches, I caramelized more onions as needed.