The Other Woman Cooks

The rocky economy of contract negotiations and lay offs at the factory where my dad worked sent my mom back to the job market when I was a toddler. The truth is that my mother's feminism was borne more of necessity than her desire to be independent. One dish dinners were the way to go and one of my favorites was chicken and rice. Okay, so I am guilty of being a little snobby about recipes that start with a can of soup. But I loved that casserole and so came up with an alternative that has a little more sophisticated flavor but still satisfies the comfort food zone. There's a song lyric Farmer Paul and I sang to our sons when they were young, "Chicken is nice with palm butter and rice." It's a fun song, one of those catchy tunes kids like and laugh at. There's no butter in my recipe. I tend to substitute olive oil every chance I get.  I'm willing to bet folk singer Dave Van Ronk would have enjoyed this casserole just the same! CHICKEN & RICE 4 b...

Arborio is fat, starchy rice that makes for creamy, cheesy risotto. Though lesser known for use in desserts, it makes an amazing version of an all time favorite comfort food; rice pudding. My natural inclination is to throw in the traditional handful of raisins. Chopped dried apricots make a nice substitution. Suggestion: if the apricot option appeals, use lemon zest rather than orange. I love any and all rice pudding ... but take it from me, hands down the sinfully rich arborio sends me over the moon. OVER THE MOON RICE PUDDING 1 cup water dash of salt 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/2 cup Arborio rice 2 cups 2% milk 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract dash of ground cinnamon (Ceylon is preferred) 1/8 teaspoon orange zest 1/4 cup brown raisins (optional) Whipped cream, for serving Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice, return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to the medium-low. Shake the pan occasionally and cook...

Risotto is great comfort-food and an easier than you think way to wow family and friends. With a side salad and fresh fruit it makes a low calorie, high energy dinner. Fill a flute with sparkling water garnished with a few raspberries for an elegant holiday table. Not to mention, risotto is a satisfying and filling main dish to feed your vegetarian dinner guests without meat-eaters feeling like something's missing. Just be sure to use vegetable broth rather than chicken broth. MUSHROOM RISOTTO 3 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth 2 tsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 1 cup Arborio rice 1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup fresh arugula, chopped Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Sauté garlic until softened and fragrant. Sprinkle dried herbs and pepper. Add sherry and simmer gently 2-3 minutes before adding rice....

Lots of meals call for rice as a side instead of potatoes. Braised lamb in stewed tomatoes is great with white rice. Plum chicken and pea pods is another better with rice dish. There's always leftover rice.  Even Chinese take-out always come with too much white rice, but not quite enough to save for another day. Here's an easy and yummy solution for leftover rice.  RUM RAISIN RICE CUSTARD   2 cups scalded milk 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 c. sugar  Dash salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 cup raisins or zante currants 1/4 cup rum or brandy 3/4 cup cooked white rice Heat rum and 1/2 cup water to just below boiling. Remove from heat and soak raisins for an hour while making custard. Whisk together eggs, sugar and salt in a medium size metal bowl. Bring milk to scalding in a very heavy medium pan. Pour scalded milk over egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour mixture back into the heavy pan and cook over medium low heat until custard thickens, stirring constantly. It will take about 10-...