You all know by now that I love muffins, but I bet you didn’t know how much I love Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  My sister is in town visiting and we were talking last night about what I should make this morning.  I was wavering between Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Zucchini Muffins.  She and I both love Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, but for some reason I was stuck on the idea of muffins for breakfast.  At some point she said I should just make Oatmeal Raisin Muffins and once the idea was planted in my head, I couldn’t stop thinking about how to make a muffin that tasted like my favorite cookie.

It’s not easy to make a muffin taste like a cookie.  I needed to find a way to make the muffins taste buttery like a cookie without using a ridiculous amount of butter (because at that point, why not just make cookies).  I decided that browning the butter might intensify the flavor enough to do the trick.  I also had to fiddle with the amount of salt and sugar until I had a muffin that was reminiscent of a salty sweet cookie without actually being as salty or sweet as a cookie.  The whole point of this effort was to end up with something to eat for breakfast that wasn’t quite as bad for me as a stack of oatmeal raisin cookies.

I made these muffins three times before I got the combination right.  The winning batch uses whole wheat flour and rolled oats, so you’ll at least get some fiber alongside your butter and sugar.  With a cup of brown sugar in the recipe, I won’t make any claims that these are healthy.  But like I said, I was just looking for something slightly healthier than a stack of cookies.  I think I accomplished that.

Now I’m packing up the rest of these muffins and we’re heading to the cabin for a few days.  I’ll be back Sunday night to answer any questions or e-mails.  Food Blog Friday will return next week.  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Muffins

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 cup rolled oats
2 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with paper cups.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Allow the butter to melt completely and then cook – the butter will foam and start to crackle.  Continue cooking, keeping a close eye on the pan, until the crackling subsides and little brown bits appear in the bottom of the pan when you swirl it.  Remove from heat as soon as the butter solids have browned and it smells rich and nutty.  Pour butter, including the browned bits, into a heat-proof bowl and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Whisk together until well combined then stir in oats.  In a separate bowl, whisk together browned butter, eggs, buttermilk, and brown sugar.  Stir in vanilla extract.  Add the butter mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon until just combined (make sure to scrape up all the flour from the bottom of the bowl).  Fold in raisins and nuts.

Using a standard-sized cookie scoop or a large spoon, divide batter between the 12 muffin cups (the cups should be mostly full).  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 – 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Related Recipes:

• Applesauce Spice Muffins
• Cherry Banana Muffins with White Chocolate Chips
• Nectarine Muffins
• Whole Grain Sour Cream Apple Muffins
• Peachy Banana Bran Muffins

Around the Web:

• Blueberry Oat Muffins from Family Style Food
• Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins from Baking Bites
• Blueberry Maple Oatmeal Muffins from Closet Cooking
• Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins from Tasty Kitchen
• Overnight Oatmeal Muffin Recipe from Whipped

This is a quick lunch I threw together from what I could find in my fridge and pantry today.  I wanted something to go with the leftover grilled steak and chicken I brought home from a family barbecue the other night and this delicious brown rice salad really fit the bill.

The salad works well as either a side dish or a light vegetarian main course for lunch.  Top with thinly sliced grilled chicken, steak, or tempeh and you have a hearty and delicious summer meal.  Feel free to play with ingredient amounts to suit your own taste.  I think it would be great topped with some sliced avocado and roasted pepitas.

Brown Rice Salad with Cumin and Lime Vinaigrette

1 small clove garlic, peeled and smashed
generous pinch of kosher salt
zest and juice of one lime (about 2 tablespoons of juice)
1 teaspoon ground cumin*
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cooked brown rice, cooled
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 T. chopped green chiles (I used canned)
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Put garlic clove and salt in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork to form a paste.  Add lime juice, zest, and cumin.  Whisk lime juice mixture together then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Taste, adjust salt as needed; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine brown rice, garbanzo beans, chopped green chiles, tomatoes, and cilantro.  Add dressing and toss gently to combine.  Can be served immediately.  If made ahead and refrigerated, allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Recipe notes: *Cumin is much more flavorful if you start with whole seeds, toast them, then grind them yourself.  I toasted one teaspoon of whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet just until fragrant then ground them into a powder using a clean coffee grinder.  If I would have had some on hand, I would have tossed a handful of roasted pepitas into the salad.

Related Recipes:

• How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice
• Cilantro Caesar Salad with Carne Asada
• Herbed Tuna Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
• Orange Cranberry Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese
• Rice Pilaf with Raisins and Pine Nuts
• Whole Wheat Green Orzo Salad

Around the Web:

• Wild Rice Salad from Simply Recipes
• Broccoli Rice Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
• Fresh Asparagus Rice Salad from Eating Out Loud
• Brown Rice Salad with Turkey, Red Cabbage and Pecans from Kalyn’s Kitchen
• Chicken and Wild Rice Salad from Culinary in the Country

My aunt, cousin, and I took an overnight trip to the coast last weekend that started with a day of wandering around beautiful Monterey and ended with a Mother’s Day 5K run through the artichoke fields of Castroville.  It was quite an adventure.

One of the many highlights of the trip was lunch at the adorable Red House Cafe in Pacific Grove where we sampled a variety of sandwiches and salads.  Our favorite was a lightly dressed orzo salad with fresh herbs – it was simple and delicious and I’ve been thinking about orzo ever since.  When I saw a bag of organic whole wheat orzo at Whole Foods yesterday I decided it was time to make an orzo salad of my own.

Whole Wheat Greek Orzo Salad
yield: approximately six servings

8 ounces whole wheat orzo pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 cup grape (or cherry) tomatoes, finely chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente.  Drain pasta through a sieve, rinse with cold water, then allow to drain well again.  In a large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Add remaining ingredients and toss well.  Season with salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Recipe notes:  You might try adding one or more of the following extra ingredients:  finely chopped red onion, red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, fresh chopped dill, or grated lemon zest.  These types of salads are endlessly adaptable – ingredient amounts can and should be changed to suit your own taste.  Taste, adjust, and enjoy!

Related Recipes:

• Tabbouleh with Persimmons and Almonds
• Tangerine and Jicama Salad with Garlic and Cilantro
• Cilantro Caesar Salad with Carne Asada
• Curry Artichoke Rice Salad
• Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Raisins
• Orange Cranberry Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese

Around the Web:

• Spinach and Orzo Salad from Simply Recipes
• Mediterranean Orzo Salad from Andrea’s Recipes
• Curried Orzo Chicken Salad from The Perfect Pantry
• Sesame Orzo Salad from Sarah’s Cucina Bella
• Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Dill, Feta, and Lemon from Whipped
• Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad from The Kitchen Sink

I was searching through old photos today and found these whole wheat blueberry muffins I made a while back.  Since I remember them tasting just as delicious as they look, I decided that they shouldn’t be kept hidden on my hard drive any longer.

The muffin recipe came from Elise at Simply Recipes and the only change I made was to use King Arthur’s White Whole Wheat Flour instead of all-purpose flour.  If you haven’t started baking with white whole wheat flour yet, now is the time to start!

The name “white whole wheat flour” might seem confusing since we are used to associating the term “white flour” with something that has had most of the nutrition processed and bleached right out of it.  But white whole wheat flour is a whole grain flour that has been milled from hard white spring wheat, rather than traditional red wheat.  It offers all the same nutritional benefits of traditional whole wheat, but has a milder flavor, lighter color, and finer grind, making it perfect for quick breads.

I happen to really enjoy the flavor of traditional whole wheat flour and still use it for yeast breads, but I find myself turning to white whole wheat for things like cookies, quick breads, pancakes, pizza dough, and even pie crusts.  It’s wonderful stuff!  And if you’re new to baking with whole wheat flour, white whole wheat might make for an easier transition – especially if you’re baking for picky eaters!

I haven’t tried any brands other than King Arthur Flour, but I know Trader Joe’s (who unfortunately stopped selling King Arthur) is now stocking their own brand of white whole wheat and Hodgson Mill is also producing a white whole wheat flour.  I’m sure there are even more brands out there now.

If you’d like to try experimenting with white whole wheat flour, I think a batch of muffins is a great place to start.  You can use it in any recipe, just replace the all-purpose or traditional whole wheat flour with an equal part of white whole wheat flour.

One thing to keep in mind:  while white whole wheat flour does bake up a bit lighter than traditional whole wheat, it is still a whole grain flour and will not perform exactly like the processed all-purpose version.  Your quick breads might not rise quite as high, and the crumb might be a bit more dense than in breads baked with all-purpose flour, but I really enjoy the flavor and texture of whole grain baked goods and think you will, too.

And really, who is going to say no to a blueberry muffin that looks like this?

If you’d like to try these blueberry muffins, head over to Simply Recipes and print the recipe.  Just don’t forget to use white whole wheat flour!

Related Recipes:

• Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins
• Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
• Whole Grain Sour Cream Blueberry Pancakes
• Whole Wheat Rosemary Pizza Dough
• Whole Wheat Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

Around the Web:

• The Bottom Line on White Whole Wheat Flour at Dani Spies
• White Whole Wheat Pizza Dough at 101 Cookbooks
• White Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls at Baking Bites
• White Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil at Kalyn’s Kitchen
• White Whole Wheat Carrot Cupcakes with Lemon Frosting at The Perfect Pantry

I know that not many people make popcorn the old-fashioned way anymore, even Kettle Corn can be made in the microwave these days.  But please, please give this stove top kettle corn a try.  It’s easy, and it seriously blows the microwave stuff out of the water.  Trust me.  Make this popcorn.

I made a discovery a couple years ago that I really have been meaning to tell you about.  Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t write about this before now.  But here it is:  instead of popping your corn in oil, use clarified butter or ghee.  While regular butter would burn if you tried to use it for popping corn, ghee has a much higher smoke point and works perfectly as long as you pop the corn over medium heat and watch it closely.

I love making Indian food, so I almost always have a container of ghee stashed in the pantry.  But for those of you who are new to using it, ghee is easy to find at ethnic markets or on the shelves of well-stocked supermarkets.  It’s also easy to make at home. If made properly, ghee can be stored at room temperature just like cooking oils.  But if storing at room temperature, be sure to keep moisture out of the container and never dip into it with a wet spoon, as moisture will cause the ghee to spoil.

The ghee in this recipe adds a richness to the sweet and salty kettle corn that just can’t be replicated using oil.  You can substitute oil for the ghee in this recipe and still end up with some tasty kettle corn, but I hope you’ll give my version a try at least once.

Kettle Corn

1/4 cup ghee*
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/4 cup sugar
fine grain sea salt

Heat ghee over medium heat until melted.  Add three popcorn kernels, cover with a lid and wait and listen until all three kernels have popped.  Add the rest of the popcorn kernels, shake to distribute then sprinkle sugar evenly over the kernels.  Cover with lid and listen for popping.  As soon as the kernels start to pop, shake pot gently back and forth over the burner, lifting it up and shaking from time to time, until the popping slows to every 2 to 3 seconds.  As soon as the popping slows, remove pan from heat and immediately dump kernels into a large bowl.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and toss with a wooden spoon.  Taste, and add more salt if desired.  Serve immediately.

*you may substitute vegetable oil for ghee, if desired.

Yield: approximately 4 servings

While some muffins are little more than cupcakes without the frosting, these hearty, flavorful, and nutritious whole grain apple muffins will help you power through your morning.

Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely a fan of cake-like muffins, but I think they generally make a better dessert than breakfast.  Made with whole wheat flour and heart-healthy oat bran, these muffins offer a bit more staying power than something you might pick up at a cafe on your way to work.

I made these using King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour, which I have found is great for quick breads.  But traditional whole wheat flour will work fine, and if you can find it, whole wheat pastry flour would be even better.  As always, you may substitute all-purpose flour for any portion of the whole wheat, although you’ll lose some of the nutritional value.

One of my favorite muffin tips is to use a mechanical ice cream scoop for portioning out the muffin batter, it’s quick, easy, and reduces the chance of dropping globs of batter all over the muffin tin and counter (although I still usually manage to do that).

I think these muffins make a great breakfast-on-the-go, but I also enjoy them as an afternoon snack.  They freeze well, and will defrost quickly at room temperature.  I hope you enjoy them!

Whole Grain Sour Cream Apple Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat bran
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup sour cream, at room temp.
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

1 granny smith apple (or your favorite type of baking apple), peeled and diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

cinnamon and sugar mixture (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, oil, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in apples, raisins, and nuts (if using).

5. Divide batter between the twelve muffin cups (a regular-sized ice cream scoop works well). Sprinkle tops of muffins with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar if desired.

6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Around the Web:

• Whole Wheat Apple Muffins from Smitten Kitchen
• Gluten-Free Apple Pear Muffins from Karina’s Kitchen
• Maple-Drizzled Apple Muffins from Recipe Girl
• Apple Cinnamon Crunch Muffins from Andrea’s Recipes
• Apple Muffins from Cooking for Seven

Click any of the photos above to be taken to the recipe.  Enjoy!

Oatmeal.  It’s not the most glamorous subject, is it?

I grew up eating oatmeal for breakfast on a fairly regular basis.  My Dad would often make it for us on cold, winter mornings before school.  Sometimes it would be plain and I would eat it with butter and a bit of brown sugar.  That wasn’t so bad.  Some mornings, he would add chopped dried apricots, my favorite way to eat oatmeal.  But more often than not, he would cook it with raisins.  Plump, rehydrated raisins.  Yuck!  While I now look back on those mornings with a certain fondness, I certainly wasn’t in love with oatmeal at the time!

I preferred things like my Mom’s french toast with butter and powdered sugar or my Dad’s soft-boiled eggs served over buttered toast.  And as far as hot cereals went, I loved the smooth and creamy bowls of ‘mush’ that I would eat at my Nana’s house (which I later found out was just boiled cornmeal).  Lumpy oatmeal with rehydrated, squishy raisins just wasn’t my idea of a wonderful breakfast in those days.

But tastes change and now I enjoy eating oatmeal for breakfast.  Even with raisins.  And no, I’m not talking about the little packets of overly-sweetened, artificially-flavored instant oatmeal.  I like the texture of old-fashioned rolled oats and, even more, steel cut oats.  When I have children, they’ll be eating oatmeal for breakfast, just like I did, squishy raisins and all!  By the way, do you know that it only takes five minutes to cook rolled oats?  Five minutes!  With all the varieties of ‘instant’ and ‘quick-cooking’ oatmeal available, you’d think that cooking the regular kind must take forever!  Wrong.

So now let me tell you a little more about my latest oatmeal love:  steel cut oats!  I like to think of steel cut oatmeal as ‘oatmeal for adults.’  Why?  Because it has a wonderful, chewy texture that I think is more appealing to me now than it would have been when I was a kid.  Steel cut oatmeal does take longer to cook, usually about 25 minutes.  But the great thing about steel cut oatmeal is that it can be made in advance because it reheats so well!

I like to make a large batch of it once a week, then divide it between individual plastic containers.  In the mornings I can pull out my little container of oatmeal, pour a little milk on it, and pop it in the microwave.  It’s my own version of instant oatmeal!  The steel cut oatmeal retains it’s chewy texture and you’d never guess it wasn’t fresh off the stove.  Have you ever tried reheating oatmeal made from rolled oats?  It turns into a gummy, gluey mess!

You see, I never have an appetite in the morning so I really have to force myself to eat breakfast.  Yes, I know that I just got through telling you that old-fashioned oatmeal only takes five minutes to cook. But when I don’t feel like eating anyway, I generally won’t put any effort into breakfast at all.  This is where my pre-cooked steel cut oats come in.  If all I have to do is take the container out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave, I’m much more likely to eat breakfast.  It’s even easier than pouring a bowl of cold cereal.  It’s true that I don’t ever want to eat breakfast in the morning, but my day sure goes a lot smoother when I do!

I first tried steel cut oats several years ago.  At the time, the only brand I knew was McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal.  It comes in a pretty metal can, is imported from Ireland, and is rather expensive!  I’ll admit that the reason I first bought it was because I wanted that beautiful black, white and gold can (to this day, I still use the can to store spare change). But it turned out that I really enjoyed the oatmeal inside the can, too!  Due to the price, steel cut oatmeal was a luxury rather than a regular part of my diet for a few years.  But when we moved to San Diego, I had access to several stores that sell steel cut oats in bulk, for a much better price.  And now, thankfully, steel cut oats are gaining in popularity and are therefore much easier to find in regular grocery stores.

With it’s recent surge in popularity, you might think that steel cut oats are a new superfood or are somehow much healthier than other types of oatmeal.  The truth is that old-fashioned rolled oats and steel cut oats basically have the same nutritional value.  They are both made from whole grain oat groats, they are just processed differently.  And yes, they are both extremely good for you (but you knew that already)!

When rolled oats are made, the oat groats are steamed and rolled flat under heavy metal rollers.  This process results in the familiar-looking flat, flaky oats.  Quick-cooking and instant oatmeal are processed even further and in some cases, some of the bran may be removed.  If you want to make sure you’re getting all the good stuff, buy old-fashioned rolled oats, remember they cook up in only five minutes!

So if rolled oats are actually rolled, can you guess what happens when steel cut oats are made?  That’s right, the oat groats are cut into small pieces rather than rolled.  Common sense argues that since these steel cut oats are processed even less than the rolled oats, they are probably a tiny bit healthier for us.  But both types of oats retain the bran and germ, and both types are still considered to be whole grain.  I prefer steel cut oats for the texture, but if they happen to retain a bit more nutrition due to the minimal processing, then that’s even better!

Steel cut oats may also be called Irish oats, Scotch oats or pinhead oats.  Keep an eye out for them in the cereal section of your supermarket or the bulk bins of your local health food store.  If you decide to buy it in bulk, here are some general cooking guidelines:

Steel Cut Oatmeal

For one serving:  1 1/2 cups water  and 1/4 cup oats
For four servings or more: Use 1 cup of water per 1/4 cup oats for each serving  (i.e. 4 cups water/1 cup oats for four servings)

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan (or large saucepan if making several servings at once).  Stir in oats and immediately reduce heat to low.  Watch carefully, because the water might foam up and boil over!  (If using an electric stove, and the water foams up before the burner cools down enough, briefly lift the pan off the heat and the foam will subside).  Simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes or until oats are of desired texture.

Notes: If making ahead with plans to reheat, I cook the oats for only 20-25 minutes. I like to add a tiny pinch of salt when I add the oats to the water, but this is entirely optional.  If you want to add dried fruit while the oatmeal is cooking, add a bit of extra water.  I like to cook 8 servings at a time:  I let the oatmeal cool slightly then divide into 8 small plastic containers, which can be refrigerated for up to one week.  To reheat, add a splash of milk or water, then microwave until heated through.  Stir and serve plain or with desired toppings.  I’m sure the oatmeal can also be frozen and reheated, but I haven’t tried that myself!

So what do you like to eat on your oatmeal?  My standard used to be a bit of milk, butter, and brown sugar.  But now I like to eat it with fresh berries or dried fruit and a small handful of chopped nuts.  Sometimes I cook the dried fruit with the oatmeal, sometimes I throw it in as I’m reheating it, or sometimes I just add it at the very end.  My favorite dried fruits are apricots, cherries, or cranberries. But this morning, I ate my oatmeal with nothing but a handful of plump, squishy raisins!

Whether you prefer steel cut or rolled oats, a bowl of warm oatmeal is a delicious, healthy and easy way to start the day.  Give it a try, your body will thank you!

You can learn more about the health benefits of eating oats at The World’s Healthiest Foods.

Around the Web:

• Steel Cut Oatmeal at Slashfood
• Steel Cut Oats at The Slow Cook
• Apple Spice and Cherry Pie Oats at Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
• Steel Cut Oatmeal with Caramelized Apples at Baking Bites

I love brown rice, but I have to tell you that more times than not, I am unhappy with the texture when I cook it at home.  I have no problem turning out batches of perfectly steamed white rice, whether it’s on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the rice cooker.  But up until yesterday, every method of cooking brown rice seemed to come up short.

After searching the Web for ‘Perfect Brown Rice,’ I found a wonderful little article at Saveur.com with a rice-making method that sounded like the perfect solution to my brown rice dilemma.  I tried it immediately with some Brown Basmati and turned out my very first batch of perfect brown rice! The rice was tender but certainly not mushy. And the grains were separate rather than being stuck together.

The only thing that bothered me was the fact that Saveur told me to use 12 cups of water for one cup of rice.  It just seemed wasteful.

So, I tried again, this time with short grain brown rice.  On my second attempt, I reduced the amount of water to four cups per cup of brown rice and the results were once again perfect!  So if you’ve ever had problems cooking brown rice or if you’re curious about switching to whole grain rice but aren’t sure the best way to prepare it, I really suggest giving this method a try!

And don’t forget to read the short article about cooking brown rice at Saveur!

Perfect Brown Rice

(adapted from Saveur)

brown rice (whichever type you prefer)
water – use at least four cups of water for every one cup of rice
salt – to taste

Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds, swirling the rice around with your hand.  Meanwhile, bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.  When water boils, add the rice, stir it once.  Turn heat to medium and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After 30 minutes, pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.  Let the rice drain for 10 seconds, then return it to the pot, off the heat.  Immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and set it aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes (if your pot lid isn’t extremely tight, place a piece of aluminum foil over pot then place the lid on top of foil for a tighter seal). After ten minutes, uncover rice, fluff with a fork, and season with salt to taste.

notes: *the original Saveur recipe instructs you to use 12 cups of water for one cup of rice. This seemed wasteful to me and after trying a few times, I decided that four cups of water for each cup of rice works perfectly fine. You can cook as much rice as you want, just try to stick to that general ratio.

This is what we ate for dinner tonight and it’s so good, I just had to share a photo and point you over to Elise’s wonderful Beef Stroganoff recipe at Simply Recipes. I’ve also been meaning to tell you how much my husband and I have been enjoying whole wheat egg noodles, and this is the perfect excuse to do so!

So far, the only brand I’ve tried is Ronzoni Healthy Harvest, but they are so good I haven’t wanted to try any other kind.  While this Beef Stroganoff recipe is far from healthy, at least we’re getting some extra fiber and protein from the egg noodles (twisted logic, I know). Each serving of the pasta contains 6 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein.  Not bad, huh?

Of course there are probably healthier ways to enjoy whole wheat egg noodles, but lately I just can’t stop craving comfort foods!  If you’re in the same boat, you can at least make small changes (like using whole grain pasta) to increase the nutritional value of these not-so-healthy meals.  I think I’ll use these whole wheat egg noodles the next time I make Tuna Noodle Casserole, too!  They really are good.

Now back to the Beef Stroganoff.  I followed Elise’s recipe to a T and it is absolutely delicious!  The fresh tarragon and fresh-grated nutmeg sets this Stroganoff apart from anything I’ve had before.  And I suggest using a nice cut of beef just like she suggests.  I found some tenderloin in the freezer (how on earth did I forget about that?) and it turned this into a special occasion-worthy dish.  What’s the special occasion?  Well, is it wrong to still be celebrating my birthday?

I’m kidding, I grudgingly gave up the birthday celebrating early Monday morning when Justin woke me up asking if I could help him get out the door on time by making him some coffee.  Oh well, the party can’t last forever!

But tonight, with this meal, it kind of feels like a party all over again.  I hope you get a chance to try the Stroganoff at least once this season, it’s the perfect thing to warm you up on these cool winter nights!

Get it here:  Beef Stroganoff Recipe at Simply Recipes.

I’ll be back with my own recipes soon.  Expect many more fattening recipes throughout December!