Recipes

I am in love with our rice maker. I mean, it is a love affair.

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It’s kind of like a Crock Pot for Chinese people. And I’ve only touched the top of the iceberg regarding it’s capabilities. Would you believe I’ve even baked a cake in the slow cooker? You can get that recipe here.

I ran across the recipe originally titled “Rice Cooker Mushroom Risotto.” It’s really a pilaf, but believe it or not, the rice comes out with a creaminess that you typically find with a risotto. But this is WAY faster. And just lick-the-bowl yummy and comforting.

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This whole recipe is a shortcut. So…that’s it.

This salad is so filling and so comforting. And of course, you all know, I err on the side of lots of kale. You can vary this recipe based on what’s in your fridge and what you’re feeling like that day. Experiment with different veggies, different dressings, etc. I like to eat this salad room temperature or even a little warm, but of course, that’s your preference.

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This recipe calls for you to blanch the kale, but I prefer a quick stir fry. Really, it only takes 30 seconds with a little oil and a really hot wok. It’s super fast and then your kale isn’t weighted down with water.

OK, I haven’t *actually* tried this one yet, but it looks so good. I’ll write a review once I’ve had a chance to try it.

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OK, you can all give me the stink eye. I love Kale. LOVE. I eat it any which way. Raw, braised, stir-fried and blanched. Blended up in smoothies. Soups. Whatever. My husband thinks it’s so bizarre and it’s totally ok if you agree with him.

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But I will not back down from my love affair. It’s partly his fault. Let me explain.

In our small AZ garden (a triumph in this desert environment), we have notice that we can grow kale. All through the fall, winter and spring and even into June. Any vegetable that can brave this desert environment deserves our respect. Let us take a moment of silence for the mighty kale.

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Again, I will defend the hearty iron-filled green until the bitter end. Bitter. See what I did there? But this post isn’t about me. It’s about you. This recipe is for all those who know kale is good for you but don’t necessarily love to eat it.

The hearty kale stands up so well to the strong flavors of tomato and bacon. And the macaroni as a filler… you just want to gobble it down and keep coming back for more. It gets a solid thumbs up from my non-salad-loving husband and even the boys eat it.

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Instead of mixing all of the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl, I just dump them all into the actual salad. It works. Saves a bowl, saves your hands with scrubbing dishes.

Dave and I like this salad so much that we named our dog after it. Just kidding. Not really. Yep, his name is Stetson and I’m pretty sure it had something to do with the naming of our dog.

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It was invented by one of our favorite restaurants, “Cowboy Ciao.” I could eat this every. single. night. And even Dave, who doesn’t normally love salads, thinks this is great as an entree.

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Mix up Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning with some buttermilk and throw in pesto. Bam. You have a faster dressing. Also, arranging things into neat rows is really pretty, but not efficient. I often just dump all the wet ingredients in a bowl, put the dry ingredients on top, throw in the salad dressing and toss right before it’s served. Got that? Dump, put, throw and toss. You get a workout even before you eat this salad.