Neal Bertrand - Rice Cooker Meals: Fast Home Cooking for Busy People

Rice Cooker Meals:
Fast Home Cooking for Busy People

Jambalayas
Casseroles
Seafood
Pastas
Yams
Soups
Potatoes
Cabbage
Rice Side Dishes by NEAL BERTRAND

We wish to thank: The wonderful Extension Home Economists withthe Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter: Mandy G. Armentor,Michelle B. Lemoine, Debbie Melvin, Adrienne Vidrine, PattyVidrine-Daigle, and Margaret Burlew. The many good cooks whose recipecontributions appear in this book; and all the cooks who tested ourrecipes. My son Steven Bertrand, who helpedkitchen-test and create recipes for the book, for his encouragementand motivation to complete this major project. Lisa Menard, for helping with the writing,cooking and giving much encouragement.

Doug Dugas, for a beautiful photograph forthe front cover. Sandra Day, for making the food smile for thecamera. * * * ~~~~~ * * * Smashwords Edition, RevisedJune 2011 This ebook is licensed foryour personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold orgiven away to other people. If you would like to share this bookwith another person, please purchase an additional copy for eachperson you share it with. If youre reading this book and did notpurchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then youshould return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thankyou for respecting the hard work of this author. Published by Neal Bertrand, Author andPublisher, at Smashwords Copyright 2008 by Cypress Cove Publishing.All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book orportions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, contactNeal Bertrand at Cypress Cove Publishing. Cypress Cove Publishing
P.O. Box 91626
Lafayette, Louisiana 70509-1626
(337) 224-6576. ISBN: 978-0-9705868-6-5 * * * ~~~~~ * * * About the front cover: This mouth-watering dish of Shrimp Fettuccineis one of many meals that can be made in your rice cooker.

Author, Executive Editor and Publisher, NealBertrand Front cover photography by Doug Dugas,Lafayette, Louisiana Shrimp Fettuccine food styling by Sandra Day,food stylist, Lafayette, Louisiana Edited by Robin L. Kline, RegisteredDietitian and Certified Culinary Professional; Savvy FoodCommunications, Des Moines, Iowa Book Design and production by Elizabeth Bell,eBelldesign, Lafayette, Louisiana Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

Whether youre a busy mom, a single dad, acollege student, an RV enthusiast, a tailgating-before-the-gamepartier, a senior citizen, or just someone who wants to cook aquick and easy meal that doesnt heat up your whole kitchen or useall your pots, Rice Cooker Meals: Fast Home Cooking for Busy Peopleis FOR YOU! Cooking healthy, nutritious, home-cookedmeals in our fast-paced society is becoming harder and harder todo. This book can put an end to your households fast-food-itisproblem. Rice Cooker Meals will quickly become the book that stayson the kitchen counter, not filed away on a shelf. Youll stay as cool as your kitchen does whenyou use these recipes. Youre not firing up your stove or oven.Youre not dirtying multiple pots and pans.

Youre just cookingworry-free, quick meals in record speed! A traditional home-cookedmeal all in one rice cooker. Get ready for a Kitchen Revolution!

What qualifies me to write a rice cookercookbook? Thats a good question! I am not a chef. I have no culinary training.I am not a Foodie, although I do like to eat. I have not cooked that much in my lifetime.Its not something that I would choose to do. I figure, why cook,when I can open up a can of whatever, nuke it in my microwave, andcarry on with my life? The alternative has always been to be stuckin front of a stove, watching the food so it doesnt burn, and soon. That just seemed to be a little harder than what I wanted todo.

Ive been cooking rice in a rice cooker sincethe 1970s. Thats simple. Then a few years ago I saw a recipe forjambalaya in a rice cooker and I said to myself, Whoa. I could dothat. So I did it, it came out great and I was so excited. Ifigured, this is a whole new mindset, now! I could even dothis! Cooking a delicious one-pot meal in a ricecooker in about 30 minutes, now thats more my speed.

Press thecook button and then go watch TV or a video, then eat in a halfhour. So I decided to come up with my own recipes.Meals that, in my opinion, really taste good. Meals that peoplewould actually want to eat. So I started on my cooking adventure. Ispent a ton of money on ingredients and several months ofexperimenting, cooking and re-cooking, getting the recipes justright. I picked ingredients and put them in certaincombinations that I thought would taste good, which would work okayand would make a flavorful meal.

So, what qualifies me to write a rice cookercookbook? Just that I did it myself, experimenting one meal at atime, with the help and encouragement of others, and with feedbackfrom many fine cooks in this State who tested my recipes andblessed me with their wonderful testimonials. If you see a recipe that you are thinkingabout passing up because it has too much seasoning or a seasoningyou should not have, use the type and amount you are comfortablewith. Youll notice throughout this book comments from folks whohave tried these recipes. Sometimes theyll give you an idea of howtheyve adjusted a recipe to suit their taste. You can do that,too. As you will notice, I am partial to certainingredients.

I like a flavorful meal. I apparently have a highertolerance for peppery items than some people. (I use TABASCO asdipping sauce for my grilled chicken.) But feel free to use thespices you want. Also, I dont care for mushrooms or cream ofmushroom soup. If you like them, feel free to add them. Thanks for trying my recipes.

Please send me comments or testimonials ofhow you like them. Neal Bertrand, Author and Publisher
Cypress Cove Publishing

Here are some true stories from real peopleto encourage you in using a rice cooker: A lady called to tell me how much it haschanged her life. She prepares ingredients for the meal ahead oftime and puts them in the refrigerator in the rice pot. When sheleaves from work the next day and is driving home, she calls heryoung son to plug in the cooker and press down the COOK button. Bythe time she gets home the meal is cooked and ready to eat. I was at a pharmacy recently where I sell mybook.

The manager was bragging on the book. A co-worker wasinquiring about the book and the manager responded, Oh girl, thisbook is the bomb. You need to get one. I bought one for me but mydaughter took it. So I need more to give away as gifts. called and told meher daughter won a 4-H cooking contest using our Red Beans &Rice recipe. called and told meher daughter won a 4-H cooking contest using our Red Beans &Rice recipe.

She was so excited! Now her daughter will be going onto the next level, either Regionals or State competition.Congratulations! A lady here in Lafayette shared her story.She works at a local bookstore that sells my book. On Labor Day2008 Hurricane Gustav paid a visit to our city with 85 mph gustsand literally blew down thousands of trees and knocked out ourelectricity for four miserable days. Luckily she had her owngenerator. She said because she had bought my cookbook she was ableto plug her rice cooker into her generator and have hot,home-cooked meals the whole time her power was out. That is sogreat to hear. Now if we can spread the word to others to help themin times of crisis like this, that they also can have rice cookermeals when their power is out.

All they need is a rice cooker andmy cookbook and a gas-powered generator. Sample Recipes

This meal is surprisingly good. This is thedish I cooked at the food demonstrations Ive done. All who havetasted this dish were very impressed, even the ones who said theydidnt care for black-eyed peas. 1 lb. (Browning optional) 1 (15.5-oz.) can black-eyed peas withjalapenos 1 (10.5-oz.) can beef broth 1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) uncooked medium orlong-grain white rice 1 stick butter, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 small bell pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped green onions Brown the sausage in skillet and drain excessgrease. (Browning optional) 1 (15.5-oz.) can black-eyed peas withjalapenos 1 (10.5-oz.) can beef broth 1 1/4 cups (10 oz.) uncooked medium orlong-grain white rice 1 stick butter, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 small bell pepper, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped green onions Brown the sausage in skillet and drain excessgrease.Next page