Product Review: Rice-A-Roni

 

Rice-A-Roni...it was introduced in 1958, do we really need to talk about it? Yes. Yes we do. 

I remember the commercial from many years ago, it was on tv a LOT. The San Francisco Treat. Yeah.

Well, it is good. It is one of the food items I don't mind eating cold from the fridge if there are leftovers. 

I don't know how many flavors there are now, but I still like the chicken flavor the most. Second is the "pilaf," if it is still out there. All flavors are made with the pilaf method, but ok, we'll let it slide. 

I mostly want to talk about prep. How do you make yours? Do you follow the instructions on the package to a T? Years ago I started subtracting water and now I only use 1 1/2 cups instead of the recommended...what is it? 2 1/4? No, no, no. That's way too much. It gets too big and "wormy." Stick with less water. It is so much better that way. 

So try it out. I am in south central Texas, so the right amount where you are might be different, depending on the region you live in. 

It's also a good idea to use a 10" pan to make it, rather than a 2 quart pot. 

2 Tbsps. of butter, yeah, it works. You can use oil too, really, but butter kinda hits the spot. Use unsalted though, since it already has a lot of sodium. 

A homemade version of this is actually pretty good too, but you know how it is with nostalgia flavors. Sometimes you just have to have the original. 

Bring it to a rolling boil before you cover an reduce heat. A rolling boil...not a simmer, not a barely boil. A ROLLING boil. 😆 Yes, one day I will get a camera and post an example of a rolling boil. 

Then when it's done, fluff it, and tilt your lid so steam can escape & it dries out a little more. Then it's munchie-munch heaven. 

Here's another tidbit...I used to get the family size sometimes when we needed extra, but I stopped doing that long ago. The balance of the flavor packet vs. the rice is not the same. I haven't tried it again in a while, but I'm betting it's still the same way now. Just splurge and get 2 regular size. This is not the only product where this issue happens, by the way. 

So far they haven't done anything with it to change it, because why mess with perfection? Each time a company starts monkeying around with a flavor, thinking it has to be "updated" or whatever, it's no good anymore. I have to cite Coke and Wolf Brand Hot Dog Sauce as examples. 

If it's good, leave it alone! At least the Rice-A-Roni folks make different flavors instead of ruining the original one. I give them 40 thumbs up for that! 😆

Recipe - Sausage Kolache or Klobasniki: I Don't Care, Just Give Them To Me!

 

I'm not going to "ding" anyone for not using the proper term for these lovelies: Klobasniki (Klobasnik or Klobasnek for singular). Growing up, we were very fortunate to have access to these very frequently, since my Czech grandmother was such a prolific baker. We knew the proper term but almost always called them "sausage kolache." (Kolach - singular; kolache - plural.) Did we call them kolaches too, instead of kolache? Yes we did. 😄

Anyway, I made a batch not long ago using Eckermann's Sausage (made in New Ulm, Texas), which has been my "go-to" for these for a very long time. Waak's used to be a favorite local sausage, but unfortunately they are not around anymore. 

You can use your favorite sausage for these though. They are just better if you get your sausage from a local purveyor who knows their way around a sausage, if you have one available. 

I cut the sausage into 8 pieces and then cut each piece in half. Initially I was going to make 8 big ones. I decided to go for a smaller size & try to get a better balance of sausage:dough. 

Instead of making dough balls, I rolled out the dough & used a standard size (household) biscuit cutter. But you can use whatever method you like. I did it this way and had some dough left over (which is always fun).

Ingredients:

3 to 3 1/2 c flour (dip, level, pour method)

1 large, room temp egg

1 c milk 

5 Tbsps. butter, melted

3 tsps. instant yeast

3-4 Tbsps. granulated sugar (I only used 3 for this batch - 1 to feed the yeast, and 2 for the dough)

1 tsp. salt (I used Kosher)

1/4 c plain potato flakes (or cook a small potato, mash, & use 1/4 c)

Method: 

You can also mix it in a stand mixer if you like, but I like making the dough with a "minimal kneading" method. 

It's no big secret. I just take advantage of the "autolyse method," where the flour & water are combined and allowed to autolyse before the other ingredients are added. I add all of the ingredients together and then "autolyse." I might get "dinged" for this by others, but I don't care. It works, and I have not had any issues doing it this way. I use the method for regular bread dough as well as kolache dough (with eggs). 

First this though: Always bloom your yeast! It doesn't matter if you're using Active Dry yeast or Instant yeast...always bloom/proof it! It serves more than one purpose. It ensures that your yeast is alive, and that it will dissolve completely into the rest of the ingredients. If you don't bloom it, you might end up with dry yeast granules in your recipe and that just sucks. 

So here's what I do:

Add 1/2 cup milk, yeast, and 1 Tbsp. of sugar together in a bowl. Mix & let rest until it blooms, 5 or 10 minutes. You should warm the milk first if it's straight from fridge. For this batch, I actually used 1/2 c filtered water (room temp) for this batch, and then 1/2 c milk later. You'll know your yeast is working when you get a nice spongy, foam on the surface. 

While you're waiting for the yeast, melt the butter & let it cool slightly. Crack the egg into a bowl & scramble it. 

After the yeast has bloomed, add the rest of the liquid (1/2 milk), the butter, and the egg. Add the flour, 2 Tbsps. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, and the potato flakes. Mix well with a spoon (or a Danish whisk, if you have one). If it seems a little dry, add 2 or 3 Tbsps. water. 

After everything is incorporated, cover and let the dough rest about 20 minutes, then do a series of folds 2 or 3 times. If you have a dough scraper, it makes that job easier. Just pull it up and over, rotate the bowl, pull up and over again, then rotate again, etc. 

Cover & let rest another 20 minutes or so. 

Do a series of folds again. 

Cover and let rest another 20 minutes. 

Do another series of folds. By this time the dough should be just about ready. 

It won't be very sticky & you can handle it without using flour on your hands. If that's the case, then it is ready. Sprinkle a little flour on the board or whatever surface you're using to work with the dough. 

Knead it 2 or 3 times & shape it into a ball. Let it rest 10-15 minutes, then you can roll it out for your cutter or cut it into smaller pieces and roll those into balls.  

I really need to get a decent camera so I can shoot a video of the process. It is a lot easier than trying to explain it. 

This was my result. Now...you can use more dough if you like, but frankly, I like mine with very little dough. They aren't as pretty and round, but the balance is a lot better. More even as far as sausage bite to dough amount. My grandma used to peel the sausage and they are good like that too, but it is more work. 

Now, if I could just get the oven to behave, we'll be in great shape! One of the elements sometimes flakes out on us. Which isn't bad for some dishes that can be rescued, but can pose problems for bread dough or cakes.

Any questions about the recipe...just shoot me line! Happy Eating!

Kolache with Monkfruit - A Successful Experiment

 

I finally got around to making some kolache with monk fruit and I am satisfied with this first round of testing. 😆

I have used monk fruit in the past but never with yeasted dough. No adverse affects, at least not with this batch. I'll be doing more testing soon. 

The posipka was also made with the monkfruit, and while initially there was a bit of a cooling feeling on the tongue, (from the sugar alcohol that is combined with the monkfruit), after baking, this was not an issue. 

I just have to note that the cherry filling had 1-2 tsps. of sugar because I already had it on hand for another project. The monkfruit won't be a problem as a sweetener for cherries, so I'm not worried about it. 

Here we have "almost" no added sugar. 😆

So...until the next time we meet on Kolache Avenue...happy eating! 😉

Product Review: Costco's Kirkland Organic Mixed Vegetables

 

Costco's Kirkland Organic Mixed Vegetables, (Pictured above with country fried steak and mashed potatoes & gravy), are a cut above the other mixed vegetable options on the market. I have no complaints about this product at all. 

It's a well-balanced mix of green beans, green peas, corn, and carrots. It's good as a side dish, but you can also use it in other dishes like soups or homemade pot pies.

I was never a big fan of mixed vegetables in the past. Costco changed my mind, but now I only want to use their veggie mix. I just can't buy any other brand now. 

Costco: Don't change a thing with these, please! 

My favorite way to make these is to cook them longer than recommended on the package, then drain completely and add a tiny bit of butter plus S&P to your taste. Delicious! 

Kitchen Tip: Sauté Safety - Help Prevent Burns & Flare-ups

This easy tip is actually a tip...or a tilt, if you prefer. When you are frying or sautéing, tilt the pan and let the oil run to the other side when it's time to flip your food. This helps prevent splatter all on the stove and yourself. Especially handy if you are using a spatula to flip, but it also helps for tong or fork flipping.

If you already use this method: Hooray! If not, then give it a shot. Avoiding possible blisters & a messy cooktop that takes extra time to clean are the two best reasons.  

The tenderized steak in the pic above turned into a country fried steak meal with gravy, taters, and Costco mixed veggies. Yum!