(Not So) Dirty Rice, and a GIVEAWAY!

CSN Stores has given me a $25 Gift Certificate to give to a lucky reader! Seriousely, if you can’t find something to buy over there, you never will!  They have over 200 online stores where you can find everything from cookware to cribs to dining room sets and dog beds.
To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment by midnight Wednesday August 18th. Winner will be announced on Friday morning. Just be sure to leave me your email address so I have a way to get it to you. Good luck! Now, on to the recipe!
 
This picture doesn’t do this rice dish justice. We really love it. I had wanted to try making dirty rice, but it usually contains ingredients I don’t usually use, so I made my own recipe up omiting them.. hence “Not So Dirty Rice”. I took some of the ideas from a few recipes and played around with it for a bit to get it just how we like it now. And if you like it spicier, you could add some chopped peppers as well.
 
(NOT SO) DIRTY RICE
Recipe by My Stained Apron
 
2 cups long grain white rice, cooked in chicken stock instead of water
(I use a rice cooker-use your favorite method)
1 cup chicken stock
1 T oil
1 pound Italian Sausage, mild or hot, we prefer mild
3 cloves minced garlic
1 large onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 T dried parsley or 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Dash Worcestershire sauce
 
In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the sausage.
Brown well, then add the garlic, onion, celery, and onion.  Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. 
Add chicken stock and Worcestershire, stir in and cook for a couple minutes.
Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
 
 

The Donut Nook – Reviewed

THE DONUT NOOK…donuts done right!

I recall going with my Dad to the Donut Nook when I was about 5 years old and helping pick which donuts to go in our box. The decor is still the same. There’s still that orange wallpaper, the old timers sitting around with their coffee and donuts, talking about life. And I love that it’s never changed.

I mean, ever. And I’m so glad.

My grandmother’s specialty was maple bars. Fresh made, with a warm maple icing. Those are good, but the Donut Nook…. well, they have Buttermilk Bars. My absolute FAVORITE donut in the entire world. 

Oh, and I can’t forget the toasted coconut donuts, made with either cake or raised donuts.

See how light they are?  Now, THAT’S a good donut.

You’re probably thinking, why not just go thru the drive thru at the big chain donut shop? What could possibly be so great about some old donut dump?

Because donuts made by a machine and donuts made by hand are no comparison. They are made fresh every day, by hand. And that’s a difference you can taste. And it’s not about all the funky trendy varieties they can do, it’s about doing something well, and doing it right. (All though, they do have plenty of variety)
Like… the Cherry Fritters…yum

And, seriously, you HAVE to have maple bars round here..

Donuts SHOULD taste like they are handmade. They should remind you of a time when more things were made by hand.

So the next time you pop out for a donut, take the extra seconds to try a REAL donut shop. And if you’re lucky and live in Vancouver, you get to go to the Donut Nook. Best at 5 years old, and at 30.

Autism rating: 5 stars

Very low key, no loud music, quick service.

Donut Nook is open:

Mon-Thurs 5:30 to 4:30

Fri 5:30 to 1:00

Sat-Sun 6:00 to 1:00

Donut Nook is located at
4403 NE St. Johns Road
Vancouver, WA 98661

Reviewed- The Ultimate Fish Sticks

I am not a big “fish stick” fan. Frozen minced remnants of once was part of a fish. (I assume). But my sister Christy recommended these, and she has pretty good food taste, especially being the world traveller and all, so I decided to give these a go.  Christy and I both love to cook, but we both can appreciate a quick dinner when needed. She works long hours at Nike and has 4 busy kids and a hubby to feed.  Since I go to Costco fairly often (you know, they have the best baby wipes around : ) Last time I was there I grabbed a bag.

At $12.99 for 4 lbs I think they’re very economical.  The bag contains 60 “fish sticks” made from whole fillets of Wild Alaska Pollock.
No Preservatives, No Artificial Ingredients, Minimally Processed as the bag states.
They bake up in 11-13 minutes.  We used them in our fish tacos and I was surprised by how much fish was there. They are definetely more like a lightly breaded piece of fish than a “fish stick”.
We also liked that there wasn’t any greasiness to them. So, YES I reccommed these go in your freezer for those crazy nights. I think next time we’ll try them with lemon wedges and some baked steak fries. Yum!



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...