I used my rice cooker more than usual this harvest because one of our harvest helpers has celiac disease and is unable to tolerate wheat gluten. So whenever I thought of varying the menu with pasta, I used rice instead.
My rice cooker has a metal steamer to set on top of the rice bowl while the rice is cooking. I had never cooked vegetables in the rice bowl before I tried this recipe, but it turned out well.
This pilaf recipe is from the Cuisinart Instruction and Recipe Booklet. I substituted our homegrown red lentils.
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Brown rice and lentil pilaf
Makes six cups (1.5 L) or 12 servings.
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil 15 mL
1/4 cup chopped carrots 60 mL
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms 60 mL
1/4 cup chopped shallots 60 mL
11/3 cups long grain brown rice 325 mL
1/3 cup brown lentils 75 mL
1 teaspoon thyme 5 mL
21/4 cups chicken stock 560 mL
11/2 cups water 375 mL
1 teaspoon salt 5 mL
Place the rice cooking bowl in rice cooker. Add oil. Cover, turn on and let heat for one minute. Add carrots, mushrooms and shallots to rice cooker bowl and stir to coat with oil. Cover and cook for three minutes until rice cooker shuts off. Stir in rice, lentils and thyme. Add stock, water and salt. Stir, cover and turn on. Cooking time will be approximately 30 minutes. The rice cooker will then switch to warm. Let stand five to 10 minutes or longer on warm before serving. Fluff and transfer to a warm serving bowl.
We took many of our harvest meals to the field this year because we had more workers than usual. The following recipe works with a variety of beans.
Bean stew with dumplings
Dumplings:
1 cup shredded cheddar 250 mL
cheese
2/3 cup frozen (thawed) or 150 mL
canned (drained) whole kernel corn
1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese 125 mL
(drained)
1/3 cup bread crumbs 75 mL
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal 75 mL
1/4 cup fat-free cholesterol-free egg product or three egg whites 60 mL
Stew:
1 can (15-16 oz.) 425-500 g
great northern, cannellini or navy
beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz.) black 425 g
beans, rinsed and
drained
21/2-3 cups 625-750 mL
tomato sauce
1 medium red bell pepper,
chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 tablespoons 30 mL
fresh basil chopped (or 2-3 teaspoons
10-15 mL dried basil)
2 teaspoons olive 10 mL
or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 mL
Bring to boil, uncovered, all ingredients in the stew section in a large saucepan (use one that has a lid). Reduce heat to simmer.
While bringing stew to a boil, mix together all ingredients in dumpling section. Shape into 12 equal-size balls, using approximately two tablespoons (30 mL) for each.
Once the stew has reached a boil and has been reduced to simmer, carefully slide each ball onto the stew. Do not drop directly onto the stew. Rather, place one at a time onto a spoon and lower the spoon to the stew. Use another spoon to slide the ball onto the top of the stew. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes longer or until dumplings are firm.
I got this recipe from our daughter, Jaime, who uses many different beans and it always turns out.
Party time
To celebrate my September birthday, which fell on a Sunday after harvest this year, Don and I went for a drive, taking the scenic route on Highway 219 north, stopping briefly at the new casino at Dakota Dunes near Saskatoon.
The fall scenery was spectacular. I don’t know if I have ever seen the trees so beautiful. We went for supper and a movie, and also stopped at one of our favourite bookstores. One of the books I bought was Children’s
Parties by Sean Callery, published by Collins.
Halloween fun
I remember how much fun I had going to a Halloween house party when I was young and the scary games the parents had arranged for us. I remember using these same ideas when our three children were young; it was a lot of fun. Most kids enjoy Halloween and look forward to how they will dress for the event.
This author warned that some children can get spooked by the scary costumes, the dark and talk of ghosts, so keep the tone light and friendly.
With Halloween around the corner, perhaps these suggestions will help you plan a party.
- Invitations can be written in blood-red ink, with black bat stamps, stickers or plastic bugs that fall out of the envelope and surprise the recipient.
- Include a secret password the guests need to gain entry to the party.
- Make the setting spooky by dimming the lights, putting black paper over the windows and hanging plastic bats and woolen cobwebs from the doors.
- As people arrive, apply some glow-in-the-dark stickers to faces and clothing.
- If guests will receive prizes and party bags, items such as wands, snakes, licorice worms, false long fingernails, or a lucky rabbit’s foot are all appropriate.
Traditional Halloween games include
apple bobbing and eating a doughnut off a string. Other games include:
- Act out a gory story (for ages six and older). Put the children into groups of three with one being an adult. As the story is told, the children must perform the actions of their character as they are mentioned. The story reader can judge which group did the best acting.
- Frozen laugh or scream (for ages three and up). This is a lively game best played in a circle. Throw handkerchief, feather or toy in the air. The children have to laugh or scream constantly until it lands, then they have to freeze into silence. Anyone who makes a noise is out, until there is only one player left.
- Make a face (for ages four and up). This is a drawing activity. Everybody has a balloon and a felt tip pen. Each child draws the hair on the balloon, passes it on and draws the eyes on the next one, and the nose on the next, and so one. For older children, play the game blindfolded.
Halloween food
Sandwiches and cake can be dyed red, with added gore supplied by tomato ketchup. Wrap some ghoulish plastic figures in cling film and hide them in the cooked cake to give everybody a nasty shock. Be sure they are large enough not to choke anyone. Chopped up red Jell-O can be called blood and guts.
Dead man’s fingers: Baking a banana in its skin turns the skin black, and the flesh deliciously creamy. Open it up and serve with cream and sugar or chocolate chips and melted marshmallow.
Cut sliced potatoes or vegetables into Halloween shapes for dipping. Preheat the oven to 425 F (220 C). Choose large potatoes or other vegetables and then peel and cut into thick slices. Place in an oiled baking tray and bake for 30 minutes until browned, turning once.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
