The Simplest Side Dish You'll Ever Make... and One of the Tastiest

Two Ingredient Rice Au Gratin 

If you haven't figured out that quick and easy, yet homemade from real-food ingredients is the rule of the kitchen and cuisine here at Potluck Paradise headquarters, we've not been doing our job very well.  We'd almost always rather eat something we've made than pull a microwave dish from the freezer or even go out to eat. 

When we're in a hurry we take most of our inspiration from what's in the cupboard, freezer, or fridge and we frequently fall back on the time-tested dishes we've found in our research into foods prepared and loved in kitchens dating back to the 1820s. 

We fell in love with this two-ingredient dish from the wheat and potato saving days of World War I. Back then rice was an uncommon ingredient in Midwestern kitchens. The home economics faculty members at the University of Minnesota were charged with finding ways to help homemakers "win the war with food."  They published a number of recipes. This simple dish was among them. It has a feel of macaroni and cheese, without the bother of boiling the macaroni and cooking up the cheese-laden white sauce. 

It couldn't be easier. Leftover rice and grated cheese. And a microwave... or you could use the oven. 

Rice Au Gratin

1 cup leftover rice -- we like brown rice

2 ounces grated cheese -- we like cheddar cheese 

The key to success is to have the rice in a layer not more than an inch thick.  Pat into a lightly greased  microwave safe pan. Sprinkle with cheese and microwave on medium until the cheese melts. 

Easy to increase -- using 2 ounces of cheese for each cup of rice. 

Copyright 2015 Rae Katherine Eighmey. All rights reserved.

Hearty Cornmeal Waffles Stretch Leftovers Deliciously

Here at Potluck Paradise headquarters getting the most from our food dollars is an essential. Good use of leftovers is key to that success.  Now anyone can toss the bits of meat and vegetables into a sauce, add some noodles as the "fill them up" starch and a buttered crumb topping and... Ta-DA -- casserole that elevates the humblest bits into a casserole fit for tasty mealtime--call it a hot dish if you live in Minnesota--but that's a saga for another time.

We've learned, however, that families thrive on variety. And not all meats, especially those with a distinctively tasty sauce do well combined with cream sauce.  A childhood memory got us thinking about new ways to combine leftover meats and a tasty starch. When we were kids our mothers sometimes brought the waffle iron into the dining room. Set it up on a tv tray and made waffles to order for dinner. We ate them the standard way with maple syrup and butter. Looking back, I suspect we did it at the end of the month when money was tight.

Recently, waffles and fried chicken have become a popular food combination on food shows, restaurants, and even some fast food places.

Sorry, but those ordinary waffles don't stand up to the ones we make here in the Potluck Paradise kitchens. Since we discovered these hearty cornmeal waffles from World War I wheat-stretching days, they are the only kind we make for breakfast AND as a superb base for leftover barbecued chicken. They are leavened with sour milk and baking soda, creating a light, and yet sturdy, treat.

The hearty rice and cornmeal texture is the tasty counterpoint to savory toppings. We're suggesting leftover barbecued chicken here, but they work equally well with creamed chicken, vegetables in cheese sauce, or even pork or beef stew. The pockets nicely hold sauces in place so you get deliciousness in every bite. The platform really makes the leftover bits of meat or vegetables go a long way to satisfy a hungry family.

Oh, yes.  They are tasty for breakfast as well. We frequently make a double batch and freeze the waffle squares. They toast up perfectly in the toaster. Just put it on low and toast them twice flipping them over in between.

Tasty World War I Rice and Cornmeal Waffles 

1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cup milk
1 cup cooked rice, cooled -- we prefer brown rice or even wild rice. White rice will work, just don't use the instant kind
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat your waffle iron. Put the vinegar in a glass mixing cup and add milk to the one-cup mark. Stir and set aside for about five minutes as it sours. In a medium mixing bowl combine the rice, cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt if you are using it. Stir in the sour milk, mixing well to break up any lumps of rice. Stir in the melted butter and eggs. Cook waffles according to the directions of your waffle iron.

Makes about 6 4-inch "Belgian" waffle squares.

Copyright 2015 Rae Katherine Eighmey  All rights reserved

Spectacular Squash Stew

Winter has been back and forth a few times these recent Minnesota days. And with the quixotic temperatures our appetites here at Potluck Paradise headquarters have slipped into wanting something both hearty and light.

I stood there in the grocery store looking at the wide array of fish, fowl, and meats. None of them "fell into the cart" with menu in hand.  Suddenly I remembered a years-ago recipe for squash stew. I hadn't made it in years.  I did a quick U-turn and headed back to the vegetable section. Amazingly, I remembered most of the ingredients. What I didn't recall in time to purchase, I discovered I already had in my pantry once I pulled the yellowed file card from the recipe box. Okay, I did make a substitution. I only had one can of white beans, so I put in a can of black-eyed peas left over from our New Year's Lucky Food dinner.

The stew turned out so well, I know it won't be years before I make it again.

I made a couple of loaves World War I wheat-stingy bread it has cornmeal and oatmeal in addition to some wheat flour. A slice or two nicely sopped up the stew's delicious juices. A couple of pickles on the side.  Yum!

As the days have continued to alternate between snow and cold with wonderful, warm snow-melting sun, we've gotten into a vegetarian kick here at headquarters. Once we no longer have to climb over snowdrifts to get to the grill we'll probably cook up some burgers or chops. But for now, this lighter vegetarian fare is just right.

Sensational Squash Stew

1 large butternut squash peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, about 4 cups

2 cups unsalted vegetable or broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 large sweet onion, diced

1 tablespoon minced garlic, more or less to taste

2 green peppers, cut in 1-inch pieces

2 ribs celery cut in 1-inch slices

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

2 cans chopped tomatoes

2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon allspice

Combine the squash and broth in large saucepan and simmer over low heat until the squash is slightly cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes. Put the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion and sauté until it is just beginning to turn transparent. Add the garlic and green paper. Saute a few minutes longer. Stir in the tomato sauce, cover and reduce heat and cook for about 5 minutes. In a large slow cooker or stockpot combine the squash and broth, the contents of the frying pan and the remaining ingredients. Cook over very low heat until the flavors are combines, about a half hour on top of the stove, or longer in the slow cooker. Serve with brown rice or crusty bread and a salad. 

Copyright 2013 Rae Katherine Eighmey. All rights reserved.