Menu Monday- Batch Cooking-Oven Steamed Rice

Welcome to the blog today is Menu Monday the day that I share my plans for meals this week

And today I'm sharing a batch cooking post how I cook perfect oven steamed rice so after the menus check out Perfect Oven Steamed Rice

I usually plan my Menu on Saturday when I am writing my Happy Homemaker post.  Sometimes by Monday I've changed my mind. LOL.  Or I look in the freezer I see I didn't have what I thought I had.  Or more often than not I am bored and decided that what I chose was boring. 
Or well it all goes to _____________ in a hand basket.  

Hmm Do you know where that saying came from?

Monday Chicken Alfredo with 3 Cheese Ravioli, Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread  Well I ended up cooking the Alfredo on Sunday nights.  So now what am I going to cook tonight?  

Monday Kielbasa, Mustard Greens, Fried Potato's oh yum my mouth is watering thinking about those Potato's Chorizo Corn Bread

Tuesday in that rut again can't get away from Taco's!

Wednesday Pan Seared Pollock, Oven Roasted Potato's, a cup of Gumbo

Thursday Swiss Enchilada's an old family recipe.  The Cowboy made in Home Ec. back in the day.  I'll add some fresh veggies and a Salad

Friday Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad and Bread  I got some Italian Sausage at the new grocery.  I will be 'Batch Cooking' some Meatballs. 

So that is my Menu in all is boring glory.  Maybe I need to 

lurk around your blogs and borrow your menus!  

Leave me a comment and invite to your blog!

And now 

Perfect Oven Steamed Rice

I prefer Minute Rice

But I really can't afford it

We eat alot of Rice

I grew up eating Minute Rice.  I have no idea how my mother afforded it.  I suspect things are just more expensive now!  

I don't know why my mother never cooked Regular Rice.  

She had a gas stove.  I don't know if that was the deal or not.

I suspect that when Minute Rice came out she was hooked!

My M.I.L. cooked Success Rice and she had a gas stove. 

Hmm.

O.K. so here's how I do it . . . 

Pre-heat over to 350

I use this pot.  It is stainless steel and big.  If you look close you can see a little oil in the bottom.  I re-use oil that I've fried chips or potato's in . . . 

You don't want to brown it.  Just put in and turn burner on then add the Rice . . .

 

I either add 1 cup or Rice for me and Cowboy or 2 cups if I am cooking a batch for the dogs 

1 palm of Salt for 1 cup.  2 for 2 cups Rice drop on top of the Rice and stir in. 

I use this measuring cup and fill about a half an inch above the 2 cup measure.  For 1 cup Rice you use 2 cups plus the 1/ 2 inch. 
For 2 cups Rice you fill twice making 4 cups plus the 1/2 inch.
Set aside. 

No we will slightly Brown (term) the Rice.  We are not really wanting a Brown color only toasting it.  Now stir and stir and stir.
I spread the Rice around the pan and stir, keep spreading and moving the Rice around.  When all the kernals have Oil on them and are toasted add the water.  The pan should be really hot and steam and sizzle.  Kind of like when you Stir Fry when you add the water. 

Now turn up the burner and wait till it boils

You don't need a rolling boiling just a good beginning with a bunch of bubbles.   Once it's bubbling good then put on a lid and put in oven.  Turn the oven down to 300 and cook for 20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes it should be perfect.  If you still see a little water put on the back burner that has the option to get heat from the oven and let it sit there for awhile.  Turn off the oven. 

Perfect Steamed Rice!

Your dogs and your husband will love it!

Leave me a comment and let me know if you try my method!

Thanks for stopping in!

I am linking with my regular parties some of the buttons 

may be on the bottom of the page

Over here at Penny's Passion 

Lee Alvarez Speaks Out- Character Guest Post- Casting Call For Murder by Heather Haven-Great Escapes Tour

Lee Alvarez Speaks Out

The Protagonist of 

The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries

Hi everyone! My name is Lee and I’m a ferret. Not the cute, four-legged kind. I’m the two-legged kind, who tracks down law-breakers in the hardware, software, and intellectual property game. Along with my family, I run Discretionary Inquiries, a detective agency in the heart of Silicon Valley, specializing in cybercrimes. However, when I’m not looking, I seem to fall over dead bodies. I try not to think about it.
What I do think about is a martini, shaken, two olives, and served icy cold, especially at the end of a long day. Then I curl up and watch an old, black and white Barbara Stanwyck movie.
OMG. I just reread that. Does that sound as pathetic as I think it does? So not true. I mean, I just married best friend and love of my life, Gurn Hanson. We are simpatico. He’s a former Navy SEAL and a true blue man if ever there was one. His only competition is the other love of my life, the four-footed Tugger, better known as My Son The Cat.
Moving on. My dad, Roberto Alvarez, died unexpectedly three years ago and I still mourn his loss. He hoped I would follow in his footsteps as a detective in our family run business. I did. Of course, I have to work with the rest of my family who can drive a person mad.
Like my kid brother, Richard. He’s the head of D. I.’s Research and IT Department. He’s always giving me some new fangled piece of equipment no bigger than a matchbox to deal with. Then he gets huffy because I can’t make it work. I mean, I’m chasing down murderers in the middle of San Francisco and it’s my fault the stupid scanner doesn’t work? Something about I should have read the instructions.
Of course, there’s the blueblood in this mix, CEO and mother, Lila Hamilton Alvarez. She’s one cool, blonde goddess and a serious fashionista. The woman who gave birth to me has never had a bad hair day in her life. She can even chill a bottle of chardonnay with a single glance, while never breaking stride in her Christian Louboutin pumps. It’s a lot to live up to.
Mom has this guilt thing down to a science and tends to send me out on jobs no other self-respecting gumshoe would take. But heaven forbid I should be chasing the perp while I’m wearing navy blue with black. Then she’ll tell me to stop, go home, and change clothes. L. H. Alvarez has her priorities.
And last, but never least, is my love bucket of an uncle, Tío. Everyone should have a Tío in their lives. A retired chef,  he gives unconditional love while serving up the best chimichangas in the world. And his cookies are to die for.
Whoops! Badly phrased. Because that’s what a lot of people seem to be doing in my latest adventure, Casting Call for a Corpse.

About the book

A DETECTIVE AGENCY WITH HEART.
AND A WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

Super sleuth, Lee Alvarez, finds a dead man wearing a tuxedo in a friend’s bathtub during a soiree for San Francisco’s VIPs. And not just any friend, but an internationally acclaimed actress who recently came to live in San Francisco. And not just any bathtub, but a bathtub residing inside one of Alamo Square’s famed Painted Ladies, recently bought by said actress.

The police believe it’s the actress friend who done the man in. After all, it’s her house and her tub. And another man died under suspicious circumstances around her recently. Both romantic encounters, doncha know. The actress must be guilty.

Or is she?

For ace detective Lee Alvarez, the timing couldn’t be worse. She is supposed to go off in celebration of her 6-month wedding anniversary with her hunky hubby. Paris is calling!

Or is it?

Her long-time friend, plus her mother – She Who Must Be Obeyed – thinks she should stick around and find out who the real killer is. So Lee, family, handsome hubby, and Tugger, the cat, are on the job. But Lee’s nose is itching. Which means not one of the suspects is telling the truth.

Or not all of it. Lee soon uncovers threatening letters, sullen playwrights, dead bodies, and a criminal web of jewel thieves, all treading the boards of her friend’s latest musical. This is showbiz?

Author Haven pulls out all the stops in a cozy fan’s delight about a charming, and unconventional Palo Alto detective family who get their man or woman, as the case may be. Book Seven follows its tradition of the Bay Area’s favorite PI, who rolls over with all four paw in the air when it comes to her darn near perfect mother. But with the help of her computer geek brother and handsome hubby, Lee works to solve the case in time to celebrate her own 6-month wedding anniversary

Buy the book

Amazon 

Visit the tour

To read reviews, interviews and more guest post click here. 

My review visit My Reading Journeys click here. 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Simple Sunday

Also sharing my Scripture writing plan for September

Have A Blessed Day

Week

Month!

Happy Homemaker In Texas

Hello Welcome to a new week!

Today I am sharing my regular feature

Happy Homemaker 

I link with Sandra she provides the prompts

I add a few of my own!

Let's get to it!

The weather 

Today it is cooler this morning but it will get super hot today. 

We are in triple digits most days and heat index is HOT. 

Than's August in Texas 

How I am feeling this morning 

I back is killing me.  After a 2 hours in the car yesterday. 

The good news is The Cowboy drove.  He was feeling much better.  But when I sit in the passenger seat it kills my back. 

I barely slept last night.  He offered a muscle relaxer I'll try it after lunch. I hope I get my post finished!

On my mind 
My back and all that I have planned for the week.  Will I get it done?

On the luncheon plate

We found a new discount grocer near the Sports Medicine Doctor clinic.  We bought hot dog buns so today it is Chili Dogs.

I put Mustard on mine. 

The Cowboy doesn't like it on Chili Dogs.

Just plain 'ole canned Chili No Beans

This is Texas remember!

I am reading now

This one is for a tour.  I'll be reviewing at My Reading Journeys

On my reading pile

Lot's of Cozy Mystery tours in the next couple months . . .   

  

On the menu 

Monday Chicken Alfredo with 3 Cheese Ravioli, Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread 

Tuesday in that rut again can't get away from Taco's!

Wednesday Pan Seared Pollock, Oven Roasted Potato's, a cup of Gumbo

Thursday Swiss Enchilada's an old family recipe.  The Cowboy made in Home Ec. back in the day.  I'll add some fresh veggies and a Salad

Friday Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad and Bread  I got some Italian Sausage at the new grocery.  I will be 'Batch Cooking' some Meatballs. 

Still looks like a boring menu to me.

I new some new ideas!

In the craft space/room 

Making some small Embellishment pieces for Junk Journals

Trying to get a new table into my room for cutting.  I have a couple of quilts to finish.  And a baby quilt to start . . .  

And I am getting started on Christmas post cards.  I wonder how early I should mail this year?

Something fun to share 

We will have a new grand baby for Christmas!  Our daughter is getting ready.  The bassinet turned out so cute in Gray for a more modern look.  It was used for both my kids and the big brother!

To relax this week I will 

Still trying to make it to the library for a relaxing afternoon of looking at picture books. 

From the camera 

This Orchid has bloomed 3 years in a row in October.  I wonder if I'll get a bloom this year?

Scripture/Devo 
A praise.   Because the Cowboy has a chronic illness I was able to get him/us registered with the Electric company.  The doctor had to sign a paper and we were accepted.  This means 
A. . . they will not turn off our power.
B. . . in case of an outage they restore our power first. 

And, we were accepted at another organization that paid the remaining balance of our Electric bill this month.  We had been having to make installment payments.  They paid it off.  Our 
balance is Zero

Praise the Lord!

Do you have a Praise today? 

Share in the comments!

I am linking with my regular parties some of the buttons 

may be on the bottom of the page

Over here at Penny's Passion