Thursday, September 17, 2015

Stick of Butter Rice … Say What!!!

Elroy licking his chops thinking about Stick of Butter Rice!

Oh you heard me …. 
I said "Stick of Butter Rice".
Yum
I don't usually share recipes here especially when they are not mine to start with,
but I'm going to break that rule today,
because
everyone needs a super fattening, super decadent and super yummy side dish.
I have made this dish 3 times,
my girl and my guy love it so much, I've had to double the recipe
so that we have enough for our meal.
They actually ask for this rice frequently, but keeping our health in mind I don't make it
frequently, 
no way,
it has to be a treat, something you think about and crave,
and when you finally get it you savor it.
Today I'm making it for a friend,
I've added 2 sautéed hot italian turkey sausage out of the casing,
I wouldn't usually but for this gift it's meant to be their dinner.
Anyway, without further ado, here is the recipe, I found it on Pinterest attached to someone else's blog, her name is Mique and here is a link.
 http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/2014/01/stick-of-butter-rice/ .

Here you go!

Stick of Butter Rice
Ingredients
  • 1 c. uncooked white rice (NOT instant) 
  • 1 (10 oz) can of Condensed French Onion Soup
  • 1 (10 oz) can of Beef Broth
  • 1/2 c. of butter, sliced        
Directions
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
  • In a 9x9 inch baking dish combine rice, soup and broth. 
  • Cut butter into slices and place on top of the mixture.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  • Remove cover and bake 30 minutes more.
You can add to this recipe, ground cooked beef, mushrooms, or maybe some roasted butternut squash squares, just be creative. My mom always told me when you take a recipe from someone, change it just a bit to make it your own, I've followed her directive ever since.  

Can you even imagine how delicious that would be? So go ahead, give it a try, oh and one other trick, feel free to cut the butter amount in half, it will still be delicious. 
Say What!!!
Thanks for stopping by today!

Friday, September 4, 2015

DREAMS OF SOUP ...


I lived for 33 years in the Northeast, Connecticut to be exact.  We had 4 separate seasons, my favorite was Fall for it's warm days and cool nights, the smell of dew on the grass and wet leaves early in the morning, shorter days, warmer clothing, apple festivals and fairs, pumpkins, hot cocoa and soup.  Some of my best memories of being a young girl at home with my mom and family were of the soups she would throw together with "cheap ingredients".  Nothing was better then playing outside all day and coming in when the street lights went on to find soup bowls on the table.  She made soup out of leftovers rather than have them go to waste, money was carefully spent to assure that we had what we needed without excess.  Soups of every kind, ham and cabbage soup thick with carrots, onions and a salty ham broth was a favorite of mine.  Chicken noodle soup made with all the meat we didn't eat, for me that was the brown meat, but in a soup I loved it, carrots, celery, and noodles with lots of black pepper, we all loved it, sometimes there were even homemade drop biscuits on the side.  My favorite soup to come out of moms kitchen however was "Hamburger Soup".  I've heard it called poor mans soup, and even a few times depression soup, perhaps because it was made during the depression using just a bit of ground meat and lots of cheap "rice, pasta or potatoes".  My mom  always made her soup with a beef broth thickened with crushed canned tomatoes, sautéed ground beef with salt and pepper, onion, carrots, celery and frozen corn were always there along with elbow macaroni.  Mom always served that hot steaming soup with crusty french bread and butter on the side, I loved dipping it in to my soup and having some butter melt in to the soup with every dunk.  Every family has there own version or recipe for this traditional classic using their own list of ingredients and each person probably has their own memories of enjoying it at the dinner table.  I've been thinking a lot about that Hamburger Soup lately, I think it's my mom coming through and reminding me of my roots, reminding me to keep the things I love close to me and enjoy them whenever the need arises.  I may not live in Connecticut any longer and the seasons in California don't change like they did back East, but my taste for those Fall comfort foods will never leave me.  I can assure you that Hamburger Soup is on my mind and will be on my menu this week.  I'd share a recipe with you if I had one, but I do not,  I work from tasty memories and know that whatever I pull from that pot when it is finished will bring me right back to my family dinner table … because I have strong memories and dreams of soup!