Getting the most out of rice

Rice is one food that can be argued and debated forever; from what kind to how to prepare. This is merely how we prepare it in our house, as well as a delicious dish you can make from it. We tend to use jasmine rice primarily, due to the awesome flavor. Yes, it's white rice, but it's not bleached. It's just tasty.

First step is to heat up a pot (on medium high heat) and add 1/2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Then, add 1 or 1.5 cups of jasmine rice. Liberally salt the rice and stir to eavenly coat the rice with the oil. Let the rice brown for 5 minutes, stirring a couple of times. This will release alot of flavor and aroma. After it's browned, add 1.25 cups of chicken broth per 1/2 cup of rice. Turn the heat to high, cover the rice, and then wait til it boils. Once it boils, turn it to medium low and let cook for 15 minutes, or until the broth is totally absorbed.

That's all. It's done.

But to add a unique twist to rice, here's what you do:

Before you throw in the rice to sautee, sautee half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic for a couple of minutes. Then throw in the rice and cook as listed above. Once the rice is cooked, throw in half a bag of spinach. You will have to do this in handfuls as it will need to wilt to all fit in. Then, throw in 1/2 cup of dried cherries. Mix it all together, and voila!

Product Spotlight: Jamaica Me Crazy!

From time to time, we are going to put the spotlight on a product that we tend to use often. We feel as though it's something that can really spice up your kitchen! (No pun intended.)

The first such product is Jamaica Me Crazy Seasoned Sea Salt. We go through this stuff like water. It has the perfect mixture of salt to seasoning that will add a tropical bite to any dish. From crockpot dishes to salsas, this goes on most every Latin dish we make. Heck, you'll see this sprinkled on our omelettes from time to time!

Our specialty dish that uses this ingredient is our own avocado salsa. This salsa can be used for chips, but often times we use it to top black beans and rice, fajitas, or soft tacos. It's full of flavor that comes from fresh ingredients and of course, Jamaica Me Crazy!

Avocado Salsa

1 Hass Avocado, slightly soft to the touch

4 Roma/Plum Tomatoes

1/2 c Cilantro

1/2 Sweet Onion (Or if not in season, purple onion)

Lime Juice

Jamaica Me Crazy Seasoned Sea Salt

Dice avocado and tomatoes into 1/4" to 1/2" cubes. Roughly chop cilantro. Squeeze about 2 Tbsp lime juice on top and then liberally sprinkle salsa with the sea salt. Mix together. Letting it sit for an hour will help the flavors marry but it is still good right after mixing.

Sun-dried Tomato and Artichoke Couscous

This is another quick standby with lots of possible variations. We use it as a one dish meal or as a side dish. It has all the necessaries (as do most of our one dish meals) and is jam-packed with flavors! Couscous is wonderful, as it cooks in moments, and though I prefer the whole wheat kind because it adds a better punch of protein and fiber, the regular couscous works just fine. Make extras to take leftovers as a power packed lunch that is light enough to allow for an after work run or is easy to digest after a lunch time workout.

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 C Couscous
1 C broth or water
1 Can Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 Can artichoke hearts, chopped or quartered and drained
1/2 C. Feta Cheese
1 C chopped sundried tomatoes

Lightly Saute the onion and garlic in a tsp of olive oil in a 2 Quart pot over medium high heat. After 2-3 minutes, add the broth and bring to a boil. Pour in the Couscous, cover and remove from heat. Couscous cooks very quickly. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes while you assemble the other ingredients. Then, fluff the couscous with a fork and add the rest of the ingredients.

4 Servings

**You can drizzle a smidge of olive oil over the finished recipe if you love the flavor but I never feel I need to do so. Or you can create a quick oil and vinegar dressing to go over it from olive oil, balsamic dressing, salt, pepper and a squirt of lemon juice.