This post has been swimming around in my head for a long time, so I thought now would be a good time to get it out there. It’s really kind of funny, and won’t surprise anyone who knows me, that I don’t eat this meal. Yes, I’m sharing this recipe on my blog. And no, I don’t cook it or eat it myself. Crazy, right?!
This family favorite is Francena’s famous curried chicken. This is the meal that my husband’s mother loved to cook for him. This is also the first recipe of hers that he asked me to cook after she passed away…..and I couldn’t do it. I just don’t like the smell of curry!
READ MORE to find out how Rhonda solved her dilemma.
Rhonda Bramell is a blogger in Northwest Arkansas. She is the ringleader of a circus that includes her husband, three kids and a rambunctious Boston Terrier. Rhonda has been blogging at Bramell, Party of Five for eight years; her blog is a collection of stories about the real life joys and challenges of parenting.
These muffins are not the kind that jump up and shout, ‘notice me.’ Perhaps because they are made from an English tea, they have a more reserved presence. The flavors are subtle and mild, a quiet blend, but still making themselves known. Don’t misunderstand, these English tea muffins may be understated and simple, but they are far from Plain Jane. READ MORE
TALYA BOERNER: ROASTED SWEET POTATOES AND BROCCOLI
This roasted sweet potato and broccoli is oh so much more than roasted sweet potato and broccoli. It’s step one in my quest to cook a new dish every week during 2017. If you read regularly, you know my One Little Word for 2017 is Savor. (Savour for those of you in the UK.) And part of savoring is eating good clean food like a civilized human being at the table using one of the many, many dishes I hoard. READ MORE
DEBBIE ARNOLD: IRISH LAMB PASTIES
I’m ready to move away from heavy stews and braises in favor of lighter fare. Lamb is abundant in the markets I frequent, and I’m making use of the availability and lower prices. These Irish Lamb Pasties which I developed recently for Riceland Foods, are a super way to have a fairly quick meal on the table with relative ease. Pasties are a traditional Irish hand-held sandwich, typically made of pork. We actually prefer ground lamb. They can even be made ahead and kept in the freezer. Plus, you can use leftovers to make them. READ MORE
It that time again. The time when our thoughts turn from Jack O’Lanterns, witches, bats and other scary things to the holiday many people consider to be their favorite. Thanksgiving.
What first comes to your mind when Thanksgiving is mentioned? Turkey?
For our family, it’s all about the sides! Do we stay with tradition, never changing Grandma’s cornbread dressing? Or Aunt Sue’s asparagus casserole? How about that Green Bean Casserole or Sweet Potato Casserole?
Does your family just resist changing the menu?
At ARWB, we think our foodies have some delicious alternatives for you. Why not give one or two of these a try and let us know what you think.
Cauliflower is one of those versatile foods that can really take on the flavor of what it’s mixed with. This salad gets devoured anytime I serve up this dish and it will feed a crowd.
My Aunt Linda has been making this salad for as long as I can remember! You never have to wonder what she will bring to any of our family functions! She graciously gave me the recipes years ago and I’ve been making it ever since! READ MORE
Anita Stafford: Sugar Spice and Spilled Milk’s Cranberry Sauce
Even with all the hurry, I always enjoy preparing a holiday meal. Putting the Thanksgiving meal together was more fun this year because my son Daniel was here to help me with the cooking. He helped out by making Spinach Maria and a Sweet Potato/Carrot slow cooker dish. He also convinced me that we should try making our own cranberry sauce this year. I usually make a blueberry salad the family likes in lieu of cranberry sauce, but I decided to give homemade cranberry sauce a whirl.
The recipe we used was super simple and quick to make, plus it was very tasty. We made it ahead to allow it time to refrigerate in the mold overnight. I love any dish that can be prepared ahead. The original recipe came from Alton Brown. READ MORE
Talya Boerner: The Best Mac and Cheese in the World
We had friends over to eat Tuesday night. John grilled burgers, and I baked the best Mac and Cheese in all the land which hopefully cancelled out the very average pot of beans I served with it. This is my go-to mac and cheese recipe. There’s no need to make any other. You could add lobster like the fancy restaurants do and have a dish people would pay $17 a serving for in Dallas (i.e. Capital Grille). I truly believe that.
One of the best things about rice is that it is so versatile. That versatility kicks up a notch when you are able to meal prep by cooking extra rice and freezing for a rainy day.
Why wait until a rainy day to use that extra rice you have stored in the freezer? Make a crunchy rice casserole and invite someone over tonight. This casserole would go nicely with meat, poultry and fish. The crunch is an added touch that gives some depth to this casserole. Walnuts, sunflower seeds, and sliced almonds all have a unique texture that makes each bite interesting. The sweet onions and melted cheese takes it from a so-so side dish to a so-so-so-delicious side dish!
When you pick a peck of peppers, what do you next? One of my favorite solutions is to make pepper jelly. And if you have a variety of colors in your pepper peck, it makes for a fun and tasty condiment that hopefully (fingers crossed) lasts you till the next growing season. The bright colors of the different peppers give the jelly a confetti look just the right touch for a party. READ MORE…
Mexican-style Brown Rice: Jamie Smith
Does your family adore Mexican-style rice but you’d rather it have just a bit better nutrition? My Mexican-style rice uses reduced-sodium ingredients, making this recipe much less salty than what you would find from a flavor packet. Also, I use Riceland brown rice, which is usually considered better nutritionally than most white rices. This delicious, incredibly easy recipe is great as a side item or as a filler for burritos and other Tex-Mex dishes. READ MORE…
Polly’s Apple Pie: Katharine Trauger
Our gal, Katharine Trauger of Home’s Cool, shares the pie that made her learn to love apple pie. Since it’s apple season in Arkansas, we thought this was one you’d want to put on your baking menu now. Do you make apple pies ahead of time and freeze them? They’re one of the easiest to freeze and enjoy later.
Polly was the mother of one of our dearest friends. She lived a life punctuated with fabulous sugary creations. We have found we need to eliminate lots of purely sugary downloads, but I make exceptions for Thanksgiving or very special company.
This pie is one of the exceptions. The secrets to it are: real butter, too much sugar, and the baking time and temp. The bottom crust will be a bit difficult to manage, but you will NOT care. Read More
Easy Glazed 4 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies: Lacie Ring
In the honor of the season of giving thanks and my girlfriend who loves pumpkin, I give you this super easy Glazed 4 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies recipe made from a box of cake mix with glaze made from store bought frosting recipe. Read More
Whether you are the Pioneer Woman, a contestant on the Worst Cooks in America, or just trying to get culinary in a small south Arkansas town, nothing makes dinner easier than a “cabinet creation.” Growing up, I always dreaded “clean out the fridge” buffet night. I would offer to help my mom get the meal ready because that left me first in line to pick out the remains of my favorite meal of the week. Thus leaving the mushy stuff that I didn’t like for the slow pokes who weren’t listening when the dinner bell rang!
On the contrary, I LOVED nights when my mom just winged it. She was (and still is) the queen of creativity in the kitchen. She taught me how to make incredible meals on a tight budget. She can always remake leftovers in to a new creation.She can take parts of two different meals and if you don’t pay attention, you think she has cooked a fresh dish 3 nights in the same week! It’s a not-so- secret talent and it’s been fun as we have added son-in- laws to the mix at our holiday table to watch their amazement at her dinner creations.
What she does best is always seek to be present with her people. Doing this takes lots of preparation. Mama will cook the week or weekend before we come and have meals ready in the fridge or freezer that we just have to bake and eat. (That leaves us more time for shopping, craft projects, window shopping, bargain hunting, cashing in coupons, and more shopping – all the essential things for time with your mama!)
She is also really great at her own “semi-homemade” treats. She will have the meat or cooked parts ready and just stir it all together at meal time. That’s exactly what happened with today’s dish. On their own, any of these ingredients are just fine. But, together, they are magic! And if a Cajun likes anything, it’s the magic that happens in a slow, stewed gumbo.
3 14.5-ounce Margaret Holmes Okra, Tomatoes, and Corn
1 14.5-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1-2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 27-ounce cans Margaret Holmes Red Beans and Rice
“soppin” bread – frozen garlic bread recommended
Instructions
Place the chicken breasts in crockpot with 1 Tablespoon Cajun seasoning and 1/2 cup water.
Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove chicken to cutting board and dice in to cubes. Return chicken to crockpot and add canned veggies, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning.
Cook for 2 more hours on LOW. A few minutes before serving, add shrimp (chopped to desired size or left whole) and canned red beans and rice.
Stir together and serve hot with any sort of bread to sop up that goodness!
Notes
In case you are wondering, we are Texans, not Cajuns…therefore we let the people who know what to do, do it and we take full advantage of what comes our way!
Keisha (Pittman) McKinney is settling in to her new married life in South AR after she #becamemrsmckinney. A Digital Media Director by day for a church in Northwest Arkansas, Keisha is remembering what its like to plan ahead for shopping trips to “the city,” getting resourceful at her small town Walmart and creating online shopping personas everywhere. She blogs @bigpittstop about daily adventures, cooking escapades, #bigsisterchats and the social justice cases on her heart.
I don’t know about you but I hate to go grocery shopping. I hate battling crowds, always forgetting something, and the store usually being out of the one thing I came to get. So frustrating!
With all of that being said when I can’t find anything to make for dinner I usuallyplay a game with myself called “Iron Pantry”. It’s similar to the TV show Iron Chef (is that show still on??) in that I just dig through the pantry for random ingredients and make them into a meal. I have created some of my favorite meals this way! Today Iam going to share that meal with you, Spicy Ranch Chicken and Rice!
I was playing Iron Pantry one night when I created one of my all time favorite meals!! I literally came up with this recipe when I was in college and it’s still around today. Two things that I always keep on hand are chicken and brown rice…I switched from white to brown rice when I was in college and never looked back. It just tastes so much better to me than white rice!!
I marinated my chicken in some fat free Italian dressing and grilled it on my George Foreman. Can I just stop and say right here that I am obsessed with my George? I am a single lady and have not yet mastered an outdoor grill, but I can grill anything on my George!
I usually use whatever brown rice I find but have made it a point lately to buy Riceland Brown Rice. I love knowing that the rice I use was grown and harvested right down the road, Plus it just tastes better than most.
With my protein and grain I had a great start for the base for my meal! The night I created this meal I had some bell peppers, mushrooms, and garlic that I needed to use so I decided to sauté them and mix them in with my chicken and rice. The meal was looking better but needed a little something…
After digging though my spice cabinet I decided to spice it up with some Cajun seasoning. I always have Cajun seasoning on hand; it just goes good on everything!!
It was looking pretty good but I decided to kick it up a notch and throw a little Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch on it and HOLY MOLY it was amazing!! And finally finished…HA!
These days I usually have everything I need to make this Spicy Ranch Chicken and Rice on hand and make it at least once a week. Sometimes I switch the veggies up and just use whatever I have on hand but that's the beauty of any recipe, you can totally customize it to what you like!
So that’s it for my favorite go-to dish!! What’s yours??
Arkansas Women Blogger Ricci Ellis is an Arkansas native and current central Arkansas resident. Her favorite titles include dog mom, sister, aunt, blogger and respiratory therapist. You can catch up with her on her lifestyle blog, Ricci Alexis, or on any social media @riccialexis.
ARWB member Renee Birchfield shares her step-by-step method for making stir-fried rice on her blog If Spoons Could Talk.
Stir-fried rice is a popular dish not only when dining out, but also for making in our homes. With a little ingenuity, rice, a few vegetables and a bit of protein, if desired, you can whip up a tasty and filling meal for your family in a short amount of time.
[stextbox id=”custom” shadow=”false” bwidth=”1″ color=”050505″ ccolor=”050505″ bcolor=”050505″ bgcolor=”BAF8FF” cbgcolor=”BAF8FF” bgcolorto=”BAF8FF” cbgcolorto=”BAF8FF” image=”null”]”Stir-Frying is defined as frying rapidly over high heat while stirring briskly. It is the Chinese version of the French’s sauteeing, typically done in a wok over high heat. If you don’t have a wok though that is ok, but if this becomes a common method of cooking for you I recommend that you get a good quality one as it does help when cooking.”[/stextbox]
Arkansas Women Blogger members enjoy a special relationship with Riceland Foods. Not only is this Arkansas-based company headquartered here, it supports and features some of the best farmers and producers in our state. Riceland is unique because it is a cooperative of rice farmers, meaning it is owned by those farmers. Both Riceland and ARWB take tremendous pride in supporting our local farmers and producers.
Several of our members have recipes which have been featured on Riceland’s blog, including this one for Baked Chicken Marsala and Rice Casserole from Lyndi Fultz of nwafoodie which uses Riceland’s Extra Long Grain White Rice.
Captain Mom, also known as Rhonda Franz our Girl Friday of everything The Women Bloggers, starts her family’s day off right with a Favorite Way to Eat Brown Rice for Breakfast. I certainly remember eating and loving steaming bowls of rice with sugar and cream especially on cold, winter mornings.
And who doesn’t love a good dessert? Rice can be your go-to ingredient for sweet craving as well as for your savory. Julie Kohl of Eggs and Herbs, Content Creator for ARWB, recently shared her Jumble Cookie recipe — perfect for lunch box treats.
I’m really looking forward to experimenting more with Riceland’s Jazmine (Jasmine) Rice in some of the Indian and Thai recipes I’m learning. (Thanks Swathi!)
Have you checked out the Riceland blog? Here are a few other examples of some of the jewels you’ll find when you do!
You don’t have to have a big fancy grill or even a tiny disposable one to have delicious barbecued chicken. I used to think that barbecue was saved for big family picnics or get-togethers at a local park and you …Continue reading…
It seems like every restaurant that serves kabobs on the menu or every butcher shop that sells pre-cooked kabobs follow a set routine by only offering chicken or beef. I often wonder, why the discrimination over other kabob meats?Continue reading…
As the resurgence of Sunday Suppers, potlucks, and general embracing of comfort foods tease us weekly on our social media apps, I am on the constant lookout for family-style desserts that are easy, delicious, and will please all age groups. …Continue reading…
When I think of black-eyed peas, I am instantly transported to a magical place of antebellum homes, magnolia trees, and mint juleps. In my minds-eye, I am sipping the mint juleps and fanning myself from the summer heat and persistent …Continue reading…
We all have those times when the day is super busy but there is still a desire to put a healthy, delicious meal on the table. This Brown Rice Chicken Skillet Dinner is quick, easy and sure to please even …Continue reading…
I keep leftover turkey and chicken in my freezer just about all of the time. It comes in handy for those evenings when I need a quick and easy dinner.During the holiday season when the prices are really good, I …Continue reading…
Just about everyone enjoys the spicy taste of Mexican food. From tacos to burritos to enchiladas, we just never seem to tire of all the combinations of meat, cheese, rice, beans, avocados and peppers. While we do enjoy those, one …Continue reading…
In late August and early fall in the South, all thoughts turn to football. And that, of course, means it’s time to tailgate! And while tailgate used to be just that —a picnic on the tailgate of your honey’s pickup …Continue reading…
Good friends are such a blessing. And they are especially so when they share delicious, original recipes with you and allow you to share those as you please. My good friend, Chef Liz Bray, created the original version of this …Continue reading…
Every Sunday, my in-law’s church hosts a dessert social following the evening sermon. Parishioners bring a variety of desserts to share while they mill around and enjoy each other’s company. My mother-in-law is always looking for fun new recipes and …Continue reading…
If Taco Tuesday isn’t a thing in your house, it should be. And if you’re not eating breakfast for dinner on a regular basis, well you should be doing that too. We love Taco Tuesday and breakfast for dinner in …Continue reading…
Even though I try not to indulge in sweet stuff too often, every now and then my sweet tooth strikes out in full force. It usually happens in the evening. You know, the times when you are already in pajamas and …Continue reading…
Join me Tuesday, September 27 when I’ll be sharing some of our favorites from Riceland on THV11 This Morning — at 6:15 am (go ahead and set your DVR:)
Bon Appetít Y’all
All recipes and photos courtesy of Riceland Foods.
I enjoy Indian curries with all kinds of lentils and veggies and I also like the fresher feel of Thai curries with citrus flavors and seafood.
These days you can buy your own curry pastes in the grocery store, but there is something sort of nourishing about crushing the garlic and mixing the flavors all together yourself. Making a curry from scratch is not hard, but it can involve a lot of ingredients.
This Thai curry is fairly simple and a lot of the ingredients you might already have on hand, like the spices. Consider tracking down lemongrass and fish sauce a kind of flavor treasure hunt. Both of these make this dish smell and taste divine.
I put together this recipe after ordering a similar dish in a fairly expensive Thai restaurant. It is way less expensive to make, of course, and my whole family enjoys it. (Always a win!)
This is a good curry for the warmer months of the year because it’s not as heavy as many other creamy rice dishes.
1 stem lemongrass, ends trimmed and sliced lengthways
1 jalepeno pepper
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
For the curry
2 cups cooked shrimp
2 cups green vegetables (I used broccoli and sugar snap peas)
1 onion
1 can coconut milk
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Cooked Basmati rice (to serve on the side)
Fresh cilantro (for serving)
Instructions
Make the paste by taking all ingredients and crushing them with a mortar and pestle, or you can use a food processor. I like the mortar and pestle method but you will end up with larger stems of lemongrass. You can leave them large and then pull them out just before serving.
Heat a large skillet.
Add paste and cook for about five minutes.
Add prawns (shrimp), then the coconut milk and fish sauce. Cook for about five minutes before adding green vegetables.
Simmer 5-10 minutes more. Serve with Riceland Long Grain White Rice and garnish with cilantro leaves.
Alison Chino is a born and bred Arkansan who lives in Scotland (soon to be Germany), where she is learning to walk everywhere and to live with tiny appliances. She loves hiking the Scottish Highlands with her husband and kids on the weekends. She’s blogs at the Chino House and she’s pretty much obsessed with Instagram.
When the days grow shorter and darker and colder, Gina K of Desperately Seeking Gina, turns to one of her favorite comfort foods she fondly remembers from her youth growing up in Michigan. Breakfast Rice was a staple Gina’s mother prepared every Saturday morning.
[stextbox id=”custom” shadow=”false” bwidth=”1″ color=”050505″ ccolor=”050505″ bcolor=”050505″ bgcolor=”78F6FF” cbgcolor=”78F6FF” bgcolorto=”78F6FF” cbgcolorto=”78F6FF” image=”null”]On cold winter mornings, usually weekends, she would make a pot of plain white rice. On the kitchen counter she would set out sugar, a tub of margarine, and a gallon of cold milk straight from the fridge and we were free to fix our own bowls of breakfast rice. The older we got, the more exotic breakfast rice became. We experimented with additions of brown sugar, imitation vanilla, and sometimes a shake of cinnamon. There was always a side of buttered toast for dunking[/stextbox]
Many of us grew up eating rice for breakfast just like Gina did. Maybe there was butter and sugar. Or perhaps cream–the good kind straight from the top of the milk can. However we seasoned it or otherwise adorned it, it was a blessing of comfort that filled our tummies and started our days well.
Arkansas has historically been the largest rice produced in the United States. Rice production contributes more than $6 billion to the state’s economy and accounts for over 25,000 jobs. The five largest rice-producing counties in the state of Arkansas are Poinsett, Arkansas, Cross , Jackson (101,762 harvested, and Lawrence.
[stextbox id=”custom” caption=”Fun Fact” shadow=”false” bwidth=”1″ color=”050505″ ccolor=”050505″ bcolor=”050505″ bgcolor=”82FBFF” cbgcolor=”82FBFF” bgcolorto=”82FBFF” cbgcolorto=”82FBFF”]Rice & The Environment Rice growing is eco-friendly and has a positive impact on the environment. Rice fields create a wetland habitat for many species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Without rice farming, wetland environments created by flooded rice fields would be vastly reduced[/stextbox]. Arkansas Rice Federation
So how much did Gina enjoy her mother’s special breakfast rice? For more, check out her post on Desperately Seeking Gina.
Keisha (Pittman) McKinney is settling in to her new married life in South AR after she #becamemrsmckinney. A Digital Media Director by day for a church in Northwest Arkansas, Keisha is remembering what its like to plan ahead for shopping trips to “the city,” getting resourceful at her small town Walmart and creating online shopping personas everywhere. She blogs @bigpittstop about daily adventures, cooking escapades, #bigsisterchats and the social justice cases on her heart.
