The cute little cooker

One of the gifts under the Christmas tree, labeled "To Mom", was this cute little rice cooker.


I put it to the test last week and ended up with a perfect pot of rice. It could not have been easier! This is all I had to do -

1) measure rice
2) measure water (doesn't even have to be boiling!)
3) put both in pot and push the ON button

When the cooking is finished, the cute little cooker switches to WARM and waits for the rest of the dinner to be ready.

Being a fan of Alton Brown, I was sure that this cute little cooker could do more than just cook rice. I googled "rice cooker recipes" and discovered enough recipes to flood a paddy!

So far, I have tried goulash, and learned that this cute little cooker browns meat!! The recipe needs some work in the flavor department - **shudder** - but that cute little cooker turned out enough goulash to satisfy the monstrous appetite of my dearly beloved, and me, with leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.

Next, I tried Apple Rice Pudding. This recipe, just as I found it, is ready to share. (Wish I could remember where it came from so I could give credit.)

Apple Rice Pudding

- 2 cups apples, peeled cored, and diced
- 1 cup short grain rice (I only had long grain - worked fine)
- 3 cups water (I discovered after I had put the warm water in, that it was supposed to be boiling. Hmmm)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup raisins (unless you love raisins, this amount could be reduced)
- 1 pinch nutmeg

Put all of these ingredients in the rice cooker. "Tell" the rice maker to COOK. When the rice maker switches to WARM, stir in:

- 1 can of condensed milk (CONDENSED! Not evaporated)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla

Tell it to COOK again. When it switches to WARM, check to see if the pudding looks ready. If there is too much liquid, tell it to cook again, stirring occasionally, until it looks right to you. Garnish with cinnamon (optional) and serve.

So, all of you that have these cute little cookers... get them out! Alton would be proud.

But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. II Timothy 3:14,15