Finally, PERFECT BROWN RICE At Home!

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Finally, PERFECT BROWN RICE At Home!

Most of us that have tried to make a nice fluffy and moist brown rice at home have crashed and burned. It's dry or the texture is bleckh, not right.

I was making my at home favorite brown rice salad the other night (basically a chopped Romaine salad with onions, red pepper, some type of protein and brown rice with a nice dressing)
and this time I wanted the rice to be fluffy, moist, and tasty.

I did a search on line and it turns out a few folks have saved me lots of time and heartache to perfect this lovely grain!

I used a recipe from Pinch My Salt that they modified from Saveur.com and I have to say it WORKED LIKE A CHARM!!! We ate every single bite, and it was truly the brown rice that made the dish.

Without further adieu:

The PERFECT BROWN RICE at Home!

Ingredients:
*Brown Rice
*Water - at least four cups of water for every cup of rice
*Salt to taste.

To Do:
*Rinse rice in a strainer under cold running water for 30 seconds & swirl the rice around in your hand.
*Bring water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
*When water is boiling, add the rice, stir it once
(I also salted my water)
*Turn heat to a medium boil and leave rice uncovered for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
*After 30 minutes, pour the rice into a strainer over the sink.
*Let the rice drain out the water for 10 seconds then return it to the pot and set aside OFF OF THE HEAT.
*Immediately over the pot with a tight fitting lid and set aside to allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes.
*After 10 minutes, uncover rice, fluff with a for, season to taste.

ENJOY
EAT HEALTHY, EAT LOTS
THE WILSONS!

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Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Dip. A Lisa Wrisley Recipe.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

You might not know Lisa Wrisley (yet!), but girlfriend can whip up a mean dip. I recently made this Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Dip at a "Girls' Night." It was the most popular dip I have EVER made. If you want a definite crowd pleaser - even with the picky eaters - this is for you.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic Dip

This spread is heaven. Period. You just have to deal with the fact that you will have stinky breath. Once you are over that, your taste buds and stomach will thank you! What started as a quick dip passed along by my Mom has turned into the go-to staple at any get together. It’s a total crowd pleaser and seasonally versatile. In the Fall, it can stand up to a nice Zinfandel or Cab and in the Spring and Summer, it’s fantastic with a Rose or crisp Sauvignon Blanc.

Enjoy!

1 head garlic
Olive oil

1 large (or 2 small) sweet onion, halved and sliced thin (Maui onions when in season are the best)
3T unsalted butter
15 oz. soft goat cheese
3T balsamic vinegar (less if using good aged vinegar)

1 large French baguette, sliced ¼” – ½” thick, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top ¼ off the garlic head, exposing the cloves and leaving the root intact at the bottom. Place garlic head on a sheet of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap foil to create a pouch and place in oven. Roast for approximately 45 min until golden brown and mushy. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions. Cook over medium heat until onions have thoroughly caramelized and turn golden brown, approx. 30 minutes. Salt/pepper onions halfway through. Turn heat to medium low and add balsamic vinegar to caramelized onions. Cook another 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with S&P to taste. Let cool slightly.

While onion mixture is cooling, spread roasted garlic on the bottom of a shallow baking dish. To remove garlic, grab hold of the root end (you may need to use a towel if hot) and squeeze as you would a lemon. The roasted garlic should ooze out – yum! Spread a thin layer across the bottom of dish and top with the onion mixture. Top the onion mixture with the goat cheese and spread into an even layer covering up the other layers. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 350. Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes to allow the top to brown a little.

To serve, remove the dish from the oven and stir the layers together to combine. Drizzle with a little balsamic, if desired. Serve with the toasted baguette slices. Note: You can also serve straight from the oven without stirring, but people then miss the garlic and onions, which are the best part!

Thank you * Lisa Wrisley * for unlocking your sacred recipe vault and sharing this soon to be national treasure with the foodies of the World :)

We'd love for you to try this out & let us know what you think!

Cheers,
The Wilson

Cameron's Kickin' Crispy, Cheesy, Wrap That Husbands Will Love

Cameron's Kickin' Crispy, Cheesy, Wrap That Husbands Will Love

My husband has declared on at least a dozen occasions over the past few months that he could "Whack down about 5 more of these" and that he could "Eat these at least 6 nights a week" about my Crispy, Cheesy Wrap Sandwich.

For me, the best part is that it's super easy, super fast, and it's actually pretty healthy!!!

What You'll Need:

*Wholewheat Wrap
* 1 slice of fat free American Cheese
* 1 slice, or a couple of pinches of any other favorite cheese, (shredded Mexican Cheese, Provolone, etc)
* 1 grilled chicken breast (or buy a rotisserie chicken from the market)(I usually grill up some chicken to start the week, or get it pre-grilled from the local gourmet market to save time)
*1/4 Red Onion roughly chopped
*Pinch of fresh thyme
*Pinch of fresh chopped basil
*(optional) 1/2 clove of garlic finely chopped
*Dash of organic low sodium chicken broth
*Lemon Juice
*Your favorite Salsa
*Tablespoon of Smart Balance Light
*Olive Oil drizzle for saute
*Kosher Salt & Black Pepper for taste.

To Do:

*In a large skillet on med/high heat melt your Smart Balance Light and drizzle in a bit of really good extra virgin olive oil.
*While your Smart Balance & olive oil is getting ripping hot, chop up your red onion & garlic and drop in to saute/or even caramelize if you want.
*Add a dash of Kosher salt & black pepper

Chicken Mixture:
*Meanwhile, slice up your chicken breast (previously cooked) or use a fork to shred some of the rotisserie chicken breast. Set aside.
*When your onions and garlic start looking like they are on the verge of caramelizing, toss in the thyme, basil, a squeeze of lemon, and then the chicken.
*Add a dash of the low sodium chicken broth to help bring the previously cooked chicken back to life. (I also usually add a splash of dry white wine).
*Add another dash of salt and pepper.
*Once the mixture is nice and coated and the chicken is warm (1 min) set aside the mixture in a bowl.

Wrap:
*Now, on a plate tear up your slice of fat free cheese and put it on the wrap focusing mainly on going up the middle, and a little on the sides.
*Next sprinkle or shred a little bit of a regular cheese of your choosing (Mexican flavored shredded, provolone, cheddar etc) on both sides of the wrap
*Spray the same skillet you used to make the mixture with a light coat of Pam
* Put the wrap (w/ the cheese on it) in the skillet
*Carefully place a nice layer of the chicken mixture that you had set aside down the center of the wrap
*On med/to med/ high heat, put a lid over the wrap so that the cheese can melt while the bottom of the wrap crisps up.
*Once the cheese starts looking melty (couple minutes), check the bottom of the wrap. Add a quick squeeze of lemon juice to the chicken mixture, and few dollops of your favorite salsa to the top of the chicken mixture (but not enough to soak the wrap). Once the wrap has started to get golden brown on bottom, fold the right & left side over the middle, and push down a little so the cheese helps it stay in place
*Put on plate, cut in half, and serve with a super duper chilled Guinness!!!

5 TIPS To Ensure A Yummy Wrap:
1. The thing with this sandwich is I never make it exactly the same twice. I use whatever I have on hand to mix it up, spruce it up, etc.
2. For example, I had some left over prosciutto from a dinner party so last night I chopped that up and let it crisp up with the onions & garlic. It added a nice salty crunchy texture, without overwhelming the grilled chicken.
3. If you have some inexpensive chardonnay or white Burgundy - that is also yummy - pour yourself a glass to drink while cooking, and then add a mini splash to the saute.
4. The key to this sandwich is that you should always have certain items on hand, that way, you can whip it up really quickly with whatever protein, herbs and cheeses you have on hand!
5. The trick to getting huge flavor when you are making basics like this is: fresh herbs. Experiment to figure out what your favorite fresh herbs are and try to keep them around. I love basil, thyme, cilantro, and rosemary. I also always have fresh garlic, onions, scallions, lemons, white wine and low sodium chicken broth, smart balance, and nice extra virgin olive oil. Seems like anything is possible from there.

Cheers to all things crispy & cheesy!
The Wilsons
(and dare we say kinda healthy too!)

5 Easy Tips for a Summer Party that is fun for Kids AND Adults!

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We have 5 easy tips for throwing a fabulous summer party that is entertaining for the kids AND adults (and won't break your piggy bank!)

1. Decorate! using fresh flowers in vases as well as fresh cut basil in the vases--smells great on the table and keeps yellow jackets away. Entertaining can be simple and elegant!

2. Babysitter! hire a trusted neighborhood teenager to come over to play with and watch the kids while the parents enjoy cocktail hour. This way parents can relax a little and the kids have fun! Depending on the number of little ones--usually a ration of 1:4-5 is good.

3. Lifeguard! If there is a pool...it’s worth having everyone pitch in to hire a lifeguard from a local pool. Mom and dad can enjoy a glass of wine and know that there is a professional, watchful eye on the swimming kids. You can entertain without the stress of the kids!

4. Cocktails: Prosecco (or cava) is yummy, light and inexpensive and you can really spruce it up by mixing in fresh fruit juice like POMM or Cranberry (healthy and yummy)! Your cocktails will last longer and look beautiful and colorful! Easy Entertaining!

4. Food! Keep it simple with foods that both kids and parents love. Everybody loves food on a stick! Do some simple kebabs on the grill (chicken or beef) with a few chunks of colorful red bell peppers and red onions to add some veggies and color! Make a side of couscous (follow simple instructions on the box) adding flavor with olive oil, salt, pepper and crumbled feta cheese. For dessert, make crystal light popsicles for the kids (if you want to avoid the sugar highs)! Also, you can make crystal light (or any other colored beverage) ice cubes in fun colors to put in their drinks!

5. Entertainment! The parents will likely be entertained if they can have adult conversations and have the kids playing with the sitter. For the Kids, if there is no pool, consider a craft table with non-messy crafts. Buy a bunch of plastic tumblers in different solid colors and get those foam shapes and letters that have sticky backs. Kids can make their own cups with their names on them and decorate them however they want. There's no paint or glue to worry about and most craft stores have tons of different foam stickers. All of it is really inexpensive and keeps the kids busy.

Thanks to Tiffany and Stephanie (two fabulous moms) from California for contributing their fabulous party and entertaining ideas that are both adult and kid friendly!

Antipasto Salad, Fabulous for Summer, Healthy & Easy!

Image by Andrionni Ribo (in the Philippines 7/14 - 7/28) via Flickr

Antipasto Salad with Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette!

Ingredients You'll Need:

Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and leaves chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Antipasto Salad:
1 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
1/2 cup hard salami, cut into strips
3/4 cup roasted turkey, cut into strips
1/4 cup provolone cheese, cut into strips (can use lowfat cheese)
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
3-4 tablespoons of roughly chopped artichoke hearts
4 tablespoons roasted red peppers, cut into strips (save time, buy jarred peppers!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Vinaigrette: In a blender, add the basil, vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and
pepper. Blend until the herbs are finely chopped. With the machine running,
drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta
and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally,
about 10-11 minutes. Drain pasta.

In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta with the remaining salad
ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and toss! (I did not use all of the dressing, I reserved some on the side & kept in the fridge to add as needed for leftovers or other snacks!)

TIP 1 Wine Pairing: Try a nice Pinot Noir with this - it goes well with the heat and smokiness of the salami & cheese!

TIP 2: Store your basil in damp papertowels in the fridge, it will last a little longer and smells fannntastic!

**The recipe above is slightly different take on Giada de Laurentis Antipasto Salad. We love Giada in this house and have ALL of her cookbooks!!

We'd love to hear what you think of this recipe, and hear about your yummy foodie experiences!

Good Food & Good Wine = a Very Good Time!
The Wilsons!