Rice, Rice Baby

Have you ever noticed how some foods are a bit high-maintenance? Take rice for example. If you have a rice cooker, it cooks perfectly every time (it's like a spa for rice). However, if, by chance, you want to make Thai rice on the stove top in a pan... well, that's a different story. First, you need enough water so that it won't all boil out--it always takes more than you would guess. Second, bring it to a quick boil...and then remember to turn it WAY down before you boil out all the water and end up with rock-hard rice. That step is tricky--it requires paying attention while making all other aspects of dinner with three munchkins trying to distract you from the rice task. Once you've mastered that, you're usually home free. Tonight, amazingly, it worked. I got lucky!

I know I'm a bit of a glutton for punishment, but somehow I always love it when I beat the system of needing mechanical, gadget-minded kitchen junk that takes up too much space in my cupboards. I like to master the simpler tasks with as few gadgets as possible. (This may have some connection to my disinterest in doing dishes.) I don't own kitchen gadgets. I do not attend Pampered Chef parties. I don't have a food chopper, a KitchenAid mixer (okay, I'd like to own this one), any sort of food processor... you get the idea. I admit, though, that I've nearly broken down to buy the rice cooker... too many nights of overcooked rice!

We love the lake!