Creativity and a rice cooker

[lost squirrel]

Backstory, I have a rice cooker, a mircrowave and two burners. Along side that, I have about 1 square foot of kitchen space. My cutting board hangs over the sink, sometimes falls and usually makes a huge mess. It's not conducive to fun cooking. :(

I want to make new things with the ricecooker, but it seems that most recipes are just variations on rice. Jambalaya, rice with ______, etc...

I eat way too much rice as it is here.

I was thinking of browning some beef or pork with carmelized onions, cooling them down and adding them to the rice cooker along wit potatoes and carrots and maybe black pumpkin (texture of pumpkin but taste of zucchini!).

For the liquid, maybe some chicken stock and beer? Red wine?

Spices will probably be cayenne or equivalent heat for the meat. Butter, salt & pepper for onions.

Paprika?

HELP ME!

[renz]

If you'll be in this situation for a while (and you have my sympathies--I've been there), you might want to check out this book for rice cookers:
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Rice-C...

Also, Barbara Kafka wrote a book in microwave cooking that has received great reviews.

[chowser]

Another obvious starch--potatoes work great in it and turn out perfect for mashed potatoes. Steel cut oatmeal is good, too.

[girlwonder88]

Steel cut oats! Do tell! How do you do these?

[chowser]

You have to have the right kind of rice cooker or it can boil over (I first used it on the one where you add water outside the pot). I've heard you can soak them overnight in water first and that'll help but I've never tried that. The other way I've done them is in a crockpot (Alton Browns method). It's this idea but I use water and then add milk at the end to cool it down a little and make it soupy.

http://www.recipezaar.com/142363

[pepper_mil]

That sounds OK - just think of anything that would work well with long, slow, moist heat. Coarse polenta (or grits) cooks up GREAT in a rice cooker and makes a nice taste and colour change, if you can get it there.

[link_930]

Don't know if this is what you're asking, but I've successfully made black bean soup in my rice cooker! :D

I'd also add in a bay leaf, do the chicken stock and beer instead of the red wine.

[lost squirrel]

Bay leaf is a good point, they're wicked expensive here but worth it.

How'd you make the soup? I love black bean soup!

[link_930]

I soaked the beans first, then put in rice cooker with 3x as much water or an unsalted homemade broth. Depending on your tastes: pepper, sauteed garlic, onion, jalapenos/habanero, etc. I add salt, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, etc after it's done cooking.

Let me know how it turns out!

[lost squirrel]

Sounds good.
sounds really good actually. I'll try it later this week if I have time. Thanks!

[lost squirrel]

Obviously I will incorporate some garlic into the meat, maybe cutting slits and stuffing it in. Then, when it slow cooks the garlic will ooze out along with some juices and infuse the potatoes!