Rice is one of the most popular and widely used grains in the world. It is a staple in countless dishes, especially in Asian cooking. However, a lot of people perceive cooking rice as a little tricky. Sometimes the result can be too mushy, too dry, or the rice burns in the pot. I think we have all experienced that...

So in order to achieve light, fluffy rice there are a few basic steps to think about.

Cookware
First of all, it's very important to use a sturdy pot with a thick bottom. If the pot is too thin, your rice is much more likely to burn. A thick pot will ensure more even cooking as there will be less “hot spots” on the bottom. You also want a pot with a tight-fitting lid.

We like this pot for small portions (2-4 people)

All-Clad 2 Quart Stainles Steel Sauce Pan

The Rice-to-Water ratio
If anything will effect your rice's consistency, it's your rice-to-water ratio. This ratio changes depending on what kind of rice your cooking. Short-grain white rice will need less water than long-grained brown rice. This ratio will also be affected depending on the amount of rice you cook, as well as the altitude you're located at. Generally, white rice will need about 1 to 1 ½ cups of water to every cup of dried rice. Brown rice will need about 1 ½ to 2 cups of water to every cup of rice. Here, it's best to experiment until you achieve the perfect result based on the amount and the kind of rice you use.

Flavoring
Most commonly, rice is simply seasoned with a little salt. However, if you want to add some more depth to your rice, you can either substitute water for broth, or add a bouillon cube to your water. While this method will season your rice slightly, it will not overpower your rice. If on the other hand you really want to spice up your rice, you could lend it an oriental feel by adding some whole spices such as a cinnamon stick, some star anise and some cloves.

The cooking process
The method by which you cook rice is basically pretty straight forward. Add rice, then water to the pot along with salt or other flavorings. Bring up to a boil, put on a lid and lower the heat. Let the rice simmer with the lid on for about 10-30 minutes depending on your rice. Next, remove the pot from the heat and leave the lid on. Let the rice rest and fully absorb the liquid for about five minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Cooking time
So how long do you cook your rice? Well, that depends on what kind of rice you are cooking. Generally though, white rice will need about 12-15 minutes and brown rice about 25-35 minutes.

How we usually cook our rice
We generally use a 2 quart pot and Basmati rice to cook about 2-4 portions. Through experiment we find that 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water works well. After we put in the rice and water we add a bullion cube, beef or chicken. We let the rice come to a boil, then reduce the heat, stir and cover on low heat for 12-15 minutes.

When we want to use 2 cups of Basmati rice we have found that we can reduce the ratio of water to rice. 2 cups rice and 3-3½ cups of water. The cooking time is the same.

Since various factors will effect the result of your rice, your best bet is to experiment with different types of rice, rice-to-water ratio and cooking times, in order to find a solution that fits your taste.

Sugar cookie dough is a great way to create all sorts of interesting cookies with the same basic dough. Depending on how you cut the dough, or form certain shapes, the possibilities are endless.

See also:

Making and Decorating Sugar Cookies with Icing

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Method

Place flour, baking powder, and salt in a work bowl, whisk together to combine. Set aside.

Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light in color.

Add egg and milk and beat to combine.

Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until the dough comes together.

Place the dough on parchment paper and form into a log. Roll up in the wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This dough can be left in the refrigerator for the next day, or frozen for a month.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Now that the dough has harneded in the refrigerator unwrap the parchment paper and slice your cookies with a sharp knife to about 1/4 inch thick.

Lay out your sliced dough on a cookie sheet and place back in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes.

Then bake for 10-14 minutes.

Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

The purpose of this menu

The goal of this menu is to prove that you can live very well and healthy on a $50 a week budget for two people. Sure, $25 per person (or $100 for 4 people), isn't as cheap as you could possibly go, many people survive on much less than that. But with this menu we are not trying to eat rice and beans every day (even if that is served a couple of times) - we are trying to enjoy a varied diet with legumes, vegetables as well as meat and fish. And yes, it can be done, the key here is planning your meals in advance and actually cooking/preparing all your meals in the kitchen, no take-out or restaurant visits.

Meals Breakdown

For breakfast in this menu we feature filling meals that keep you full for a long period of time. We alternate between oatmeal with milk, and eggs and toast for breakfast, with the Saturday pancake exception. If you don't like regular oatmeal, you could easily substitute old fashioned oats for steel cut oats. They take a little longer to cook, but if you have the time (most of us don't), then they provide an even tastier and healthier alternative.

For lunch, we try to prepare food that is easy to bring along whether to work or school. Sandwiches play an important part here, as do beans and rice. Another important aspect of lunch is ease of preparation. You don't really want to be cooking when lunch comes around, that's impractical for most of us.

For dinner, we try to provide a varied diet that includes budget alternatives such as lentils and polenta and garbanzo bean soup. But when you're eating on $50 a week, you can actually afford meats as well as the occasional fish. For meats, we use chicken thighs which provide excellent flavor for a good price, as well as sausage and bacon. On Friday, we feast on salmon.

We have not accounted for drinks in this menu, other than a glass of orange juice each morning for breakfast.

We have attempted to make a practical menu. For example, we allocate a pack of bacon over two days: pasta carbonara one day, and BLT sandwiches for lunch the next. We make a double batch of soup, so that the other half can be enjoyed for lunch the next day.

Cost Calculation

All of these meals are priced with the accrual method. That means, that we only calculate the cost of as much as you need. In other words, if a recipe calls for 1/2 pound of bacon - we only calculate the cost of 1/2 a pound, even though you might need to buy a one pound package. That means, that it might cost more than $50 to purchase the ingredients for these recipes, however if you already have staples, it might cost less. Overall, the difference in price averages out over time: the price calculated for these dishes is exact.

Many of the recipes listed, calls for making more than 2 servings. Either scale down the recipe to fit your needs, or make a larger batch and freeze for another day. If you have leftover sausage for example or if you need to buy a larger pack of salmon - then freeze the individual filets or sausage links and use at another time. Sure, the price will be slightly higher one week, but next week it might be lower.

The prices of these ingredients reflect an average across the country. Sure, some people in some areas of the United States will be able to make this food at a lower cost.

$50 Weekly Menue (2 people)

Each meal is priced for two servings (two bowls of oatmeal, two sandwiches, two servings of each dish...)

Total cost for the whole week: $50.02

• 1 pie dish with rolled out pie dough
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 1 cup of ham, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dry vermouth
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 ½ cup of sharp cheese, grated (I used sharp white cheddar)
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cups half-and-half
• salt and pepper

	Method: Blind bake the pie dough in a 400 degree oven for about 10 - 15 minutes.
	Sauté the onion in the butter on low heat for about 20 minutes, add a little bit of salt. Raise the heat, add the chopped ham, the dry vermouth and the thyme and sauté for a few more minutes. Set aside. Whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Add some salt and pepper.
	Assemble the pie: Once the pie dough has cooled down, distribute about a third of the cheese on the dough. Add the ham and cheese mixture and pour over the egg batter.
	Distribute the rest of the cheese on top and bake in a 350 degree F for about 30 minutes.

In the kitchen, you often prepare dishes utilizing raw eggs. Whether you’re making mayonnaise, chocolate mousse or cookie dough ice cream, these recipes call for using raw eggs – whites or yolks.

While most eggs are perfectly fine to eat raw, there is always a very small risk that one egg might be contaminated by bacteria. According to the American Egg board, about one in every 20,000 eggs might be contaminated by Salmonella.

Naturally, eggs are surrounded by a protective layer that prevents bacteria from entering and growing. In the United States though, that protective layer is eliminated as all eggs are washed with a special detergent according to government regulations.

To avoid the risk of illness, there are a few things to consider. First of all, make sure to only utilize fresh, whole, grade A or AA eggs. If the egg smells strange or if it's discolored, then throw it away.

Secondly, you can pasteurize raw eggs before making dishes with them. When you pasteurize eggs you bring them up to about 140-150 degrees for 3-5 minutes depending on the age and the size of the eggs. If the temperature goes any higher you start to cook the egg. Pasteurizing eggs won’t completely eliminate the risks that eating raw eggs bring, it will however drastically reduce the chance of contamination. You can purchase pasteurized eggs at the grocery store, but it’s really easy to do yourself.

How To Pasteurize Raw Eggs

Place the eggs in a pot with cold water. Put the water on medium heat and stand by to watch as the temperature rises. You don’t want the temperature of the water to exceed 150 degrees. If you want to be exact, you can keep a thermometer probe in the water, if not 140-150 degrees is the stage before bubbles start to form. At that temperature, you can just about keep your finger in the water for a few seconds before you burn yourself. When you reach this temperature, try to keep it. So lower the heat, and watch so the temperature doesn’t rise, then keep the eggs in the water for about 3-5 minutes.

If you want to be even more careful, you can soft boil the eggs as this will work for some recipes. Some dressings for example that call for a raw egg yolk, will taste fine if you utilize a soft-boiled egg yolk, or even better sometimes. If however, you’re making chocolate mousse or parfait, then you’re better off pasteurizing the egg and not soft boiling it.