Use Ice for Brown Rice in the Microwave

This is not a recipe, just a quick tip. The automatic rice button on most microwaves operates thusly: the more water there is in the microwave, the longer it takes to heat it up. The automatic rice setting measures how long it takes to bring the water to a boil to figure out how much rice and water there is, and how long it needs to be cooked.

This works great for most white rice, but not so well for brown rice, which takes considerably longer to cook. So, this morning, I used ice instead of room temperature water, and the rice turned out just about right. The extra heating time bought by using the ice was enough to make the difference.

banana crumble snack cake

banana crumble snack cake from my muffin thursdays blog:

ingredients: 1/2c butter, softened 3/4c brown sugar (packed) 2 eggs 2 large, ripe bananas 1 tsp vanilla heaping 1/4tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 3/4c flour 1 1/4c old-fashioned oats (not quick)

for the topping: 3/4c old-fashioned oats 1/3c brown sugar (packed) 1 tbsp flour 4 tbsp butter, softened

directions: cream butter and brown sugar for the cake. mash bananas, and add to creamed mixture. add eggs, one at a time, beating till fluffy after each addition. sift together salt, baking soda, and flour into the cake. stir in oats and mix till just combined.

pour into a sprayed 9" cake pan or springform. mix up the topping by whisking together the oats, brown sugar, and flour. cut in the butter until a crumbly mixture forms. sprinkle over cake.

bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean. run knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it from the sides as it cools.

enjoy!

three reasons to love bredenbeck's

lemon curd, carrot cake, and chocolate raspberry cupcakes. om nom nom nom.

http://www.bredenbecks.com/