Nourishing my family in feast days and ordinary time, with special emphasis on food allergy needs. http://feastandferia.blogspirit.com/helpful_hints/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:39:51 -0400 blogSpirit.com All Rights Reserved http://feastandferia.blogspirit.com/archive/2007/04/22/a-problem-solved.html http://feastandferia.blogspirit.com/archive/2007/04/22/a-problem-solved.html noreply@blogspirit.com () Food Allergies Helpful Hints Wheat, Egg and Dairy Free Sun, 22 Apr 2007 17:23:17 -0400 One of our staples in our wheat free pantry is <a href="http://www.tinkyada.com/">Tinkyada Rice Pasta</a>. We use it to replace all pasta, noodles, spaghetti, etc. It was an easy transition, and we all enjoy the pasta at our meals. I try to make extra for lunches or dinners for my son, particularly if we are out or traveling. I usually make a whole bag, which can last for two dinner meals and extra lunches. <br /><br />I follow the package directions for cooking. I drain and rinse the pasta well (otherwise it just sticks together). After that I add vegetable oil or Smart Balance margarine. I reheat the noodles briefly in the microwave before serving (if I'm serving alone as a side dish -- rinsing makes them cold).<br /><br />The problem is leftovers. Rice pasta doesn't always reheat well. It can get hard and not palatable. But this week I made a discovery that will revolutionize our leftover pasta dilemma! (Those who do not use a microwave can just skip this entry.) Perhaps we're the only family with this problem, but the problem is solved.<br /><br />On Thursday I was reheating a half batch of noodles I had made on Monday. They were cold and hard. My first attempt at just heating them for a minute in the microwave warmed them, but did not soften then. But then I added some canned chicken stock, just a tablespoon or two to the noodles, heated for a minute or two and eureka! Soft palatable noodles, like they were just cooked. Water might work, but the chicken stock added a touch of flavor.<br /><br />For a smaller batch, like an individual serving for my son's lunch, I'll cover the dish with a dampened paper towel and reheat for about 30 seconds to refresh the noodles. When you don't do sandwiches, you have to come up with some tasty carb alternatives. http://feastandferia.blogspirit.com/archive/2006/06/04/advice-to-self.html http://feastandferia.blogspirit.com/archive/2006/06/04/advice-to-self.html noreply@blogspirit.com () Helpful Hints Sun, 04 Jun 2006 19:15:00 -0400 Never, ever, attempt to make potato salad in a breakable glass bowl again.