Keeping Cooked Rice and Pasta on Hand, and A Delicious Recipe....

If you, like me, aren't crazy about cooking rice and pasta every time you need it for a recipe here's a method I discovered when the kids were small, and it continues to serve me well.

How much cooked rice or pasta will you need for your menus this week? Make it ALL at once (No, not altogether! A pan for rice, and another one for pasta. :-) just as you would if you were making a single recipe.

Now, here's the trick: say it's rice you're preparing.
Cook it as you normally would.
Rinse it in hot water.
Drain it well.
Pour a couple tablespoons of cooking oil on it, and using your hands, work it in, coating the rice grains in the oil.
Cover and set it aside to cool.
When it's cooled, stir it well, adding more oil, if it has a tendency to stick together.
Place it in a refrigerator container. Cover.
Pop it in the fridge, then as you need cooked rice this week, take out whatever you need.

It's wonderfully easy to do, and makes meal prep so much faster! If it's plain rice you need, just warm it in the microwave, and it's fluffy, and ready to use.

Make your week's pasta the same way as you do your rice. It tastes fresh all week long!

Okay, now for the recipe. If you have leftover ham, use it; or if you are tired of the whole turkey-ham thing, use cooked and crumbled sausage (also a good way to use leftover sausage patties. This is a delicious breakfast casserole!

ALBA'S CHEESY HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

20 oz. Simply Shreds Hash Brown Potatoes (or use another brand's Potatoes O'Brien, and add a couple dashes of seasoned salt); thaw, and pat dry with a paper towel. Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray, then line the dish with the hash browns.

Drizzle with 2/3 c. melted butter (it HAS to be butter!). Bake at 425 for 25 minutes, or till it begins to brown. Cool.

In a large bowl, mix together: 8 oz. Pepper Jack Cheese (if you don't have the pepper jack cheese on hand, use Monterrey Jack or Colby, and add a tablespoon or two of chopped jalapenos or chopped green chilies)-8 oz. Swiss cheese-12 oz. ham, chopped, or 1 lb. browned, drained, and crumbled sausage. Mix well. Sprinkle evenly over the cooked and cooled hash browns.

In a bowl, beat together the following, and pour it over the meat-cheese mixture: 1 c. whipping cream (I use Half 'n' Half)-4 eggs-1/2 t. seasoned salt

Cover with foil. Can be frozen at this point, if you're making it ahead. Will keep for 2 weeks or so in the freezer, or a day or two in the fridge.
Cook, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

NOTE: If you freeze it, thaw it before cooking.

Enjoy today! It's God's gift to you; and the fact that you're still on the planet means He has a purpose for your life!