Confessions of a Self- Baster
January 4, 2007

Are you under-whelmed with odd kitchen gizmos masquerading as holiday gifts? You know what I’m talking about– pie weights that double as rosary beads, the celebrity set of 12 melon ballers, or how about that bagel slicing kit? It's happened so often to me that my holiday nickname is now 'the self-baster.' I can't help it. I hate waste, don't horde, and revere form and function so I often regift myself– immediately! I did this last Christmas and made one of my finest culinary purchases ever, a rice cooker. I returned a singing salad spinner and bought a National Brand SR MM10ns. I use it every week to cook perfect brown, basmati, wild, and Arborio rice.

With the New Year, a rice cooker has the potential to amaze and thrill your friends and family. The cooker is computerized to fit your schedule and menu demands. I am planning to whip up Saffron Vegetable Basmati Rice, plate it on a beautiful new platter (a gift I’m that I am actually keeping), and fan grilled shrimp and beef kabobs around the edges. The entire meal will take 30 minutes to prep and serve, and it will feed 8–10 hungry people. 

Basmati brown rice: it is our favorite because it is so fragrant and toothsome; supermarkets sell it in 3 pound jugs. Simply measure 3 cups of dry rice into the rice cooker. There is a measuring bar for water amounts inside the pot. To add intrigue and nutrition, toss in a few pinches of saffron (or any spice you like), a dash of olive oil, 2 pinches of kosher salt, 6 chopped garlic cloves, 2 handfuls of chopped onion, a handful of raw mushrooms, and 2 fistfuls of grape tomatoes. Then select from the cooking menu "brown rice" and hit the start button- it's that easy! You'll need to begin the cooking at least 3 hours before dinnertime for the rice to be ready, but you can begin cooking it up to 8 hours ahead. The rice will stay warm and make your kitchen smell amazing. Fluff with a chopstick and plate on a large platter for serving.

Kabobs: The kabobs are easy if you splurge on some premium shrimp and beef. Spear a few pieces on the short thick picks that are now available. Add some colorful sweet peppers, too. Sprinkle any combination of spice rub over the protein. Grill to desired doneness and then fan around the platter of rice.

Aioli Sauce: How about a WOW dipping sauce for the kabobs? In a small prep bowl stir together two cups of Hellmann's mayonnaise, 2-4 tablespoons of commercial chili garlic sauce (choose desired intensity), and 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro.

This is my ultimate self-baster meal: all of my favorite nutritious foods that yield maximum enjoyment and appreciation for the minimum amount of work. Form, function and no leftovers–-sounds like a great way to begin 2007 to me. Happy New Year!

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008