Crispy Rice Food

CLASSIC CRISPY RICE TREATS

Steps:

• Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each of the longer sides. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray.
• Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and cook, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Working quickly, add the rice cereal to the pot and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press into an even, compact layer. (Spray your hands with a little cooking spray to keep them from sticking when pressing the cereal mixture into the pan). Decorate with toppings if using (see Cook's Note).
• Let sit at room temperature until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut into 24 squares. Store the cereal treats at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

CRISPY RICE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
• Place the rice in a large bowl, rinse with cold water and drain in a colander until the water runs totally clear. Drain well.
• Add the rice to the pot and boil until the grains are soft on the outside but still hard at the center, about 6 minutes. Drain the rice and rinse under cold water.
• Measure out 1 1/4 cups of the parcooked rice and transfer to a bowl; stir in the yogurt, the 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Melt the oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter together over medium-low heat in a 2- to 3-quart nonstick pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the yogurt rice and spread it evenly to cover the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining rice, mounding it into a pyramid shape. Insert the handle of a wooden spoon into the mound 3 or 4 times to make vents for steam to escape. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the rice starts to steam, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot, first with a clean towel and then with a lid. Steam until the rice is fully cooked and a golden brown crust has formed on the bottom, about 50 minutes.
• Spoon the loose rice onto a platter, then use a firm spatula to remove the crust from the pan. Top the rice with the crust and sprinkle with the parsley and sumac if using. Serve immediately.

CHINESE CRISPY OR SIZZLING RICE

Steps:

• Rinse 1 cup of long- or medium-grain rice in a pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water (1 1/4 if using medium-grain rice) to the rice and bring to a boil.
• Cover and simmer at low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from burner and allow to cool.
• While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 300 F.
• Place the rice on a baking sheet, making sure that it is about (but no more than) 1/4-inch thick.
• Bake the rice for 50 to 55 minutes until it's dry.
• Cool and cut into 2-inch squares. Store in a container until needed but don't freeze.
• The rice is now ready to be deep-fried. The trick to using deep-fried crispy rice is to make sure that both it and the sauce or soup it is being added to are very hot. That way you will hear the crackling sounds. Unfortunately, this makes for a lot of last-minute work-you can't deep fry the rice crusts and then set them aside to add during the final stage of cooking. Instead, the rice should be deep-fried before the dish is served, with the soup or sauce being kept warm during this time. Deep-fry a few at a time, turning constantly until they brown and puff up (this will take only seconds). Drain on paper towels. Bring to the table, quickly pour the hot liquid over it, and listen to the rice snapping and popping. Safety Tip: If not handled properly, cooked rice has the potential to grow a bacteria called Bacillus cereus . To prevent this, make certain the rice is completely dried, then rapidly cooled, cut into squares, placed into a container, and refrigerated for no more than seven days before use.

CRISPY RICE FOR SIZZLING RICE SOUP

Steps:

• Combine rice and water in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.
• Simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Spread the rice over an ungreased baking sheet, no more than 1/4 inch thick.
• Bake rice for 50-55 minutes until dry.
• Cool rice and cut into 2" squares.
• Store in a canister until needed, but do not freeze.

PERFECT CRISPY RICE CEREAL TREATS (FRUIT FLAVORED)

Steps:

• Take a pan or baking dish approximately 13x 9 x2 inch size.
• Lay aluminum foil (or parchment paper or waxed paper) across your pan leaving the ends folded over the edges to to work as handles for when removing your crispy rice cereal treats when finished.
• Spray inside pan (including lining) with non-fat cooking spray.
• Use a large heavy saucepan to melt the butter over LOW HEAT for 2 minutes.
• Add half of the marshmallows and stir constantly over LOW HEAT to melt them. Be careful not to let them stick or burn to the bottom of the pan. It is essential that you do not rush this step!
• Remove the pan from the heat. Add to the pan half of the crispy rice cereal, then the other half of the marshmallows, and finally the other half of the crispy rice cereal.
• Stir gently but quickly with buttered or silicone spatula.
• Pour crispy rice mixture into prepared pan.
• Using waxed paper or buttered spatula or disposal gloves sprayed with cooking spray, firmly press the hot cookie mixture into the pan (the gloves truly work the best).
• Let crispy rice cereal mixutre cool until firm (approximately 45 minutes).
• Turn treats out of pan, peel off foil/paper and cut into squares.
• Store in an airtight container.
• TIp: Although I substitute low-fat and low-calorie products for almost everything that I make, this dish definitely turns out best using real butter, and premium quality marshmallows.
• Tip: If fruit flavored is not your thing, but chocolate and/or peanut butter is, you can substitute the fruit flavored marshmallows with plain mini-marshmallows and then add 3/4 cup of smooth peanut butter and/or 3/4 cups of chocolate chips when adding the second half of the marshmallows.
• Tip To speed up cooling place in freezer 15 minutes.
• Tip: Will last 2 days at room temperature or 6 weeks in the freezer.