Rice with saffron, scallion and sausage bits.
Photo courtesy National Pork Board.

Think of it this way: on Mondays mix a different fresh herb into the rice. On Tuesdays cook it in a different tea, or add bits of leftover meat, fish, veggies and/or green onion (think Chinese fried rice). On Wednesdays mix in a different salsa or chutney. On Thursdays try a different spice. On Fridays stir in a different dried fruit.

On Saturdays, choose a different type of gourmet rice—arborio, California mochi, Indian basmati, black rice, Bhutanese red rice, brown long grain, Thai jasmine, japonica, kalijira, wild rice (which isn’t a botanical rice, but a seed).

On Sundays, dress up the rice with nuts or a fruit-and-nut mix (fresh or dried fruit: raisins or dried cherries, for example).

We love rockin’ the rice!

• See our Rice Glossary for a wealth of rice information.
• Find rice recipes in our Rice, Beans & Grains section.

CoverMate has a solution. Its Stretch-to-Fit Food Covers are a heavier grade of plastic with a stretch band that easily covers any shape of bowls, pans or plate. They are BPA- and latex-free. The best way to describe them is to think of a shower cap that keeps the flavor in.

In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if the inventor was inspired by hotel shower caps. We’re only perturbed that, given the number of unused shower caps we’ve brought home from hotels, we didn’t think of using them in the kitchen!

More importantly, this heavy-duty clear wrap can be washed and reused over and over again. Use them to cover plates of food, bowls, casseroles, cakes and pies, platters, melons, drink pitchers and ice buckets. They also keep bugs off the picnic and barbecue food.

There’s even a small size that covers open cans of food! And, the covers are microwavable—no more food splatters!

We’ve been trying the Variety Pack, an assortment of three sizes. They work for just about anything, even a cut raw onion, which we typically store in an airtight container to contain the aroma.

Reusable “plastic wrap” covers make us feel
greener. Photo courtesy CoverMateCovers.com.

Get your sample pack at CoverMateCovers.com.

Ready for brunch: Scrambled eggs with our
favorite mix-ins. Photo © California
Asparagus Commission.

As the eggs cook, the milk turns into steam, puffing up the eggs! The milk also adds a richer flavor to the eggs.

We’re about to make some for brunch with “mix-ins.” You can mix in anything you like. To celebrate spring, we’re going for asparagus, with grape tomatoes and feta cheese.

Find more egg tips and recipes in our Eggs Section.

We have an excuse to make some of our favorite Passover specialty dishes:

• Matzo Brei, or fried matzo. Our favorite variation is onion and smoked salmon matzo brei, but we have 8 variations for you, both sweet and savory.
• This Veggie Matzo Brie is a matzo frittata, with carrots, broccoli, cheese and optional pesto sauce.
• For dessert and snacks, we love Caramel Matzo Buttercrunch, a buttery delight with chocolate and optional chopped nuts and fleur de sel. Even if you’re not Jewish or celebrating Passover, you should whip up a batch.

Don’t forget the chicken soup and matzo balls.

Veggie Matzo Brei, the 8th variation of our
matzo brei recipes. Photo courtesy Cabot Creamery.

But to make matzo balls as good as ours, you’ll also need to add a tablespoon of chopped parsley, dill or a combination of both, to the batter.

Bake or buy cupcakes to make these Easter
flower cupcakes. Photo courtesy McCormick.

• Baked Ham With Mojo Sauce & Papaya Salsa
• Glazed Ham With Dried Cherries & Caramelized Onions
• Or take a look at our ever-popular gourmet ham glaze recipes

If you’re not cooking Easter dinner, how about Easter brunch?

• Start by decorating hard-cooked Easter eggs, to serve with the brunch or for an Easter egg hunt afterwards.
• Next, pick your main course: a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Casserole or Stuffed French Toast.
• For dessert, bake Flower Cupcakes and Spring Meringue Cookies.

Find more Easter ideas by selecting “Easter” from the navigation menu in the right column.