I attended the housewares show in Chicago and discovered rice.  I can hear you.  No, I am not a naive nut job who never goes to the grocery store.  I know rice is available not only at the grocery store, but the drug store, the big box discount stores and many convenience stores.  But this isn’t ordinary rice.  I discovered Bhutanese Red Rice, Forbidden Rice and Kalijira Rice.   These fly off the shelves in our store and they are THEE most fabulous rices so I am excited to find new ways to use them.  I came across this recipe in last month’s  collection of magazines and had to give it a try.   I loved the tenderness of the beef, the slight bitterness of the kale, the sweetness of the onions and the crunch and nuttiness of the Bhutanese Red.  A delightful combination. 

And the added bonus.  Not only did I get to use my Bhutanese Red Rice, but this is listed as Healthy Thai.  Yes, I know.  You can stop the applause now and just enjoy this offering.

STIR FRIED RED RICE WITH SLICED SIRLOIN STEAK AND PEAS adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

1/2 cup red rice  (I used a cup!)

1 cup water (I used 2)

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces thinly sliced sirloin steak

salt (I omitted)

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

4 cups thinly sliced greens such as chard, beet greens or kale (I used 2)

1 cup thawed frozen peas

3 tbsp soy sauce

white pepper (I was lazy and used black)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (I omitted)

In small saucepan, cover the rice with the water and bring to a boil.  Cover the saucepan and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. 

In a skillet or wok, heat 1 tbsp of oil.  Add the garlic and cook about 30 second.s  Add the sirloin and cook about 1 minute or until browned.  Transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of oil in the same skillet.  Add the onion and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, utnil softened, about 6 minutes.  Stir in the greens and stir fry over high heat until wilted, about 1 minute.  Stir in the rice and peas, the soy sauce and the reserved steak and stir well.  Season with pepper.  Garnish with cilantro, if using.

These will probably have meaning only to my fellow Camp Blogaway attendees, but these one liners were uttered aloud during our weekend retreat and I think a few of them should be used in everyday conversation!  

Knocker’s Up!

Olives Out.

It’s a beeping thingy.  An industry term.

Use Auto for birthdays, babies and big foot.

So sometimes you get a blue person who looks a little dead.

Do not say you are going somewhere to shoot seals.  You are photographing them.

My brain fell out!

Dancing ants.

People need hair.

I’m just not sure it’s a METHOD oatmeal.  

When you have bat wings wear 3/4 length sleeves. 

I don’t usually talk about striped plates or Sandra Lee unless I’vd had a little bit of vodka.

The black hole of death.

I’m just saying….

As I began my ascent to Camp Blogaway, high up in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, I began to get a bit nervous.  You already know my feelings about camping.  Lions and squirrels and snakes.  Oh my!  But armed with my sleeping bag, pillow and big girl panties, I decided I was going to make the best of it. 

It wasn’t the Four Seasons.  It wasn’t even the Motel 6.  But it waaaaaas rustic.  And it was quite a trek, over rocky terrain (see photo) to and from the lodge or a 1/2 day by horse.  As my bunkie Ann said, “we are on the north forty” but it wasn’t nearly as bad as my imagination had conjured up.  I might liken it to one of these no-name hotels in your hometown (Bates Motel) on the once main thoroughfare which is now a seedy joint just waiting for ”the offer” from the big developer so they can live out retirement in comfort.  If you are expecting the Four Seasons that is!  

The shower was a bit tricky.  I couldn’t decide if I should try to dress in the puddle that had formed outside the shower and inside the little room where the shower was housed or if I should chance the run across the hallway to the restroom to get dressed where there was more space.  I forgot my shampoo and soap the first time so had to start over by redressing so I could run to my bunk to get provisions.  The Four Seasons has that all right there waiting for you doesn’t it?!?  

I must admit I slept like a baby.  The ear plugs note on the packing list had me concerned especially with the ”highly recommended” in all caps.   I don’t need earplugs for the Hilton so I forged ahead without them wondering what I had gotten myself into.  I didn’t even hear my bunkie come in after she hung around to drink kiwi cocktails.  It wasn’t too hot.  It wasn’t too cold.  It was just right.

I didn’t bring the right shoes.  Flip flops from Florida to California seemed reasonable to me.  My extraordinarily expensive Via Spiga fashion boots seemed even better.  But, the former were a bit dirty and the latter were near catastrophic with the potential for ankle twisting on the rocks.  I just wasn’t expecting rocks.  But, overall, I am happy to say I survived camp.

The best part of the weekend was the other attendees.  I sort of felt like I had missed out as I arrived seven hours later than expected.  I felt a bit like a fish out of water and like everyone had already buddied up during the  Wilton cake decorating event, the Mad Housewives happy hour and the first meal together.   Some of the camaraderie had been missed but, as I mentioned, I was wearing my big girl panties so I sort of pushed myself into a group and quickly began getting acquainted with my fellow campers.  The ability to talk about your blog with people who really get it:  your failed recipes, your page views and your visions and dreams of this little piece of the internet you get to call your own is a delight.   

The speakers and the knowledge they so generously shared with each of us was invaluable.  I know I need to work on my photography and food styling.  I have a much better understanding of public relations and what steps I should take if I want to earn any cold hard cash from my endeavors.  I know how to attribute a recipe I use on my space and I know how to better promote my blog.  I have tons of tidbits about olives, onions and kiwis to share with my students.  I met a lot of great women and a few awesome men.  The beginnings of those relationships will continue through what really is the smallness of the internet and the social media we have all begun to utilize on a daily basis.  I now feel like I have cheerleaders in every corner of the United States wishing me well and encouraging my efforts.

Thanks to all my fellow campers for a great weekend!  Dawn 

And the winner is….. VICTOR EDWARDS.  Please send an email to dawn (at) doableanddelicious (dot) com to claim your prize.   Congrats!