A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

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Rice A Wrongi

By Jimmy Johnson

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Along the lines of what we were discussing in the previous post, I received a message from a reader when this cartoon first appeared 10 years ago, a message to the effect, Arlo is not the kind of man who would use instant rice. That reader might have had a point, but again I plead “artistic license.” Besides, I can’t say Arlo has never used instant rice. There was a time he occasionally might’ve used it for its sole benefit: expediency. However, he wouldn’t use it today, for he is pretty serious about getting away from processed food. I know, I know: white rice is processed food, but he’s not a fanatic, either. He enjoys cooking a lot of dishes that call for rice, and he’s willing to take that chance. Wait a minute—we are talking about a cartoon character here, aren’t we?

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45 responses to “Rice A Wrongi”

  1. Den in MN Avatar
    Den in MN

    Are we? 🙂

  2. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Jambalaya with andouille for dinner Saturday evening; nothing instant about it.

  3. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Finally, a viable alternative to The Weather Channel…Jimmy does a cartoon about the temperature, and everyone on The Dark Side chimes in with their local weather conditions/forecast. Thanks, Dark Side!

    Meanwhile, TWC this morning was reporting something about Justin Beiber. Way to go, Weather Channel! Love your new edgy, bad-boy vibe! Oh, and good luck with increasing the numbers for your female age 10-14 demographic.

  4. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    There is nothing more tasty than a pot of chicken and white rice with celery, onion, green peppers, and fresh tomatoes. 🙂

  5. sandcastler™ Avatar
    sandcastler™

    Sunday lunch was beef tips, onions and mushrooms, over rice.
    GR6, on the Bright Side we just talk food. 🙂

  6. emeritus minnesota biologist Avatar
    emeritus minnesota biologist

    Sharon: “There is nothing more tasty . . ..” Dangerous assertion, even aside from “de gustibus non disputatum est” [sp?]

    Taddy Porter? Kemp’s Moose Tracks frozen yogurt? Wife’s Senegalese soup [for which I’ve lost the recipe]? My West African style chicken and fruit curry? A well made Rachel without the thousand island? My daughter’s ex mother-in-law’s paela [sp?]? Crawfish etouffe’? Biscuits and gravy topped with a fresh egg over easy? Coffee and a scone at “Brewed Awakenings” coffee house in Grand Rapids, MN?

    None of these would be even desirable day in and day out for a month. But having such goodies often as part of a varied diet is what table grace is for.

  7. Blinky the Wonder Wombat Avatar
    Blinky the Wonder Wombat

    While “the Dark Side” talks about the weather, we purists in the Village know that the proper topic of conversation is what he had for dinner. The blasphemy of the others is obvious! We must subjugate them to our superior ways!

  8. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Blinky: Indeed. You can’t do anything about the weather, but you can eat food.

  9. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    emb: Would the “Senegalese soup” you mentioned be the same as “West African Peanut Soup”, the recipe for which was posted on this blog a while back? I added it to my recipe collection and will happily post it back to you if that this the one you are seeking.

  10. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    emb: When chicken is rice is what you are craving, I guess there is nothing better at that time. Guess I should have clarified 🙂

  11. Number 6 Avatar
    Number 6

    The village? We’re in the Village?

  12. Lilyblack Avatar

    To this Texas girl, nothing without beef is “Most tasty,” especially my boss; husband’s pot roast with potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and onions. Though I will admit his Gumbo Ya-ya with chicken and andouille comes close.

  13. Lilyblack Avatar

    By the way, I don’t get it. Is instant rice supposed to make a noise like a can opener? I just make regular rice

  14. Nodak Wayne Avatar
    Nodak Wayne

    Lilyblack, the way I see it is that Arlo lightly shakes the box before he pours it into the pot making a sound like the kibble box being shaken.

  15. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Nodak, I think you got it in one. Same as animals used to come running when they heard a can opener and now do so for pop-top cans of all kinds. Nothing more disappointed than a hungry cat who finds you pouring soda. And why wouldn’t Arlo invest in an automatic rice cooker? They work great and leave you free to work on other things. Umm, jasmine rice and any meat!

  16. emeritus minnesota biologist Avatar
    emeritus minnesota biologist

    GR6:

    I’m pretty sure it had peanuts in it. Please post it. Then Sharon can try it and compare it with her chicken, rice, and veggies dish. This morning I had sardines on toast for breakfast, and M. Trouve’ got to lick out the can.

    Time for me to go work out.

  17. Lilyblack Avatar

    Yeah, I’d like to see the chicken, rice, and veggies recipe, Sharon

  18. Galliglo from Ohio Avatar
    Galliglo from Ohio

    JJ: Methinks your alter ego has been speaking…

  19. Jack in Minnesota Avatar
    Jack in Minnesota

    emb, are you located in Grand Rapids?

  20. James Riendeau Avatar
    James Riendeau

    You can get instant brown rice. I prefer the slow variety since it’s much cheaper and I’m in no hurry. Either way, I’m skeptical that at least some of the bran/germ isn’t stripped and diverted for bran oil during processing.

  21. Lilyblack Avatar

    I just like the way Uncle Ben’s Converted Rice tastes when you do it the regular way. Besides, my friend and mentor in cooking would tell me I was lazy

  22. Lilyblack Avatar

    And please tell me the chicken, rice and veggie recipe doesn’t call for “1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup”

  23. Lilyblack Avatar

    I found this on the Net, It sounds better:

    prep:
    5 min
    total:
    25 min
    servings
    total:
    4 servings

    what you need
    1 Tbsp. oil
    1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
    3 cups cut-up mixed fresh vegetables (broccoli, carrots and red peppers)
    1 can (14-1/2 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
    2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
    1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
    make it

    HEAT oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

    ADD vegetables; cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in broth. Bring to boil.

    STIR in rice and dressing; cover. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through

  24. Ghost Rider 6 Avatar
    Ghost Rider 6

    Here you go, emb. I’ve not tried this yet but still intend to do so. I did make a Moroccan-Style Stewed Chicken (in slow cooker) for one of my lady friends who had actually lived in Morocco at one time, and she approved of it.

    West African Peanut Soup

    Ingredients

    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
    1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
    1 to 2 teaspoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
    Dash of cayenne pepper
    1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
    2 1/2 cups water, divided
    1/2 cup tomato juice
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
    5 green onions, chopped

    Instructions

    1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Stir in yellow onions and carrots and
    cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add ginger and
    cayenne; cook 1 minute.

    2. Add sweet potato, 2 cups water, tomato juice, salt and pepper. Bring to a
    boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until potatoes are soft, about 15
    minutes. Let cool slightly.

    3. Ladle soup into the bowl of a food processor. Add peanut butter. Cover and
    process until smooth. Pour into a clean pan.

    4. Heat soup over low heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup water to thin if desired.
    Ladle into soup bowls and top each serving with green onions. Serves 3.

  25. emeritus minnesota biologist Avatar
    emeritus minnesota biologist

    Jack: I’m there often enough to be familiar with places to eat. Judy Garland, however, was before my time. Besides, as a child, I was sorely disappointed with what the movie did to L. Frank Baum’s book. These days, I reserve that kind of ire for violence done to G&S productions [e.g., the Broadway production of ‘The Pirates of Penzance’].

    Today’s TIP http://www.gocomics.com/that-is-priceless/ may be a rerun, but I’d not looked it up until just now. It’s ‘The Hostage’. The lone woman in the foreground is obviously the subject. She seems darker than at least some of the women farther back, and they are obviously familiar with one another. Presumably she is in their charge to protect her from the attentions of the men who took her hostage, or their companions. War is grim.

    Today’s TIP Blogspot [cannot do two urls in one post] is ‘Girl reading a letter with an old man reading over her shoulder’. Cannot quite make out what is over his head. Also, am puzzled by their light source. It probably should be a candle, and the pattern of lit and shadowed areas almost requires that it be in view. Clever ‘NSA’ squib, though.