IDEAS FOR BROWN RICE

Ideas for brown rice
Have you been wanting to increase your use of brown rice, a good source of fiber?
"Brown Rice Whole Grain Goodness" is available at usarice.com. Click on the link marked "consumer."
You also may send a business-sized, self-addressed, stamped envelope to Brown Rice Whole Grain Goodness, c/o USA Rice Federation, 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 425, Arlington, VA 22203.
Food Network calendarbenefits disaster relief
A holiday-season gesture by the Food Network is aimed at helping restaurant workers in New Orleans. The launch of a 2006 Food Network calendar, its first chef-recipe calendar, will benefit the New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund, the television network says.
Its partner in this initiative is the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. All profits from sales of the calendar will be donated to the New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund, which benefits hospitality workers who have experienced hardships due to Hurricane Katrina.
The 15-month calendar features recipes and photos of many favorite Food Network personalities, including Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, Alton Brown and Bobby Flay. It also gives details of great reasons to visit New Orleans, for events such as Jazz Fest and other high-profile happenings scheduled for 2006.
The calendar is on sale for $12.95 in stores, and online at:
http://www.FoodNetwork.com
Calendars will also be available at South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Feb. 24-26, 2006: festival information at:
http://www.sobewineandfoodfest.com.
Give the dishwashermoney-saving care
After days of preparing for your holiday feasts and hours of enjoying it, the cleanup process can often times be rushed. To avoid over-running your dishwasher or causing a leak, Mr. Appliance suggests loading it with care and patience.
"Dishwashers are prone to more problems during the holidays because of the extra food and dirty dishes," Doug Rogers, chief operations officer for Mr. Appliance, says. "To ensure a clean and trouble-free wash, don't shovel plates and glasses into the dishwasher or pack them into one load that is too full."
Instead, split a jam-packed load into two; it usually costs less than a postage stamp to run a load in the dishwasher. Choose the air-dry setting instead of heat-dry to trim costs.
Those who insist on rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher should wash them in a basin of cold water rather than under a running faucet of hot water; this will save energy and cut your electricity bill.
Tips to get your dishes sparkling clean and ready for the next big holiday:
UUse powdered detergent; gels can cloud glassware and clog the detergent dispenser.
URinse aids or agents help dry dishes more quickly; water spreads and sheets off the dishes, instead of forming beads that leave spots and film.
UWash sterling silver and gold-plated flatware only by hand; if they end up in the dishwasher, soap will damage the finish.
(Source: Mr. Appliance. On the Web: www.mrappliance.com)
The heart of the kitchen
Take care to keep your oven running properly at party times -- it's the heart of the kitchen, and during the holidays it performs the equivalent of running a marathon.
Mr. Appliance suggests these tips to keep your oven in shape, so you can avoid a holiday meal disaster:
*Whether you own a gas or electric oven, the best way to keep it healthy is to clean it. Don't run the self-cleaning cycle within one week of a holiday dinner; ovens have a tendency to fail during or right after a self-cleaning cycle. Clean the reflector bowls under the burners to cook more efficiently and use nonabrasive cleaners.
UTake the oven's temperature. One of the most common problems is when the set temperature doesn't match the temperature inside the oven. To ensure the temperature inside is what you want it to be, use an oven thermometer or buy a basic white cake mix and follow the directions exactly. If the cake is dry or undercooked, the temperature is not set correctly. If the oven isn't heating correctly, it may need to be recalibrated or have a new thermostat installed.
UIf a heating element burns out on an electric stove, have it replaced immediately. In most cases, a bake or broil heating element can be replaced quickly without having to pull the oven away from the wall, saving you money.
UDoes your oven sweat? If an oven has moisture appearing on the outside of the oven door it means you have a faulty door gasket. Gaskets maintain proper cooking temperatures and should be replaced at the first sign of a leak.
(Source: Mr. Appliance. On the Web: www.mrappliance.com)
Open bubbly the right way
SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Academy of Ophthalmology, the national association of eye doctors, offers some advice to help Americans celebrate safely this holiday season. The association points out that every year careless celebrating leads to serious injuries, often including eye injuries.
Champagne corks are one of the most common holiday-related hazards to the eyes. Here are some tips from the association about the right way to safely open a bottle of bubbly:
UMake sure sparkling wine is chilled to at least 45 F before opening. The cork of a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly. This, coupled with bad technique, can cause serious eye injuries. Chilling champagne to 45 F also improves its taste.
UHold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood. Point the bottle away from yourself and others at a 45-degree angle. Place a towel over the entire top and grasp the cork, slowly and firmly twisting it to break the seal.
Keep the bottle at a 45-degree angle, hold it firmly with one hand and use the other hand to slowly turn the cork with a slight upward pull. Continue until the cork is almost out of the neck. Counter the force of the cork using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free from the bottle.
These few simple safety tips can help ensure holidays that are festive and injury free.