Super Easy Comfort Food

Now that I work part time away from home, the younger girls routinely are "in charge" of making supper. I try to leave detailed instructions, typed out, and put one girl in charge of preparing the meal. I expect the young lady to have the supper ready and the table set when I get home at about 5:45. As a reward, the child who does the cooking is not usually required to help wash dishes after the meal is done.

Sometimes this works well. Other times there is a complication of one sort or another. Sometimes my instructions are unclear. Other times the starting time I suggest turns out to be less than ample to get the work completed on time. Occasionally a daughter will forget she is on supper duty, or lose track of time and so get a late start. But over all, the girls are learning; they continue to progress in both ability and responsibility.

Stella made a wonderful comfort food supper tonight. It was so easy and tasted so good that I'm sharing it for others who may want an easy meal to use for teaching, or even just for a lazy mom day.



Creamy Rice and Ham
Prepare seasoning vegies and ham
 • 1 onion diced into small bits
 • 3 garlic cloves, minced
 • ½ c fresh parsley, minced
 • ¾ lb ham, diced

Into rice cooker* put
 • 2 c rice
 • 1 - 1½ tsp salt**
 • ½ tsp black pepper
 • Diced/minced vegies and ham
 • 1 lb bag frozen peas, shaken or banged so peas are loose
Stir together.

Add water to approx 2 c line.

Cover and cook until button pops up or according to manufacturers instructions.

When cooking is done, pour 1 qt cream over cooked rice, and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. Do not use the cook function at this time, but leave the rice cooker on the warm setting most rice cookers have.

Stir together before serving.

*If you don't have a rice cooker, this can be made easily on the stove top with a Dutch oven. Instead of adding water to the designated 2 c line, add 3½ c water and boil gently, covered, for 20 minutes. Then add cream and let sit, covered, on the warm setting of your stove.
**Salt to taste. This will vary depending upon the amount of ham you use and the saltiness of the ham.