The Most Important and Best Parenting Advice Ever!

Yes, I know every mommy blog claims just that at some point, but this is the real deal, the thing that will give your kid the best chance in life: love.  No, I'm not talking about letting junior do whatever they want because that's love, it isn't, it's indulgence or laziness or a thousand other things, but it ain't love.  C.S. Lewis's 'The Four Loves' is a great read for anyone struggling with this concept, which would be every human person.  Love in its purest and best form is doing what is best for the beloved, not what the beloved wants or what the lover feels like, but doing the hard things, the painful things, the boring things.  So love your kids, yourself, and your spouse, it isn't easy, but it's been proven time and again to be the best way not only to raise kids, but to live and flourish, anything less is mere survival.

How to cook rice noodles so that they are actually edible

In my attempt to find a semi-normal diet whilst avoiding wheat, I've stumbled upon an affordable replacement for wheat noodles: noodles made from brown rice.  Someone gave me some corn noodles, which were good, but I can't locate an affordable source, so rice it is.  If you've ever over-cooked rice, you may have an inkling of what I'm about to say.  The first time or two, they turned out perfectly and I was in love.  The next time or three, they morphed into an inedible gelatinous glob and ruined several attempts at a decent meal.  I was about to give up on them entirely but I had three pounds of brown rice spaghetti in my cupboard that would need to be used up and I didn't have another alternative, so I sought the secret of actually successfully cooking the horrid things.  I'd done it before by accident, I should be able to do it again.  And I did finally succeed, here's what I learned:

Lots of water!  When the package of wheat noodles says cook in 6 quarts of water, I laugh and use far less without any problem, but the rice noodles definitely need it.  Even if I'm only making one serving, I still use my six quart pot to cook them.

Stir frequently.

Read the package directions, but watch the noodles closely rather than just the clock.  The package said 9-10 minutes, mine took about 12.  Too little cooking and they are unchewable sticks.  Too much and you get glue.  If in doubt, taste one and see.  They should be limp but not mushy.  If there's any chance of leftovers, under cook them a tad.

Rinse under cold water immediately and then throw into your waiting sauce and stir well.  Annoying perhaps, but otherwise they develop an unbreakable attachment to one another.

You can eat the silly things, but they are far more finicky than their wheaty cousins.