What's Going on in Your Rice Cooker?

The rice cooker has become my new best friend these days, with recipe testing and writing going on for 6 to 8 hours a day before I leave for Italy in 2 1/2 weeks (don't even get me started on my panic!)
Rice cookers are a great tool in your kitchen, they cook perfect rice every time, steam vegetables perfectly, and they can also sub in for a slow cooker making soups, braises, and frittatas!

Today I decided that it was time to check out this baby when making a frittata this morning, and it was a rousing success.  I was a bit afraid that it would over-cook, especially in the on/off style rice cooker (above) but it performed like a champ, resulting in tender fluffy eggs, with melting goat cheese throughout.
Unfortunately, the battery in my camera was dead, so the photos are not mine.

Rice Cooker Asparagus Goat Cheese Frittata

Serves 3 to 4

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion, or scallion using only the white part

1 cup asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 large eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon Tabasco

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1. Turn the rice cooker on to the regular cycle or “quick cook” with neuro fuzzy logic cookers.   
2. Heat the oil and sauté the onion for 1 minute; add the asparagus, and cook for another 3 minutes until the asparagus begins to soften.  
3.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and Tabasco.  
4.  Pour the egg mixture over the asparagus, and sprinkle with the goat cheese.   
5. Cover and cook on regular cycle, this may take 3 to 4 minutes, then allow the frittata to rest for 6 minutes (a total of 10 minutes of time in the rice cooker)   
6. Remove the cover, and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Testing, 1, 2, 3...............

This week I'm beginning to test recipes for a book that will be published in the Fall of 2012.  The photo above will give you a clue to its subject matter and although I've already written the Best Slow Cooker Book Ever, I am so excited about these new recipes and the way this book will change the way you cook in your slow cooker. 

I'm often asked how long it takes to write a book, and people are stunned when I tell them that after I've written it, the book may take 2 years in production before it's published. 

Cookbook authors have very little control over what happens once the recipes are submitted.  Every author wants a book with photographs, but whether photos are a part of the book is an editorial decision by the publisher, not the author.  Since photos are expensive, it has to make economic sense to include them; I know that many people complain that the author didn't include photos, but it is not the author's decision.  I get to see the photos, make a few comments if need be, and I have in one instance said I thought that the food looked like dog food, and the food was shot again.  I'm not much of a prima dona but when something isn't right, I'll call it.  

Beginning this week, I'll be testing three days a week, and writing the rest of the time.  I'm hoping to be done testing by the end of February and the book is due at the publishers May 1.  I've got my work cut out for me, and I'll snap a few photos during the testing---not everything is a home run, so I will include the goofs as well.