I always love an evening spent with great friends.
I also cannot lie…I equally love an evening spent with great friends when I don’t have to cook.
Last night Jay and I were invited over to Joe & Kate’s house for a delicious dinner of shish kabobs and rice. A perfect, light and refreshing meal for a slightly steamy Wednesday evening.
So Kate actually owns a rice cooker, and after having her rice yesterday I’ve gotta say that I am really intrigued! I always thought that rice cookers were just one of those appliances that would wind up wasting space and barely ever getting used…but my goodness, that was some good rice. I mean, call me crazy, but I really know nothing about rice cookers…are they good for anything else?
After searching quick on Amazon, I also see that their prices range anywhere from under $20 to well over $200. Say whaaaaat?! Will the expensive one make my entire meal for me? Sheesh.
But seriously…what’s the deal with rice cookers? Anyone have one? Love it? Hate it? Do I need one? Fill me in…I’ve gotta know. I’m all about keeping food prep easy peasy.
*****
So back to last night…after eating dinner, the four of us spent the evening pretty much the same way we always do; laughing, cracking jokes, catching up, and making fun of Joe & Jay’s bromance. Funny story…the two of them are convinced that we should name our child Joseph Jason and that any of their future children should be named Jason Joseph. I’m not making this stuff up guys. These two are a piece of work. ;)
After dinner also involved a little dessert, in the form of these ice cream cookie sandwiches. And yes, I think I am in love.
That thing was sooooooo good. I’ll admit…when it comes to ice cream cookie sandwiches, I’ve always been a fan. Back when I was just a little tyke, they were my favorite thing to get from the ice cream man, but they were only allowed on “special occasions” because they were a whopping $1.25 (a close second were the wrestling bars for $1.50…I’d be scared to see how much these things go for on an ice cream truck now…).
My top choice has always been the Nestle Toll House brand. I’m pretty sure these were a major staple in my diet back when I was in junior high/high school…typically a favorite snack of mine while working the concession stand at my brother’s little league games. Man, it’s been ages since I last had one of those.
But after trying the other one last night, I think I may have a new favorite. Totally delicious.
And I totally just spent way too much time talking about ice cream sandwiches…
*****
I’m feeling a little sleepy today, so let’s hope that the day goes by quickly so I can get back home in my cozies ASAP! :)
Question for the Morning:
What was (is?) your favorite item to get from an ice cream truck? :)
claire @ live and love to eat says
I loved Screwballs – the pink strawberry / cherry ice cream with the gum ball at the bottom.
Lindsey says
Rocket popsicles or fudgesicles!
Lindsey says
Living in Korea, rice cookers are an absolute staple in every single household. If you search other recipes, you can also find ways to make all sorts of things in them! We don’t have ovens in our apartments, and a friend of mine actually found a way to make bread, cookies, and even a CAKE in these bad boy! Here is a link to all the crazy stuff you can make. I have one in my apartment and could not live without it!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutson/surprising-things-you-can-make-in-a-rice-cooker
Amanda @ .running with spoons. says
I love my rice cooker, but that’s mostly because I’ve never had much luck with cooking rice. I somehow always did it wrong and ended up with rice that was burned near the bottom of the pan, and uncooked on the top. So yeah. A rice cooker is a must for me.
My favorite ice cream to get from the truck was always either an ice cream sandwich, or one of those vanilla bars covered in a layer of chocolate. I actually still get all sorts of excited whenever I hear the ice cream truck driving by.
Caitlyn @ City and the Cubicle says
Those are my favorite kind. Chipwiches, for the win! ;)
Fizz @fizzsbizz says
Rice cookers – YES YES YES!
We registered for one on our wedding registry thinking it would be nice to have around and that we’d probably use it from time to time. Well, I use it all the time! In fact, I think it’s our most used wedding present. It’s so great and easy and the rice is perfect every time. You can even make quinoa, or oatmeal in it too.
Mine is the zojirushi and I think it was about $160 and worth every damn penny!
Lauren @ Confessions of a First Time Mom says
600 lb. Gorilla!?! LOL..Probably not the best name for an ice cream sandwich. I wanna eat my ice cream guilt free, not reminded how I’m going to be 600 lbs. if I keep eating it (which I do..every damn night lately).
Mallory @ My Quarter Life [Crisis] says
When I was younger I would always get a snow cone. Now, I would go for the good stuff – chocolate eclair bar, chipwich, etc. So young, so naive : )
Jana @ Happy Wife Healthy Life says
Can you believe that I have never had a toll house ice cream sandwich?! I know, what a tragedy! Lol. My favorite choices were always bomb pops and push-ups! :)
Elizabeth @ My Neon Running Shoes says
Something out there that has the potential to beat Nestle??? I don’t know if I can believe it until I try it for myself ;-)
Rachel S. says
I don’t remember the name of them but my favorite were the cones that had the gum ball at the bottom of them.
Avery @ SBLW says
Haha, no shame! Ice cream AND two cookies? That’s Good stuff!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
Well ya can’t beat ice cream + cookies, that’s for sure! ;) I always liked fudgsicles or those rocket popsicles!
Lisa says
I LOVE ice cream sandwiches! I think I need to get some later today for this weekend. :-)
Cindy says
I have a 3 in 1 rice cooker / steamer / slow cooker which I’ve found very convenient. I use it all the time, mostly for the slow cooker function but it’s great to have that option to cook rice in it every now and then.
That ice cream sandwich looks so good, I haven’t had one in years!
pippa@popovertopippas says
I used to love Chipwiches! And creamsicles too. We used to get ice creams almost every day at the pool when I was little. My sisters and I got really into Chaco Taco’s one summer:)
Jennifer says
Rice cookers are totally worth it! Doesn’t have to be a pricey one either, I think mine was about $40 and I got it for my wedding a few years ago. It helps make PERFECT quinoa too!!
Jacquelyn @justjacq says
I use my rice cooker for almost everything. before I had a crockpot, my rice cooker was also my crockpot! You can cook oatmeal in it if you’re a big oatmeal fan. I wouldn’t say you need the $200 one but make sure you get one with brown and white rice settings rather than a simple on-off switch.
And ice cream sandwiches are the bessssssssssssstttttttttttttt.
Karen says
I think the ice cream sandwich is something I would still get from the ice truck…makes me want one now…YUM!!
FitBritt@MyOwnBalance says
I’m a huge fan of rice cookers. I used to live in Sydney, Australia and they were so popular there. Less popular in the U.S. but they are incredibly convenient! The rice is cooked to perfection every time. It’s really easy to use and you just throw the rice in while your cooking everything else. No need to watch over it or stir it or anything. You definitely do not need to spend $200. I think you can get a decent cooker for between $40-$70. Actually, all this talk about rice cookers makes me miss my old one!
Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says
Looks light a delicious, light dinner!
I don’t own a rice cooker. I too thought they were the type of appliances that end up taking up space in your kitchen. Aren’t they kinda big? I don’t know…I think cooking rice the old fashioned way is fine for me, and $200 on a rice cooker…that’s crazy!
An ice cream cookie sandwich…yummy!
Christine@ Apple of My Eye says
I’m half Japanese so I grew up with everyone on my asian side having a rice cooker! They are AMAZING and I don’t think we could get along without one. The one we have also can cook brown rice (which requires a little different time to finish) and it’s the easiest thing to help make a side for dinner. Just wash the rise, throw it in with some water, and presto! Delicious and perfect rice that makes great leftovers too. I would highly, highly recommend getting one!
Chelsea @ LittleOneRuns says
I would always get the cup of lemonade slush, I think it was about $2-$3. Now they are up to about $4 around where I live :/. Those ice cream sandwiches look good though! Makes me wish I would have gotten those instead lol!
Trixie says
I love our rice cooker, and it isn’t that big! It’s significantly smaller than our slow cooker. And there’s absolutely no need to spend $200 on it either…I think ours was around $35 on Amazon. It’s definitely one of my most-used appliances, but we also eat rice frequently.
Plus, you can definitely cook oatmeal and quinoa in it like other people have said! It’s totally worth it to buy an affordable one if you like rice.
Claire @ Health Nut Claire says
I have a rice cooker and it works amazingly for rice, quinoa, etc. So quick and easy! I used to get the Tweety Bird ice cream with blue gum balls for the eyes, haha. Doesn’t sound as appealing now but I used to love those things!
Ashley @ Life and Fitness says
So hard to choose a favorite!! But if I had to probably any ice cream popsicle with bubblegum in the middle! I always loved getting to the center.
Krystina says
A rice cooker has always been a staple in my house growing up…which is mainly because my grandmother is Japanese. The rice is SO much better when cooked in a rice cooker and you don’t realize it until you’ve tried it. It wasn’t until a year ago that my fiance had rice out of a rice cooker for the first time, and he was amazed. I don’t think its necessary to buy a really expensive one, unless you need a large one for a big family and cook rice a lot. You can also steam veggies in them and a number of other things that are usually included in the directions/guide. Get one! Trust me, you’ll use it! :)
Lauren says
I used to love the ice cream sandwhiches and bomb-pops… Or the things with the bubble gum in the middle? I forget if it’s the name of the popsicle. OR the cones with the chunk of fudge at the bottom. Mmm. ANYWAY, we have a rice cooker and it is SO convenient. It makes perfect rice every single time and you can make brown, basmati, or anything in it… Even steam veggies! It’s definitely worth it and gets used A LOT in our house!
Amanda B. says
Rice cooker: YES. We had a cheap one for a few years before we got married and registered for the Cuisinart small model. I love it. I love that I can literally “set it and forget it.” It frees up a burner on the stove and the rice is always, always perfect.
I’ve used it for quinoa and barley as well! The little booklets that come with it give you the instructions for all kinds of grains and things. I say go for it!
As a kid, I ALWAYS went for the bomb pop from the ice cream truck!
KIM says
Rice cooker is a must. Try Target for a variety of them and good prices.
Cori @ olivetorun says
we just moved into a new house and I was SO excited when I heard the ice cream truck music yesterday! Hilarious :) I always got a push up!
jc224758@aol.com says
We eat a TON of rice in my house, so the rice cooker is well worth it for my family. I don’t know about a $200 rice cooker though…
However, I also love the Uncle Ben’s 1 minute microwavable rice haha so maybe I’m not the best person to ask :-)
Emily @The Good Era says
hahah so funny! I’ve always loooove ice cream sandwiches too. I might have to make some homemade ones this weekend for the holiday.
I’ve been wanting a rice cooker for a while but they are so pricey. I learned that you can make steel cut oats in it over night so it’s ready in the am. That’s a major selling point for me for next winter!
Nicole says
Okay you will love this! Just tried Trader Joe’s Smores Ice Cream Sandwiches last night!! AMAZING. Right up your alley :)
victoria @ reluctantly skinny says
my fiance’s aunt owns a rice cooker and i swear it makes the best rice…but i still wonder if it’s one of those extra appliances that i don’t have room for! it’s insane how expensive the ice cream truck has become…i always got that Mickey Mouse ice cream pop thing, or the strawberry shortcake bar!
Annette@FitnessPerks says
Rocket popsicles or the choco tacos!! So delish.
I have a rice cooker…and I think I’ve used it once? But that’s my own fauly-I don’t love rice? I’d rather pasta or quinoa. But I’ve heard you can do quinoa in it too? When I have used it, it IS easy to use.
Sherri says
My husband is half Chinese and my stepson gags on potatoes, so rice is a staple in our house! We have this one and I can’t say enough great things about it. We just bought it a few weeks ago when our other one bit the dust, and we have all been raving about how much better this one is. The rice is just dreamy… fluffy and delicious. There’s a porridge option on ours too so I guess you can use it for oatmeal? I’ll have to get back to you on that one, but either way it’s worth it just for the rice!
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=18923521&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&device=t&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CLSF_fXUrLcCFc4DOgod1XAAKA
Erin says
Haha I always asked for a soft serve cone…and was crushed when I found out they didn’t have one of those machines in the truck!!
Beth @ Mangoes and Miles says
Our family has a rice cooker! My parents use it to only cook rice (and sometimes throw in peas, corn, etc. into it–almost like a slow cooker!), but I use it for quinoa and barley, too. I think you can make any kind of grain in a rice cooker, but I could be wrong?
My favorite snack from the ice cream truck used to be those little character popsicles with the gumball eyes. It wasn’t actually because of the eyes–the popsicles themselves were the perfect mix between creamy and fruity!
Trisha says
My husband and I use our rice cooker almost every day. Between cooking rice, quinoa and steaming veggies, it is wonderful! I’d definitely recommend getting one :)
Katie @ running4cupcakes says
I love ice cream sandwiches – however they are not so good for the calorie budget so don’t eat them as often as I would want to –> daily!! We have a rice cooker and I really just use it for rice and to make applesauce. I know there is so much more that you could do with it.. .I think mine was around $100 and totally worth the price to make good, easy rice!!
Shel@PeachyPalate says
We had these things called Winner Tacos…an ice cream taco with butterscotch sauce! Kath over at Kath Eats has a rice cooker and makes awesome looking rice; so fluffy! She uses her’s for making oats in it overnight too; cooking them up while you sleep! You can cook other grains in it too like millet. I’d love one!
Leigha says
I just love ice cream sooo much. I always will go for a drumstick though. I love having a delicious meal and not having to cook it!
Kathryn says
I have a rice cooker/steamer. I seriously love the thing. My rice is always perfect, and I don’t have to set a timer and worry about it over cooking or undercooking. It cooks it by the weight of the rice and water. I love to use it for steaming, too!
Kathryn says
Oh, and as for the ice cream truck, I’d sometimes get the standard ice cream sandwich (with that black cookie stuff), but mostly I bought Lucas. Anyone remember that? The super sour (or hot if you bought that one) salt-like stuff? I would dip my lollipops in it. Yum!
Kim says
To reiterate what a ton of people have already sad: YES RICE COOKER. The thing I love most about ours is that you can program it. This is great for brown rice because it usually takes so long to cook. Plus it’s actually good for it to soak first. So I just put the rice in the cooker in the morning and then it is ready to go when I get home from work. Also, we got a used one on Ebay and it works great. Good luck!
Jenny @ That's What Jenny Said says
I used to always get the choco taco when I was a kid.
We have a pretty cheap rice cooker, I think it came from Price Chopper years ago. I like it because you never have to worry about the rice burning at the bottom and it automatically switches from “Cook” to “Warm” when it’s done.
heather @fitncookies says
I have never tried a rice cookies, but to be honest, I’m not a huge rice fan, so I wouldn’t know! The ice cream truck is my favorite!! I actually love the cookie sandwiches. Anytime I see them in stores, I must buy them!
Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says
My parents have a rice cooker, and it is all sorts of convenient! When it finishes cooking it switches automatically to a ‘keep warm’ option, so you can make it ahead of time without having to worry about it. The only thing was that I had to add a little bit extra water/liquid and stir it a lot when it came to brown rice – cooking it by the regular instructions always ended up with it being a tad undercooked.
Sara says
LOVE my rice cooker. My mom always used one at home b/c it was an easy way to make a bunch of rice for the six of us and not tie up a spot on the stove. When I moved to my first apartment, my friend bought me a much smaller version of the one my mom has and I use it. Honestly…I have NO idea how to make rice without a rice cooker :)
Nancy says
LOL at the bromance: Joseph/Jason combo for a baby name. Hilarious :)
Oh, DO you have a name for the baby picked out yet?
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
Oh man, I love those ice cream sandwiches, too!! When we went on our “baby moon” in December, I think I had one a day. They are SO good!
Julianna @ Julianna Bananna says
my favorite item to get from an ice cream truck was always a chocolate malt cup. my brother and i always had to convince my mom to let us get one, and it was a rarity when she gave in – which made it taste all the more delicious!
erica says
choco tacos!!!
Julia says
We love our rice cooker! I had never used one before I met my husband, but he had one all through college. When his old one wore out, we got a new one as a wedding gift, and have used it regularly ever since. Ours (Cuisinart) came with a cook book that shows you how to cook other things, and has a really yummy oatmeal recipe that we make a lot. Hope that helps. And BTW, now I am totally craving ice cream cookie sandwiches. :)
Sarah says
Looove the cookie ice cream sandwiches!!!!
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
I LOVE my rice cooker! I just got it about a month ago, but so far I have cooked rice and quinoa with it and they both turned out awesome!
Miranda @ Miranda Runs says
It’s okay. I forgive you for talking about that ;)
Meghan @ After the Ivy League says
Well you’ve convinced me! I am definitely making some ice cream cookie sandwiches this weekend. One of my best friends from college is visiting and it’s the perfect occasion! Also my mom has a rice cooker, one of the cheapies for around $20 and she raves about it!
Shari says
My favorite was always the banana fudge popsicles … so good!!
Amy says
Our rice cooker is Awesome and is also a slow cooker ! Def recommend one
Kelly @ Femme Fitale says
Hmm. Speaking of ice cream sandwiches, I actually JUST finished chowing down on a Skinny Cow chocolate one… SO GOOD!
Becca says
Were you ever going to address on the blog why you have cut back blogging so drastically from 3x a a day to 1x a day with no weekends? Just wondering!
Courtney says
Hi Becca,
No, I didn’t really think it warranted being addressed separately? Now that I’m working full time, plus preparing for the babe, my priorities have shifted somewhat, which I’ve chatted about a few different times here on the blog. I’d love to be able to post more, but I just don’t have the time (or meaningful content) right now. Hopefully my readers understand. :)
Kelli says
I love ice cream sandwiches too. A new ice cream sandwich place just opened in San Diego called “The Baked Bear” where you can match any cookie, brownie or WAFFLE with any type of ice cream. If you ever visit San Diego, you have to look it up!
Antoliya says
Hey Courtney! A rice cooker can be used for other things… though not many, now that I think about it. I’m Asian, so we usually use it to cook plain white/brown rice to serve alongside our dishes. But you could always make it a one dish meal (like a slow cooker), and cooked pineapple raisin rice, claypot chicken rice, congee, and even oatmeal. Well, I just found out that you can use a rice cooker for a lot more surprising things apparently, but I’ve never given those a shot. –> http://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutson/surprising-things-you-can-make-in-a-rice-cooker
Katie says
I must say that ice cream cookie sandwich looks amazing! Earlier today I enjoyed a heavenly Drumstick, which is probably one of my favorite ice treats. Not sure if trucks sell them because I don’t even think I’ve gotten ice cream from a truck before.
Jessamy @ In the Words of an Asian says
A friend of mine has a rice cooker, and I did not like it. I just use a large deep pyrex container with lid in the microwave for 20 minutes at 50%!