Fresh herbs whenever you need them Ervas frescas a qualquer momento

The Scenario: Recipe that calls for any fresh herbs

The Character: single person or couple with no kids

The Dilemma: ignore the instructions and just use the convenient dried herbs that will be just waiting for you on your shelf whenever you need it, sacrificing a bit of the flavor, or buy a fresh bunch, use a very small portion of it and risk it end up going bad because you couldn't think of anything else to use it on.

Obviously, if you are an experienced cook, this is far from an issue, as you very likely can find a million different ways to use the fresh herbs lurking in your fridge. But if you, like my not-too-long-ago self, are not at that creative and bold point yet and just go by exactly what the recipes call for, the dilemma is very real.  

Chopped parsley

Enter a precious tip from my grandma: You can actually chop your entire bunch of herb, use whatever amount you need and freeze the rest! The flavor is definitely superior than that of store-bought dried herbs, with the bonus convenience of  prolonged storage.

There's no need to thaw the herb! Just grab what you need from the container or ziploc bag (break it with a fork if they're too hard) and use it right away in your dish.

While I was growing up, my grandma always had a container full of chopped chives, and another full of parsley for everyday dishes. I have also found out that it works for cilantro.


If any of you has had experience (good or bad) freezing other herbs, I'd love to hear!

I hope this helps!

Simple Brazilian-style rice Arroz soltinho

I decided to start my first recipe with something very basic and simple, but that many people have difficulties achieving: a nice fluffy rice.

Rice with chicken strogonoff

Here in the US it's not the case, but in Brazil rice is a staple of every meal (lunch and dinner), practically every day of the week. The typical menu is rice, beans, some salad or veggies and some meat.
But not everyone prepares it the same way.
The method used in my family has always received praise (it's not exclusive, but it always works!). To me it comes out with the perfect texture, soft and fluffy, not greasy, no parts burned and not sticky (there is space in my palate and heart for Asian-style sticky rice as well, obviously, but it's not my everyday choice). You can pair it with beans, meat, or anything else you'd like.

So here's the step-by-step of the preparation for any amount of rice:


Simple Brazilian-style rice/Arroz soltinho

Rice with corn, flounder and spinach

- Use a regular aluminum pan rather than non-stick ones (it does make a difference in my experience)
- Rinse the rice and let it dry completely in a colander
- While it dries, bring water to a boil
- Add vegetable oil to the pan, enough to coat the bottom, and heat in medium-high heat
- Add rice and quickly stir it so that all grains are coated with oil, then add salt and garlic to taste, and finely chopped onions if you like. If you have access to Brazilian products in your area, you can also look for the "alho e sal" prepared seasoning sold by several brands (it looks like this).
- Cook it until grains just start to get golden, then add the boiling water to cover about 1/12-2 inches of the rice It's not the same to use cold water!
- Reduce heat to low and let it cook uncovered for 10 mins
- Cover and cook until all the water is absorbed.
- When done cooking, fluff the rice with a fork
- Cover pan again and wait at least a few minutes to serve. This further prevents it to getting any sticky.

Enjoy!