Small Rival Rice Cooker Review

What's red, resembles a donation kettle at Christmas-time, and cooks rice without muss or fuss? It's one of my favorite kitchen appliances, the RC61, 6-cup small Rival rice cooker and steamer, the perfect rice cooker for a family of two or three.

What To Love About a Rice Cooker

I've owned this cute kitchen appliance for five years now and use it faithfully and frequently. In fact, since I got it I haven't prepared rice any other way. It's great for any kind of rice that I've tried (my favorites are jasmine and good-for-you brown rice) and makes plenty for our family of two plus a couple servings more, up to six cups total.

Two things I especially love about this rice cooker:

1. It has a steamer basket (as shown in the picture above). I'll often add fresh broccoli, green beans, or asparagus while the rice cooks, preparing two parts of the meal in the same space as one, just a little taller!

2. It's so easy to clean! The pot part of the cooker has a non-stick finish and requires little more than a good soapy swish and rinse after the meal's over.

Tips for Using a Small Rice Cooker

Rice cooker instructions can be confusing. With that in mind, here are two more things to know before you buy:

1. Measuring the rice and the water. Don't confuse the rice measuring cup that comes with the cooker with a regular, 1-cup measuring cup. When the included instructions and cookbook refer to "cups," they always mean the rice cup, which actually holds less than a measured cup. The first time you use the rice pot, use 1 rice-cup of rice and add liquid (I like to mix chicken broth and water) to the "1" mark on the inside of the pot. Cook as directed (i.e. put on the lid, plug it in, and move the selector to "Cook") and you'll see how much cooked rice you'll get. Usually, that amount will be enough for a side dish of rice for two people.

2. Will this size be big enough? If you usually cook for more than two or three people, it's likely that you'll want to choose the next size up. However, I'm surprised how inexpensive these convenient gadgets are, so having one small (like this) and one large-capacity version on hand isn't a bad idea at all since they really take up very little storage space. When we have the extended family present, a large rice cooker would occasionally come in very handy.

Another benefit of this appliance (that I'd almost call a requirement in anyone's kitchen) is the price. At around $2, it's super-affordable and makes a very nice wedding or shower gift. While you’re at it, pick up or order two, one for the gift recipient and one for yourself.

Where to Buy the Rival RC61 Rice Cooker

Can you tell I like my little red Rival rice cooker? If you and your family enjoy healthy meals that include rice, I think you'll like it, too. Here’s the link to find the Rival RC61 on eBay and here it is at Amazon.com.

P.S. Here's a tasty tip. Use your rice cooker to make rice pilaf. Simply add chopped, sauteed vegetables (celery, onions, carrots) to the rice and water/chicken stock before cooking for an easy, flavorful, dressed-up side dish.

Rice pilaf made in my small Rival rice cooker
makes an easy but special side dish.

-- Susan Deppner

About the author

Food photos property of the author

Posted by Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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My Nose Has Always Been in a Book

I Began to Read at an Early Age

This is me. 

My parents say I taught myself to read when I was three years old, and I still remember the exact book that helped me learn – I See a Kitty. It had large print, few words, several full-page photos of a kitten doing interesting things, and a very uncomplicated plot. My mother read it to me until I had it memorized, and I would still be able recite it to you if you could stand it. Memorized or not, though, I was able to recognize those words in other books my mom read, and I'd ask my dad about the letters in the headlines of the paper he was reading. By the time I hit first grade, the teacher didn't know what to do with me. I and another girl in my class who coincidentally had the same first and last name as I, got to sit in a corner of the classroom and read books while the teacher taught the rest of the class to read.

Since those days I've continued to love kitties and books. I currently don't own a cat, but I own way too many books. I've been collecting them all my life. My first job after high school was in a library. My major in college was English. I taught English at the high school level for two years after that. I quit with the hope of starting a family, but that didn't happen, so I started working in a Christian bookstore. At both the library, where I could check out all the books my heart desired, and at the bookstore, where I could borrow all the books I wanted to read, I had access to as many books as I needed. My bookstore discount helped me stock my home library. Is it any wonder they have made me the Book Contributor here on Review This?

Living with Books and Selling Them

My book collecting didn't end there, though. As a teacher and later, a homeschooling mom after we adopted our two children, I continued to buy and read books. After our daughter moved out and our son was killed in a jet ski accident, I made a hasty decision to become a home school book vendor. That meant I exhibited my books at conventions all over the country between 1992 and 1996, as Barb's People Builders. We had to stop the exhibiting and California book fairs at private schools after that because my husband had worn out both hips. So I took the business online.

Part of History Display at Bookfair

I decided it was time to retire from e-commerce at the end of May 2015 because several surgeries in 2014 made me deactivate my site while I recovered and the site itself became obsolete as far as Google was concerned. I was also not physically able any longer to ship large purchase orders. So after twenty years of selling inventory, I just stopped. I still love books, but now I am a real life book contributor. I'm donating as much inventory as I can to worthy nonprofit organizations. I'm concentrating more now on writing and building more web sites.

I now have more time to read and review books. I have started converting my Barb's People Builders website into a review and affiliate selling site, Books to Remember  so that I can promote the books I love whether I own them or not, though I still do own most of them. Most of the books I review there are for children or educators. I review most books for adults here on Review This Reviews!

I Finally Discovered a Way to Share My Writing

 I have been writing since I was a child, but at first I only shared it with family and friends, mostly in long letters. I was still selling books when I discovered Squidoo became a lensmaster in 2009. By the end of that year I had become a Giant Squid, and still wear my Squidoo T-shirts I was given when I became a Giant Squid. In fact, I'm wearing one right now. Unfortunately, Squidoo died in 2014, but I had already begun writing for other sites and starting my own blogs. Much of what I wrote for Squidoo has been transferred to a new HubPages account. 

Here are the other places you can find me on the internet.

Facebook Page: Focus on San Luis Obispo County

Zazzle: Barb's California Card and Gift Gallery

Zazzle: California Wine Country Memories and Gifts

Paso Robles Daily Photos Blog
Barb's Garden Observations

HubPages (original account)

Medium

Wizzley

Of course, there's more to life than reading and writing. I have a garden or two, and I concentrate on herbs and drought-resistant plants. I enjoy keeping up with my local art scene, and I love to take pictures of all our local scenery and activities. When I have time I like to cook and bake. I just don't have time very much anymore. 

 Cicero - If you have a garden and library.. Postcard Jane Austen Book Well Written Quote Pillow Not too many books, Not enough shelves! Buttons Book and Chocolate Lover's Mug

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Creative Storage Solutions for Small Laundry Rooms Using Laundry Sorting Bins & Other Functional Ideas

Do you need help finding ways to utilize your home's space efficiently? Whether it's a laundry sorting bin or laundry baskets, they both have to be positioned to organize a small space for their highest and best use

For as long as I can remember, I've had to learn how to make small spaces efficient. Most homes I've lived in over the years have had a small laundry room. In fact, my current home has an 'efficient' laundry room; featured here are photos so you can see exactly how I've had to deal with that very compact part of the house.

If you have a small laundry room, using a laundry sort is imperative.

You just can't afford to heap and pile clothes on the floor when floor area is a commodity.

My Laundry Room Storage Solution

We have this exact problem and have solved it by strategically positioning two laundry sorting bins in the space.

The two bins give us five sorting areas. When we bring a basket to the laundry room, we simply sort it immediately into those five slots; that way, nothing is left piled on the floor to trip over and crowd the room. We put the loads of wash in from those bins.

Remember to measure the width of the space you have to work with. We had limited space, so I had to ensure the laundry sorting bins would be wide enough. We used a two-sort bin in one space and a three-sort bin in another.

 Your Laundry Room is Small; use the Walls.

When you can't spread out horizontally, go vertical. You'll notice what I did in the two photos of my own laundry room. Since the space is small, I wanted to avoid cupboards on the wall, which would close the space even more.

The Other Side of My Small Laundry Room

What we did do was put Ikea shelves and an Ikea sorting shelf bin on the wall. The Ikea Shelf Bin was from the kid's storage area in Ikea. 

By putting shelves on the wall, I can put my empty baskets there, and as the laundry is pulled out of the dryer, I can fold it and then place it directly in an open basket so it can make its way upstairs. Then, once emptied, the baskets go back on the shelf.

Also, I needed a spot to put hang-to-dry clothes: put a storage bracket over the laundry sink to do this.

It serves a dual purpose; it's a wire hanging rack/shelf enabling us to hang things from the rungs underneath and store items on top of the shelf if needed. Plus, with it being an open-wire-rack, it doesn't close the space.

Our laundry room is tiny, so if I can do it, you can do it! In fact, I'm such a fan of maximizing small spaces I have a Pinterest Board that focuses solely on that called 'Creative Storage Solutions':

Follow Barbara Tremblay Cipak's board, Creative Storage Solutions, on Pinterest.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Babies and Pushbutton Toys

Review of the Fisher-Price Boppin' Activity Bugs Toy

Tyler on his first birthday

I recently spent ten delightful days visiting my youngest grandson who was celebrating his first birthday. Since it has been over 40 years since my children were babies, I'd forgotten how appealing toys with buttons to push are for tiny tots.

Tyler, like most babies, loves to push and pull, wiggle and turn (and bang on) his toys. And toys with bright colors and fun sounds are especially appealing.

Fisher-Price Pop-Up Toy

 

One of the birthday gifts Tyler received is the Brilliant Basics Boppin' Activity Bugs pop-up toy by Fisher-Price. It has all the features babies like best ~ bright colors, sounds, and things that move ~ all baby-powered (no batteries required)!

Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Boppin' Activity Bugs

This pop-up toy has four colorful 'bugs' which wobble around when baby bats at them. Then they can be pushed down where they lock in place. Next there is a row of four actions to get the 'bugs' to pop back up – a slide, a pull switch, a toggle knob and a turn knob. A good learning activity that helps baby develop motor skills. A toy especially designed for babies and toddlers in the 6 months to 3 year range.

Happy Birthday, Tyler

Baby Tyler and Big Brother David

Tyler, and his big brother David, really enjoy playing with this Fisher-Price activity toy. And 'grandma' very much enjoyed being at their house for this special one-year-old birthday celebration!

Other Fisher-Price Toy Reviews:

• Fisher-Price Octonauts
• Fisher-Price Corn Popper

For more toy reviews, check out

ReviewThisReviews Toy Reviews

(c) Review written on 6/27/2015.  Updated 5/2/2018

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Mad Max: Fury Road Movie Review

Occasionally we all go to movies we didn't select ourselves just to be with the people we love.  On very rare times, we are surprised and end up really enjoying the show.  Thus was the case for me with Mad Max: Fury Road.

This past Father's Day, our son gave his father an afternoon at the movies with hot dogs and coke slushies included.  I was thrilled to be included in the boy's day out when our son informed us that he had purchased 3 tickets.  I was still sitting in my gown when my husband opened his present and discovered the movie tickets.  Tickets to a show that started 35 minutes later.  I jumped from behind my computer, threw on some clothes, combed my hair and we all made a mad dash to Mad Max.

Both of the men expected to enjoy the movie, but I think we were all astonished that I really liked the show too.  It was a fast action film with wicked cars, lots of bombing and blowing up things, and really ugly men that seemed to enjoy killing each other.  Decidedly not my kind of movie.  However, with the beautiful Charlize Theron cast as the leading lady, Furiosa, and a touch of romance I was perfectly content and properly entertained.  I might add, I always appreciate a rebel who fights for a worthy cause.

The Plot Of Mad Max: Fury Road

In an attempt to free the captive wives of the tyrannical leader of Citadel, the town where they all "serve", Furiosa hides the 5 wives in her armored truck on a routine fuel run.  Her crew easily accepts that she is on a different mission when she breaks from the caravan and they don't really question her actions.

It doesn't take long for the Citadel leader to observe from his high "castle" that she has gone off the route.  He somehow thinks to check on his wives in their large vaulted cage and finds that they are missing.  He immediately gathers warriors and leads an attack on the wayward Furiosa and her group.

Max, who is also a captive for the purpose of being a universal blood donor, is literally forced to go in pursuit of Furiosa.  He is chained to the front of one of the warriors cars as he is simultaneously giving that warrior a blood transfusion.

It is on this road of escape that all of the wrecking, fighting, bombing, killing and action take place.  It was actually pretty cool to see how Max was able to break free and subsequently join and aid Furiosa and the wives in their battle against Joe, the tyrannical leader.

I have now given you the basic plot.  You will have to go see the movie yourself to find out how they enlist the aid of some old grannies on motorcycles, which characters survive, and where they end up going.

There really is plenty in this movie to entertain anyone.  I have no doubt others will like Mad Max himself, but for me, I liked the capable, spirited women in the movie. 

The Video Trailer of Mad Max:  Fury Road

 

 

The Many Faces of Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron really is an amazing actress.  Not only is she beautiful with or without hair, but she captivates an audience regardless of the part she is playing.   From an emotionally charged drama, to playing the part of the evil queen in Snow White and the Huntsman, to the rebel with a cause in Mad Max:  Fury Road, she is truly fabulous and equally believable in either character part.

 Burning Plain: Charlize Theron as Sylvia (top photo)Check Price Snow White and the Huntsman Limited Collectible Character Edition Blu-ray / DVD / Digital Copy / Ultraviolet / Collectible Book: Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna on coverCheck Price Mad Max: Fury Road - Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray + DVD +UltraViolet Preorder - Charlize Theron as FuriosaCheck Price

Note to My Son and Husband
Thanks for including me in your boy's day out! It was a lot of fun watching Mad Max: Fury Road, eating hot dogs and drinking a coke slushie with you guys. I am also thinking it was quite wise on my son's part that he didn't take his dad to see Charlize Theron without me!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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