# What else can I do with a ricer?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 4, 2012, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886 "2012-05-04T15:31:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/21 "2012-05-07T10:11:16Z")
It’s a very good thing to have if you want to make a pumpkin or butternut squash pie from scratch.
Back when I was little, my mother showed me how you bake the halved squash til it is sorta squooshy, scoop it out of the shell, and rice it, to get the texture all smooth before you squeeze it in cheesecloth to get the moisture out. (this fluid is delicious with a little sugar, over ice. Got the idea from Harry Potter novels. Yup.)
The resulting dryish paste can then be mixed with half and half, eggs, and assorted spices to make the killer autumn feast-type pie.
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### Author:  [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/22 "2012-05-07T12:21:48Z")
It’s also good for farmer’s cheese when making [these](http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/12/crescent-jam-and-cheese-cookies/) cookies. Pressing the cheese through a sieve works great, but is exhausting and time consuming…a ricer works better. And **Lillith Fair** and I each made a batch of dough…I sieved, she didn’t, and it made a huge difference!
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/23 "2012-05-07T15:33:27Z")
You can also make ice cream spaghetti, which kids seem to love.
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/24 "2012-05-07T17:33:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> You can also make ice cream spaghetti, which kids seem to love.
You are gonna be my kid’s favorite new person tonight for that suggestion!
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### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/25 "2012-05-07T17:51:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> There is also the old [cutting board method](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-2SWdBScp8&feature=related), which I’ve never tried, but have seen done (for the Hungarian version of spaetzle, _galuska_ or _nokedli._)
I normally do it this way. Mom did it that way, so I do it also =)
> [@VOW](#):
>
> I’ve heard of using a colander to make Spaetzel.
mrAru does it this way, his mom did it that way,don’t you love family cooking traditions =)
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> As it turns out, the SO wants German potato salad (another thing I’ve never made). Spätzle would be a bit much with the Winerschnitzel, kartoffelsalat, and the Italian green beans, so it will have to wait for another day.
How about making gerkinsalat or tomatensalalt instead of the green beans?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/26 "2012-05-07T18:55:36Z")
> [@aruvqan](#):
>
> How about making gerkinsalat or tomatensalalt instead of the green beans?
Too late. We had it last night. 😉
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### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/27 "2012-05-07T20:11:49Z")
Cauliflower!
No, seriously. Rice your cauliflower, mix in some milk and spices, and it’s just like mashed taters. An excellent side dish for increasing your healthy veggie intake.
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### Author:  [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/28 "2012-05-07T20:12:14Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#):
>
> Wow, so not what I expected to see when I opened this thread. I thought it was gonna be about cars.
Maybe, but then the thread title would undoubtedly have had a spoiler warning.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/29 "2012-05-07T20:46:47Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#):
>
> Cauliflower!
>
> No, seriously. Rice your cauliflower, mix in some milk and spices, and it’s just like mashed taters. An excellent side dish for increasing your healthy veggie intake.
Riced cauliflower is very nice. I wouldn’t characterize it as “just like mashed taters,” though. It really isn’t going to fool anyone. But it’s a great light, low-cal alternative to mashed potatoes.
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### Author:  [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/30 "2012-05-07T20:56:32Z")
> [@pulykamell](#):
>
> Riced cauliflower is very nice. I wouldn’t characterize it as “just like mashed taters,” though. It really isn’t going to fool anyone. But it’s a great light, low-cal alternative to mashed potatoes.
True enough. “Just like” was probably poor word choice. Sub in “somewhat similar to but still different.” 🙂
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/31 "2012-05-08T01:17:40Z")
> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> You are gonna be my kid’s favorite new person tonight for that suggestion!
Top it with strawberry topping or strawberry jam so it looks more like spaghetti. It ups the cool factor.
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/32 "2012-05-08T01:29:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Top it with strawberry topping or strawberry jam so it looks more like spaghetti. It ups the cool factor.
Since I couldn’t find the ricer tonight (it’s gotta be around here somewhere), I will keep it in mind for tomorrow…ooh! I think we have some white sprinkles left over from Easter cookies, too! “Cheese”! 😃
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/33 "2012-05-08T02:02:17Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Top it with strawberry topping or strawberry jam so it looks more like spaghetti. It ups the cool factor.
Yeah man, cuz it’s hell getting kids to eat their ice cream 🆒 😃
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-else-can-i-do-with-a-ricer/620886/34 "2012-05-08T03:04:22Z")
Just for that, \*\*ZipperJJ \*\*doesn’t get any chocolate chip “meatballs”. 😉
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