Conference turris::cooks

    1	Tablespoon corn, peanut, or vegetable oil
    1/2 cup vermicelli or spaghettini broken into 1 1/2 inch lengths
    1	cup rice
    1 1/2 cups fresh or canned chicken broth
    	Salt to taste, if desired
    	Freshly ground pepper to taste
    
    1.	Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the broken pieces of 
    	vermicelli or spaghettini.  Cook, stirring constantly,
    	until they are golden brown or slightly darker.  Do not burn.
    
    2.	Add the rice and stir to blend.
    
    3.	Add the broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a simmer.  Cover
    	closely and cook exactly 17 minutes.
    
    4.	Stir gently to blend the ingredients.  Yields 4 servings
    

I practically exist on rice!  Ever since I took a cooking class (actually more
of a demonstration and dinner) and learned the appropriate amounts of liquid
to rice for perfect rice (1-3/4 cups liquid to 1 cup rice).  I usually cook 
my rice in chicken broth, but this one is an exception.  The recipe supposedly
comes from my brother-in-law's family in Canada.  It's been modified a bit,
but it has a wonderful flavor!  We have it at least once or twice a month:

			Spicy Chicken 'n Rice

	3 cups long grain rice (cooked)
	1 cup cooked chicken*, chopped 
	1 stalk celery, chopped
	1 small onion, chopped
      3/4 TB sugar
	1 tea cayenne pepper (or to taste)
      1/2 tea red pepper flakes (optional)
	1 TB olive oil
      1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

	*use leftovers, or micro-cook a boneless chicken breast for 2-1/2 
	 minutes on each side, covered)

	Saute celery and onion in olive oil until wilted; add cooked chicken
	and cook until browned.  Add sugar, cayenne pepper (and pepper flakes
	if you like it hot!).  Then add cooked rice and soy sauce and heat
	through.  Makes a hearty meal!

    Here is a simple, low budget rice "side" dish that the kids will
    love (mine do anyway).
    
    	ingredients
    
    	1 can of soup (creamed soups don't work well here)
    	1/3 soup can water
    	1 cup minute rice
    	spices to taste (omit if you have picky kids)
    
    In sauce pan, heat soup and water to a boil. Add desired spices.
    Stir in rice, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 
    approximately 5 minutes OR until rice absorbs all liquid.
    
    I've used chicken noodle, chicken stars, ministrone(sp?),
    vegetable and many other soups. My kids love it. They even like
    making it when I have the patience to let them in the kitchen.
    
    TRY IT... YOU'LL LIKE IT.!
    
    Bob G.
     

    Here's one that I enjoy with chicken dishes.  It can be found on page
    208 of the Joy Of Cooking.
    
    Pineapple Rice
    
    3 cups pineapple chunks (I use the crushed type)
    1 cup of rice
    3/4 cup brown sugar
    4 1/2 Tbsp butter/margarine
    
    Cook rice as you would normally.
    
    Reserve the liquid from the pineapple.  If you don't have enough
    reserved liquid to equal 3/4 cup, simply add water to bring it to
    the right quantity.
    
    In a buttered baking dish, place 1/3 or the rice in the bottom of 
    the dish.  Spread half of the pineapple over the rice.
    
    Sprinkle 1/4 cup of brown sugar over the rice, and then
    dot the layer with 1 1/2 tbsp of butter/margarine.
    
    Repeat the layers again - rice, remaining pineapple, brown sugar, and
    butter/margarine.
    
    Spread remaining rice on top, and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar,
    and butter/margarine.  Pour the reserved juice over it, and bake
    covered in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 30 minutes.
    
    This is how I make it, and it may vary a bit from the actual recipe.
    
    If you want to be adventurous, you can saute sweet onions with chunks
    of boneless/skinless chicken breasts.  I also season the chicken with 
    Poultry Magic to give it a bit of spiciness.  Mix the cooked chicken
    and onions with the cooked rice, and then proceed to layer the rice, 
    pineapple etc. as described above.  
    
    - Larry
    

    My box of Carolina long-grain rice has a few serving suggestions on the
    side.  One of them is to cook the rice in OJ instead of water.  I
    can't imagine this working with 100% OJ - 50% maybe.   Any suggestions?
    Has anyone cooked rice this way?  Was it good?
    
    Thanks!
    
    	--Sharon
    

>    My box of Carolina long-grain rice has a few serving suggestions on the
>    side.  One of them is to cook the rice in OJ instead of water.  I
>    can't imagine this working with 100% OJ - 50% maybe.   Any suggestions?
>    Has anyone cooked rice this way?  Was it good?
    
try it...and then, when finished cooking, turn in a well-drained can of
mandarin orange segments and mix well.  Serve as a side dish for chicken or
pork.    

    I cooked it in a can of pineapple juice, rinsed it well, chilled then
    mixed with well drained crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, coursely
    chopped walnuts, and either cool whip or for the die hards (like me)
    real whipped cream.  Makes an excellent summer salad/dessert
    Bon

    Re: 4
    
    I made the pineapple rice two nights ago and had it with grilled
    teriaki chicken, and it was great!  Except, I used 3 cups of rice and 1
    small can of crushed pineapple.  I think the recipe might have it
    reversed.

    Oooops  One more addition... I added sliced almonds on top, and they
    toasted in the oven.  This made the dish!

    
    The recipe does specify the three cups of pineapple and only one cup
    of rice.  Three cups of rice makes a lot of rice  !!!!!   I like the
    addition of the sliced almonds, I'll have to try that myself. 
    
    Regards, Larry

    Vegetable Rice
    --------------
    
    2 Boxes Near East rice pilaf
    1 Box Knorr Vegatable Soup Mix
    
    Prepare rice as stated on box, add soup mix along with the flavor
    packets that come with the rice.  This amount is perfect for company
    4-8 people, but for 1-4 people, cut the recipe in half.
    
    Try it, you'll like it.  It's also nice and colorful for "special
    dinners."
    
    Regards.
    /K