Great Ways to Cook Rice

There is nothing like a widespread financial crisis to make the most enthusiastic, discriminating gourmands appreciate the simple things. Rice has always been an important staple of nearly every culture's diet but now this basic economical food is an idea whose time has come again.

High quality, delicious rice needn't break the food budget and is perfectly adaptable to any size family's needs. As a single person, I have come to respect rice's flavor and character, the versatile way it performs as a palette or platform for other foods and the ease with which leftovers can be refrigerated and used for another meal. My usual choice is Success Rice (either white or brown) for its simplicity of preparation but my absolute favorite is Trader Joe's Jasmine Rice ... one of the best foods I have ever eaten. It is reasonably priced, already cooked, frozen in a plastic pouch, only needs to be thawed and heated in a matter of minutes and is easily divided into two perfect portions.

Often I will eat my food from a plate but I have fallen into the habit of enjoying a meal-in-a-mug for a hearty lunch or satisfying supper. Layer the ingredients into the biggest soup mug you can find, heat in the microwave, and enjoy. Since I often cook for one, I sometimes fix TWO mug meals and refrigerate one for the next day. Some of these dishes work better served on a plate but all taste even more delicious as leftovers. Here then are a dozen of my favorites, all of which I have tested.

Traditional Style (Oriental) Rice - The possibilities are endless. Top with your favorite stir-fry recipe. Really live it up and add egg rolls and almond cookies from your local Chinese restaurant.

Comfort Food - Not in the mood for Oriental? Try this blast from the past - Pot Roast with carrots and onions (maybe a dash of red wine) served over hot rice instead of potatoes.

Rice Neptune - Add dashes of olive oil and lemon juice (or True Lemon Seasoning) to hot cooked rice, top with McCormick's Lemon Pepper and serve with broiled salmon (or other fish) and steamed green beans.

Spanish Fiesta Rice - Mix a few tablespoons of your favorite fresh salsa with hot rice, top with Mexican blend shredded cheese and "nuke" until cheese is melted and bubbly. If desired, top with a dollop of your favorite fiesta-type sour cream dip (or just plain sour cream).

Thanksgiving Leftovers - There you are with all that nice cold roast bird, gravy, etc. and you've run out of potatoes. If you don't feel like cooking and mashing more, try this instead ... Start with a helping of hot cooked rice in the bottom of a large soup mug (or on a plate), top with bite-sized pieces of leftover turkey, a layer of gravy, a handful of green peas and microwave for a couple minutes. Remove and cool briefly. Garnish if you wish with a scoop of cranberry sauce.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game - It sounds wacky, I know, but here is another great meal-in-a-mug idea for the adventurous. Start with a single serving of hot cooked rice and top with your favorite boiled, broiled or baked hot dog chopped into bite-sized pieces. Microwave for about 30 seconds (just enough to blend the flavors a little), then top with ketchup, mustard, relish - whatever you would normally want on a hot dog - and enjoy.

Mushroom Magic - To a cup of steamed rice add a couple tablespoons undiluted Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup and half the contents of a 7-ounce can of chopped mushrooms. (Even if you make two meals-in-a-mug, you will end up with extra condensed soup which will freeze or refrigerate in a plastic container beautifully for later use in thickening gravies or sauces, etc.)

Pasta, without the Pasta - Start with a single serving of hot rice in a large mug, season lightly with a dash of olive oil and a little McCormick Coarse Ground Garlic Salt with Parsley, top with a layer of your favorite pasta sauce, plus a topping of fresh shredded Parmesan or Mozzarella.. Return to microwave and heat for a few seconds until cheese is melted and bubbles.

You're Making Me Blush - A serving of hot rice topped with fresh chopped tomatoes and shredded cheddar cheese. Pop in microwave until cheese is melted and bubbly. (If fresh tomatoes aren't available, drained canned diced tomatoes will do just as well.

Tuna Casserole - Mix hot rice with canned tuna, cheddar cheese, canned mushroom pieces, and perhaps chopped onions. Heat and serve in a large soup mug topped with steamed broccoli florets or green peas.

Festive Stuffed Peppers - Lightly grease the bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish with olive oil. Cut the tops off of four fresh bell peppers (I use two red and two green), scoop out the cores and seeds, rinse with water and place in dish. Combine four cups hot boiled rice with the contents of one envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix and a half a cup of Prego Heart Smart Marinara Sauce (for this recipe, any type of smooth, non-chunky red pasta sauce will do). Stuff the pepper shells with the rice mixture, top each with a few more tablespoons of pasta sauce and bake for 7 to 10 minutes in microwave (baking time will vary depending upon oven and size of peppers). I haven't tried baking this in a regular oven but I would estimate 20 or 30 minutes at 350 degrees.