10 Ways to Make Rice and a little more

Per my mother in laws request, she has 9 pounds of rice to use from her last sale (purchased for under $3- way to go) and needs lots of new recipes.  The easiest recipes that I use for white rice are as follows:

1. Boiled White Rice- Put 1 cup rice to 2 cups water in a saucepan and raise to a boil.  Reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Simplified Fried Rice- Melt 2 tbsp butter in pan,  Add 1 cup rice and brown (don't worry if it is burnt because it will just add character to the finished product, know from experience), Add 2 cups of broth and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until broth is absorbed.

3. Spanish Rice-  Add ground beef, tomato sauce (or tomato paste with water), and season to taste (my mom always stuffed in green peppers with green pepper bits in the rice mixture and baked but my tummy doesn't like pepper)

4. Leftover Fried Rice-  Put oil in pan and heat, add already cooked and cooled rice, add seasoning packet from the store (sorry, don't have a recipe for that yet from scratch but if you don't then skip), add soy sauce, add leftover chicken, leftover veggies or frozen and scrambled egg in the side of the pan. (If you have sesame oil, it might taste more authentic but I use whatever is in the cupboard).

5. Tightwad Casserole- Cook ground beef and onion in pan, drain oil and put cooked items on paper towels to pat dry, add 2-4 tbsp butter to pan until melted, Add 1 c. rice and 8 oz. spaghetti (broken into 1 inch pieces) and brown, Add meat back to pan, Add 4 cups of beef broth (or water and bouillon).  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Rice A Roni from scratch- Make mix of 3 cups rice, 1/4 c. dried parsley, 6 tbsp chicken or beef bouillon, 2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp dried thyme.  Put 1 cup of mix, 2 tbsp butter and 2 cups water in sauce pan.  Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat, simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender.  (can also add broken spaghetti pieces)

7. Chicken and Rice Casserole- from and changed from Campbell's Kitchen website. I use black pepper and paprika instead of onion powder.  I use Shake n Bake on the chicken instead of adding cheese to the top of the casserole to make it yummy and crispy. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/campbells-cheesy-chicken-and-rice-casserole/

8.  Mexican Rice-  This one sounds good but I haven't tried it yet http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-rice-ii/detail.aspx (Healthy ideas to add corn, diced tomatoes, green chilis or other fun things)

9. Chicken and Rice Soup-  Add broth, shredded chicken, cooked rice and leftover veggies to crock pot for lots of soup

10.  Crunchy Taco Rice- Cook ground beef in pan and drain.  Add taco seasoning package and minute rice and water.  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.  Serve with rice and crushed tortilla chips. 
(Brown  boneless chicken pieces in a pan and add taco powder from package.  Put over rice or mix with rice and top with cheese.)  Can also put in wonton wrappers, crescent roll hot pockets, and taco shells for variety of ways to serve.

I have only made the first 4 (and the last one in some varieties) but I am looking to forward to trying some others soon too!  I am trying to mix up the menu this month so I think that I will be adding some of these in later this month.  There is also rice pudding but for once I was trying to make it healthier and not desserts so I didn't even look for that recipe :)  I hope that you like these options for how to use lots of rice while making it different every night.

P.S.  For my mother in law and not for me- Obviously there is always Rice and Beans but I am sure you have already had that!!!!!  Beans- YUCK!