Twice as Nice: Baked Rice
Rice gets a bum rap these days with keto and low-carb dieting in fashion.
Unless you have a health issue like diabetes that requires lower carb meals, weight loss still results when you lower your total caloric intake appropriately. Lower and count your calories, and the weight will come off. It took me over a year to drop 14 pounds that way, but I accomplished my goal and feel good about it.
Avoiding rice altogether is difficult – it’s a filling, cheap staple. If you eat brown, unprocessed varieties, it’s pretty nutritious as well. We finally adapted to eating brown rice after a friend suggested that we get the boil-in-bag version. It does turn out perfectly every time.
There’s a recipe going around The Wood called “Parker’s Rice” that my friend Lauren shared with me. It is similar to a recipe that’s been going around the Internet for years called “Stick of Butter Rice.” It only takes four ingredients and some salt and turns out beautifully – perfectly cooked and great flavor.
But that basic recipe screams for variations, and I made it again attempting to put together a version more akin to Dirty Rice – that Louisiana favorite that makes my heart sing.
So, I will give you both recipes. Adapt as you might!
French Onion Rice
1 can French onion soup
1 can beef broth
1 cup rice
½ stick unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice butter and place in the bottom of 9 x 9 dish or small casserole dish. Stir together rice, soup, salt and broth and pour into dish. Cover dish (aluminum foil or otherwise) and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 – 10 more minutes until all moisture is absorbed. Stir and serve!
Easy Louisiana Dirty Rice
16 oz. roll of sausage
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 can French onion soup
1 can Golden Mushroom soup
¾ cup water
½ stick unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown sausage in a pan with bell peppers. Drain fat. Place meat in the bottom of 9 x 9 or small casserole dish. Slice butter and place on top of sausage and peppers. Stir together rice, soups, water and salt and pour into dish. Cover dish (aluminum foil or otherwise) and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake 5 – 10 more minutes until all moisture is absorbed. Serve with your favorite hot sauce!