by Joe Copymachine

Created on: April 01, 2009

It's hip to be cheap in 2009. So use a little leftover rice to make a delectable sandwich that costs about a quarter. Your friends will think you're just bein' trendy, and you'll rid yourself of all that leftover rice, which doesn't taste so great in Hobo Stew. Plus you'll avoid the guilt associated with eating a fancy meal in your soon-to-be-foreclosed home. This cheap, easy leftover rice recipe takes about five minutes to make, and it's actually delicious.

I developed this idea on a half-sober night while I was in college. Leftover rice was one of only a few things in the fridge when I got a 2 a.m. hankerin' for a meal. Knowing that the rice would not last for more than a few days, it seemed an ideal time for a moment of ingenuity. Luckily, inspiration came. And then I ate leftover rice sandwiches almost every day for the rest of the semester.

You'll need about a third of a cup of leftover rice, two pieces of bread, a piece of Swiss cheese, a teaspoon or two of barbecue sauce, a dash of red pepper, and little butter. Depending on the quality of your ingredients, there's no reason this cheap recipe should cost more than thirty or forty cents.

First, toss the butter in a pan, turn the burner on low, and wait for it to melt. Then spread it around. Next, toss the leftover rice in the pan with the butter and sprinkle some red pepper on top. Use a spatula to push the rice together in the shape of a square. The square should be about the size of a piece of bread. Remember, this rice if going to have to fit inside a sandwich. Leftover rice essentially takes the place of the meat that might normally go in a cheap sandwich.

Cook the rice for a minute or so on one side, and then flip it. The rice might not stick together enough to flip - if it doesn't, don't worry - just push it back into the shape of a piece of bread. Put the piece of cheese on top, and let it cook for another minute or two. The cheese should melt pretty quickly.

In the meantime, toast the bread. Once the rice is cooked and the cheese is melted, scoop those ingredients out of the pan and toss it in between a couple pieces of toast. Add a little barbecue sauce to sweeten it up.

Now, enjoy!

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