by Tierney O'Hara

Created on: October 26, 2009   Last Updated: January 16, 2010

Fluffy, perfectly-cooked, white rice is easy to make if you use your microwave oven.

Into a medium sized bowl, place two cups of water, one cup of long grain white rice, one tablespoon of butter and one teaspoon of salt. Cover the microwave-proof bowl with plastic wrap or wax paper, leaving an opening for steam to escape.

Cook on high for 6 minutes and on medium-low for 15 minutes. Let the rice stand for about 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.

For long grain brown rice, increase the water by one-quarter cup and cook just like white rice - six minutes on high, only cook fifteen minutes longer at the medium-low setting for a total of 30 minutes. The temperatures in microwave ovens vary so you might need to increase the temperature or time when making rice in this manner.

Now that you've mastered quick and easy microwave rice, you can turn plain rice into a sophisticated and colorful pilaf by adding a few ingredients of your choosing.

Simple but Elegant Rice Pilaf

Add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and saut any combination of the following ingredients until soft:

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped asparagus

Into the same frying pan, stir in the cooked white or brown rice and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese. Mix and fluff with a fork, then spoon into a serving bowl.

Rice Tricks and Treats

When reheating cooked rice, add in a tablespoon or two of water before microwaving.

Rinse your rice if you want a less starchy or sticky rice.

While you are letting your rice stand, put a paper towel under the cover to absorb extra steam for drier rice also.

Substitute chicken or beef broth for water to create richer tasting rice.

The addition of chopped, fresh herbs, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese turns simple steamed rice into a company side dish.

Use cooked rice instead of macaroni in your favorite mac and cheese recipe.

Chicken and Rice Casserole: Make a casserole dinner in a flash by mixing two cups of cooked rice with two cups of cooked, chopped chicken and two cups of mixed vegetables that have been defrosted and drained. Stir in one can of cream of chicken soup and 1/2 can of milk and pour into a buttered medium size casserole. Bake at 375 until bubbling hot.

Quick Chicken Soup: Canned or boxed chicken stock, cooked rice and grated carrot and onion make a super soup that's ready in less than ten minutes. It's not as hearty as a soup made with chicken pieces, but it still warms the tummy and the heart on cold days or days when you have a cold.

Rice is a versatile, healthy food that can be made in a variety of ways. Microwaving rice is an easy way to prepare rice with the least amount of clean up and one of the best end results.

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