If my memory serves me right, I discovered rice pilaf about 5 years when I was living with an American lady. She works as a figure skating coach and was always busy. We often share food, so one day on shortage of supplies, I “borrowed” a box of her rice and mixed in a couple handy ingredients. I somehow have only cooked it once or twice after that, but every time I did, it turned out to be a quite quick and tasty meal! So this one absolutely goes with the idea of SEMI-HOMEMADE meals :-p
Ingredients:
- A store-bought box of rice pilaf (usually about 6-7 oz)
- A handful shiitake mushroom or similar kind (dark color preferred), cut in small pieces
- Some pine nuts
- A can of vegetable broth
- Chopped garlic
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil ~ What Food Network Racheal Ray calls EVOO, and now me too
How to make it:
- In a 2 quart saucepan, put in 4-5 tbsp. EVOO to coat the bottom of the pan
- When the pan is hot, drop in the chopped fresh garlic, stir well, and then add shiitake mushroom
- Cook the mushroom for a minute and mix in the rice pilaf and seasoning that comes with it, stir well
- Pour 1 cup of vegetable broth and 1-1½ cups of water (note: no additional seasoning needed)
- Bring the mixture to a boil and drop in the pine nuts, stir well
- Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes; then turn off the heat, and let it stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
Tah-dah! My rice pilaf - hmm yummy!
