Fun with Rice – 43 stir in ideas for plain old rice

Here are some great ideas to spruce up plain old rice! I love rice and usually have at least a bag each of long grain white & brown rice in the cupboard. It always seems like I have a hard time being very creative with those bags of rice though! Some of these simple ways to jazz up your rice dishes sound so yummy! Let me know if you try any of them or have more ideas!

1. Baked, but not Potato: Add crumbled bacon and sour cream to hot, cooked rice.
2. Beefed-Up Rice: Cook rice in beef broth. Add sauteed onions, cashews, and raisins. Top with green onions
3. Cantonese Please: Add broccoli, sesame oil, chopped toasted peanuts or cashews to hot, cooked rice.
4. Corn on the Range: Add corn and barbecue sauce to hot, cooked rice.
5. Country Bumpkin: Add cream gravy to hot, cooked rice.
6. Dracula’s ‘Shroom: Add mushrooms and garlic sauteed in butter to hot, cooked rice.
7. Easy, Cheesy Rice: Add butter and Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.
8. Emerald Isle: Add peas and finely chopped fresh mint to hot, cooked rice.
9. Farmer’s Scramble: Add scrambled eggs, sausage and green onions to hot, cooked rice.
10. Feeling Slightly Mexican: Add fresh avocado, tomato chunks, fresh cilantro, and lots of lemon
11. For Southerners Only: Add cooked okra and stewed tomatoes to hot, cooked rice.
12. Gardener’s Delight: Add chopped fresh basil, chopped tomatoes and fresh corn-off-the-cob to hot, cooked rice.
13. Health Nut: Add toasted sunflower seeds and raisins to hot, cooked rice.
14. Hearty Rice: Add marinated artichoke hearts and grated Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.
15. Hoppin’ John: Add black-eyed peas and sliced green onions to hot, cooked rice.
16. How Sweet It Is: Add cinnamon, sugar and butter to hot, cooked rice.
17. Indian Gold: Cook rice with a pinch of saffron. Add cooked green beans.
18. It’s Greek to Me: Cook rice in chicken broth with chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic. Fold in feta cheese and chopped parsley.
19. Leek Freak: Add butter and cooked leeks to hot, cooked rice.
20. Lemon Zinger: Add butter, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to hot, cooked rice
21. Let’s Salsa: Add cooked beans, salsa and shredded cheese to hot, cooked rice.
22. Little Bit of Italy: Add asparagus tips, toasted pine nuts, red and yellow peppers to hot, cooked rice. Top with Parmesan cheese.
23. Mama Mia: Add tomato basil sauce, cooked zucchini and Italian sausage to hot, cooked rice. Top with parmesan cheese.
24. Maui Wowie: Add crushed pineapple and green bell pepper slices to hot, cooked rice.
25. Mock Apple Cobbler: Add sliced apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, chopped nuts, and vanilla yogurt to hot, cooked rice.
26. Moo Goo Rice: Add sauteed mushrooms, snow peas and sliced water chestnuts to hot, cooked rice
27. Nuts about Garlic: Add sauteed garlic and toasted pine nuts to hot, cooked rice.
28. Pass the Parmesan, Peas: Add garlic sauteed in butter, peas and Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.
29. Polish BBQ: Add kielbasa sausage and barbecue sauce to hot, cooked rice.
30. Pooh Bear’s Favorite: Add milk, raisins, a little sugar and a dash of vanilla to hot, cooked rice. Simmer until thickened. Drizzle with honey.
31. Porky Peas: Add crumbled bacon and peas to hot, cooked rice.
32. Rice Cream: Add vanilla ice cream, dash of cinnamon to hot, cooked rice.
33. Rice Ole: Add black beans, minced red onion, chopped bell pepper, chopped cilantro, and vinaigrette to hot, cooked rice.
34. Rice Parmigana: Add mixed vegetables, your favorite spice or herb, butter, and Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.
35. Rice Worth Crowing About: Cook rice in chicken stock. Add sauteed onions, mushrooms, green pepper, and toasted pine nuts.
36. Sesame Treat: Add toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil and thinly sliced green onions to hot, cooked rice.
37. South of the Border: Add diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, shredded monterey jack cheese and chopped cilantro to hot, cooked rice.
38. Steam-it-Up: Add steamed zucchini and carrots, butter, Parmesan cheese to hot, cooked rice.
39. Tea-Time: For extra flavor, toss an herbal tea bag into the water while rice cooks.
40. Trail Blazer: Add yogurt and fresh fruit to hot, cooked rice. Top with granola.
41. U.S.S. Rice: Add naval orange slices, chopped red onions or scallions, and vinaigrette dressing to hot, cooked rice.
42. Un-kissable Crunch: Add sauteed garlic and onions, and toasted walnuts to hot, cooked rice.
43. Veggy Medley: Add garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, ripe olives, parsley, and ricotta cheese to hot, cooked rice. Top with parmesan cheese.