Infallible Rice
Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2004 6:25 am
A good recipe is like a family heirloom -- it's something to hold onto. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the recipe vanishes. And that's what happened to cause Hydro of Turtle Creek to request today's recipe for Infallible Rice: "About 20 years ago Ann Landers ran a recipe for 'perfect' rice. It was rice, chicken broth and chopped onions prepared on the top burner, then finished in the oven. It was so simple and just wonderful with almost any dish. Can you help?"
Betty Arscott of Cranberry read Hydro's letter and sent in her own request for the recipe: "I, too, had it and managed to lose it. Every once in a while I think of how good that rice was and search again for the recipe, but I think it is gone for good. I hope someone else saw this request. I would love to have it again."
Hydro and Betty are in luck. Several readers saved the recipe, which appeared in a Dear Abby column.
Darlene Doerfler of Bellevue wrote: "I have that recipe and have used it for many years and have passed it on to many others. It's a great and easy recipe. Just a couple of notes: I transfer the rice to a casserole dish for baking. Also, I have used brown rice and it works fine."
Diane Wallace of Uniontown: "I'm not sure how I came by this recipe but have used it for years and it is great! The rice dish is very easy and very good and turns out perfect every time as long as you follow the directions exactly."
Rosalie Lowery of McMurray: "I'm sure this is the recipe from the 'Dear Abby's Favorite Recipes' booklet, 1998. Weren't Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren twin sisters?"
Yes, they were.
Edith Letham of Murrysville: "I have made this often. It is really good. Do not use instant rice."
When we tested the recipe, we followed the advice from our readers -- we followed the directions. And the rice turned out just as promised -- perfect.
Here's the recipe as it ran in the Dear Abby column on July 21, 1984.
INFALLIBLE RICE
Serves four hungry or six polite people.
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup long-grain raw white rice
2 cups chicken broth (hot)
In an oven-proof skillet, saute onion in butter until transparent. Combine onion, rice and hot broth. Bring to a boil on top of range. Cover and place in a 325-degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve and listen to the compliments.
Betty Arscott of Cranberry read Hydro's letter and sent in her own request for the recipe: "I, too, had it and managed to lose it. Every once in a while I think of how good that rice was and search again for the recipe, but I think it is gone for good. I hope someone else saw this request. I would love to have it again."
Hydro and Betty are in luck. Several readers saved the recipe, which appeared in a Dear Abby column.
Darlene Doerfler of Bellevue wrote: "I have that recipe and have used it for many years and have passed it on to many others. It's a great and easy recipe. Just a couple of notes: I transfer the rice to a casserole dish for baking. Also, I have used brown rice and it works fine."
Diane Wallace of Uniontown: "I'm not sure how I came by this recipe but have used it for years and it is great! The rice dish is very easy and very good and turns out perfect every time as long as you follow the directions exactly."
Rosalie Lowery of McMurray: "I'm sure this is the recipe from the 'Dear Abby's Favorite Recipes' booklet, 1998. Weren't Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren twin sisters?"
Yes, they were.
Edith Letham of Murrysville: "I have made this often. It is really good. Do not use instant rice."
When we tested the recipe, we followed the advice from our readers -- we followed the directions. And the rice turned out just as promised -- perfect.
Here's the recipe as it ran in the Dear Abby column on July 21, 1984.
INFALLIBLE RICE
Serves four hungry or six polite people.
1 medium onion, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup long-grain raw white rice
2 cups chicken broth (hot)
In an oven-proof skillet, saute onion in butter until transparent. Combine onion, rice and hot broth. Bring to a boil on top of range. Cover and place in a 325-degree oven for 20 minutes. Serve and listen to the compliments.
