Merry Christmas!

If this is your first time visiting this blog, it is probably because you've received a present from me.
I like giving homemade gifts and I'm a secret (not so secret) green girl.
Let's get to the good stuff...

Jar contents:
Long grain rice
chicken broth powder
chopped, dried apricots, apples, cranberries, and raisins
dried chives, bay leaves
salt and pepper

One jar serves 6-8 people

Directions:
Boil a pot of water.
In a pot or sauce pan, heat up as much or as little butter as you'd like.
Add a little bit of hot water to the pan, stir with a wooden spoon.
Add jar contents, stir.
Add more water, the contents should be in a soupy state by now.
Keep a lid on the pot for a few minutes. Keep your eye on it in case it boils over.
Check on the state of the contents. A lot of water should have been absorbed by the rice, so add a bit more water.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

Other ideas:
Once you are done cooking the rice, the fun doesn't need to stop there. You can also try the following ideas:
Put rice in a casserole dish, flatten it until it is leveled. Place sliced/shredded cheese on top. I recommend a sharp, old Cheddar. Crush candied walnuts/pecans/almonds. Sprinkle on top. Bake for 15 minutes.

OR YOU COULD DO THIS:
Add a can of chicken broth and turn it into a chicken rice soup.

OR YOU COULD DO THIS:
Make a balsamic glaze to drizzle on top of the rice.
Directions for balasmic glaze:
in a small sauce pan, heat up balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

Friends, this jar of rice is really just a blank canvas for your culinary imaginations. I encourage you to listen to your intuition. Leave a comment and or a picture of what you've created.

Merry Christmas to all!