MAN-Pleasing Recipes

About 30 years ago, the National Rice Council published a little booklet called "Man-Pleasing Recipes." Catchy name. Aunt Annie had this jewel tucked inside another booklet, "The New Treasury of Almond Recipes" (for another day...)

Here's how the booklet opens: No man likes the same thing every night! Here is an array of ways to add zest to your menus--entrees with meat, chicken or seafood. Recipes for the vegetable part of the plate or for the elegant dinner. Tasty--most are easy--try them!

Thumbing through the booklet, I found this was pretty much true. I also found some very useful information. For instance, consider its Serving Suggestions:

• Substitute beef or chicken bouillon for water when cooking rice.
• Add crumbled bacon and Cheddar cheese to hot cooked rice.
• Tasty breakfast idea--add cream, sugar, and fruit to hot or cold cooked rice.
• Add sour cream and chives to hot cooked rice.
• Toss hot cooked rice with chopped ripe olives.
• Add cooked rice to sauteed onions and mushrooms; heat through.
• Try hot cooked buttered rice with toasted sliced almonds--toss with Parmesan cheese and voila! Rice Almondine!
• Add flavor to cooked rice with seasoned salt, dry salad dressing mix, or curry powder.

The booklet also included fool-proof rice-cooking directions (which I definitely needed--mine always comes out sticky):

Oven Method: Measure proportions specified on package, using boiling liquid. Place ingredients in baking dish; cover. Bake at 350 degrees until rice is tender and liquid absorbed (about 10 min longer than the stove-top method).

Now here are a couple "MAN-Pleasing recipes (doesn't that make you smile for some reason?) from the booklet we might want to try:

RICE SOUFFLE:
1 C heavy white sauce
4 eggs, separated
1 C cooked rice
1 C grated Swiss or sharp cheese

Combine sauce with slightly beaten egg yolks and rice. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into rice mixture. Pour into an ungreased 2-qt casserole and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. (My thoughts: I think it would be nice to also fold in some chopped spinach, or finely diced broccoli.)

LEMON PILAF (serves 6)
1 C sliced celery
1 C chopped green onions with tops
2 Tbsp butter
3 C cooked rice
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1 Tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Saute celery and onions in butter until tender. Add rice, lemon rind, and seasonings; toss lightly. Continue cooking over low heat about 2 min. or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve with broiled chicken, breast of veal, or baked or broiled fish. Toasted sliced almonds, or crisp crumbled bacon are also nice touches to this delicious dish.

If YOU have a rice recipe (or any other MAN-Pleasing Recipe) you especially like, won't you share? We're all in this together, remember, so let's spread the good stuff. And until next time, happy cook'n!