Meira's Rice

Fragrant, Autumnal, Delicious. Dairy or Parve (if you omit the butter or use olive oil instead) Make this ahead of time and bake at the last. I like to experiment, remember! So this is one that went well. Really, really, really, well. My Mom went crazy for it, my sister, who hates all things rice, loved it, my Dad who wants "just plain white rice, no sauce or stuff" had seconds, and my Grandfather, from whom compliments are "EARNED" praised it as "great stuff" . Yer-eeek-ahh! I named this after my Mom because she would not stop nibbling on it and finally asked my Dad to take it away from table so she wouldn't "eat the whole rest of it" LOL! My first submitted recipe :+) Eureka!

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

• 2  cups brown basmati rice
• 2  cups  white  jasmine rice
• 2  tablespoons vanilla (okay I did not measure just splashed some in)
• 1  cup  slivered almonds
• 1  yellow onion
• 6  stalks celery
• 1  tablespoon butter (or EV Olive Oil)
• 1  cup  homemade  chicken stock reduction (or 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon in 1 cup of water)
• 2  ounces Kahlua (optional)
• 8  ounces  hazelnut coffee (optional)

Directions

1. In rice cooker steam 2 cups rinsed brown Basmati rice 2 cups rinsed white Jasmine rice With 2 tablespoons of Vanilla extract and water.
2. Meanwhile, in dry cast iron skillet toast 1 cup of slivered almonds just until fragrant and set aside.
3. Then chop 1 yellow onion and 6 stalks of celery and sauté in butter until translucent. Deglaze with chicken stock or else a tablespoon of chicken bullion reconstituted in enough water to simmer. Turn off heat.
4. Turn on oven to pre-heat to 350. Open Rosetta Stone on your laptop and sit down with a mug of Kahlua and coffee (or Autumn warmth of choice) and practice your Hebrew for about 10 more minutes while the rice finishes steaming.
5. Pull rice from cooker fluff and toss with toasted almonds. Spread mixture into a 9x13 baking dish or something of equivalent volume.
6. Pour onion mixture evenly over rice, and bake for about 15 minutes.
7. *Of course you can make this all ahead of time excluding the baking time and then toss into the oven at the last, with dinner rolls. It keeps beautifully, covered in the fridge for at least 3 days. **Just remember to take it out of the fridge and let it come to near room temp before you put it in the oven. You do not want to cool down your oven too much esp. if you are baking.**.