When she was first married and living in Lodi, Kathy made boxed Rice-a-Roni quite often because it was one of Roger’s favorites. When they moved to Arizona, however, she could no longer find it in stores and decided to work out her own version. We think it’s even better than the original!
½ cup vermicelli (or you can cheat and use orzo)
½ cup rice
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups HOT water
1 cube chicken bullion
1 tsp ground Italian seasoning
optional: you can experiment with different flavors by adjusting the seasonings you add to match the main dish – for instance: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a little lemon zest pair this dish very nicely with Imperial Chicken!
Break vermicelli into pieces about 1-2 cm long. Stir pasta, rice, and butter in skillet over medium heat (choose one that has a tight-fitting lid). When pasta has turned golden brown, carefully add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
Turn heat to low. Cover and cook for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Near the end, stir in an extra pat of butter.
Yields: 6-8 servings
Time to make: 35 min
Source: Kathy Hoffman (submitted by Angela Hoffman)