[blakhart51]

Is plain rice as opposed to rice mixes (like rice a roni) preferrable? I know the cost is lower, yet I always read that we should serve what our family is used to. There's also the issue of convenience of a rice mix. Storage of smaller mixes is also a factor. I looked in the forum, but couldn't find the answer to this quey. Your thoughts??

 

[Monique]

I store a few boxes of mix, pasta and rice, mostly for short-term use. Those things are expensive for what you get, and pretty easy to make your own, but sometimes it's nice to put your hand on them and just cook something fast. They don't hold up long-term because there's usually some kind of oil or fat involved.

 

[Mels thinkingitover]

When you are not in a crisis situation, it is a good time to experiment with the seasonings and spices that make the mixes you like the best. Most of the mixes can be made at home and you can pre-mix the spices in small quantities to keep on hand. Buying the basic spices and mixing your own can save you money and storage space. Rice-a-Roni for example is rice (surprise!) and small broken pieces of spaghetti noodles. When I taste a mix I really like, I collect as many recipes as I can for it (the internet is a real help) and then sort through them for ingredients common to most of the recipes, and then look at ways I can work with the ingredients for storage. I make it like a game to see how I can work it out, but then I am particularly blessed in that my guys will eat my experiments without drama - although there seems to be a great deal of entertainment factor in the failures.

I have some recipes I've worked out like that but I'm never sure if anyone is interested beyond my front door so I haven't posted them. I'll be glad to add them to the recipe section if you are interested in any particular mix flavors.

Add: I store the spice mixes separately from the rice/noodles. For quick mixes for my guys if I'm not cooking, I have some 1/2 pint jars with the rice/noodles premeasured in one and the spice mix pre-measured in another.

 

[Prepping]

Rice by itself, properly stored can last for decades.

Rice-a-roni, the San Francisco treat, as chirpy as that sounds, won't.

 

[IamZeke]

Rice a Roni = white rice + vermicelli + bullion and/or seasonings + thickener.

Easy to make your own.


When it comes to storage the best rule of thumb is to store all components separately because the more ingredients are mixed together the more they can interact chemically and begin to spoil.

 

[sachson]

Buy #5 or 10 cans of bullion. Angelhair pasta is vermicelli. Rice. Theres your rice a roni and will last decades. Boxes opened in several years will have bugs.

 

[Wombat]

form of rice

What WonderTwin has this power?

 

[LordOpie]

What WonderTwin has this power?

form of bride.

throw rice

 

[ForestBeekeeper]

In a regular 25 pound sack rice is fairly cheap.

 

[IdahoGard'ner]

When you are not in a crisis situation, it is a good time to experiment with the seasonings and spices that make the mixes you like the best. Most of the mixes can be made at home and you can pre-mix the spices in small quantities to keep on hand. Buying the basic spices and mixing your own can save you money and storage space. Rice-a-Roni for example is rice (surprise!) and small broken pieces of spaghetti noodles. When I taste a mix I really like, I collect as many recipes as I can for it (the internet is a real help) and then sort through them for ingredients common to most of the recipes, and then look at ways I can work with the ingredients for storage. I make it like a game to see how I can work it out, but then I am particularly blessed in that my guys will eat my experiments without drama - although there seems to be a great deal of entertainment factor in the failures.

I have some recipes I've worked out like that but I'm never sure if anyone is interested beyond my front door so I haven't posted them. I'll be glad to add them to the recipe section if you are interested in any particular mix flavors.

Add: I store the spice mixes separately from the rice/noodles. For quick mixes for my guys if I'm not cooking, I have some 1/2 pint jars with the rice/noodles premeasured in one and the spice mix pre-measured in another.

I'd love to see the recipes you've come up with! I'm pretty sure a lot of others would also. :thumb:

Oh, and thanks!

 

[Oldvernie]

My boys used to eat ramen noodles, :taped: but only used one spice pack for two packages so we had a lot of spice packs...
They go good in rice!

 

[kev]

White rice is going to be your best bet for long term storage.

The oils in brown rice breaks down rather quickly, causing the rice to go rancid.

 

[kmech]

About 8 years ago or more, I stored some Rice-a-roni in quart jars with the flavor pac and vac sealed them. I sealed 2 boxes in 1 jar. (1 quart mason) Cooked up half a jar last saturday and it was just fine, couldn't tell it was
8 plus years old. The only thing somewhat odd was the flavor pac wasn't 'loose' as you pored it out, it was somewhat condensed, ......came out of the pac like a large stick of gum.........maybe from being vac sealed

 

[Mels thinkingitover]

I'd love to see the recipes you've come up with! I'm pretty sure a lot of others would also. :thumb:

Oh, and thanks!

I posted a few in the Recipe Section titled "Rice Recipes using storage foods." I'll check there for questions or requests if there are any. I have no problem working up other flavor requests if anyone has favorites - my guys are always willing to eat experiments and I have plenty of time.

 

[ronnyyun]

They don't hold up long-term because there's usually some kind of oil or fat involved.