Rice Casseroles

[David Ross]

I'm lazy tonight. On the drive home I started going through my mind all the possibilities of dinner with what I had in the refrigerator. Oh yeah, that braised chicken I made Sunday night. The leftover bit of cream of chicken soup, (and in the cupboard a can of cream of celery soup). Now I seem to remember I had both half and half and a bit of cream, some shredded cheese. Hmmm, maybe a casserole? Maybe a rice casserole? It won't take long to boil the rice and add all the other stuff, I could have a casserole ready in an hour...and lots of leftovers for lunches.

I've always been in love with rice casseroles. My favorite-the "Hellsapoppin" that my Mother made and took to holiday potluck suppers. Hellsapoppin was a classic of the 50's and 60's. A combination of cooked rice, a box of frozen chopped spinach, grated cheddar cheese, melted margarine, Worcestershire sauce and seasoned with salt, pepper and dried marjoram. Mother added some chopped canned water chestnuts for texture.

Certainly we all have some type(s) of rice in our pantry. What is your favorite classic rice casserole?

[heidih]

I did not grow up in "casserole country" and do not believe I ever had one even at friend's homes growing up. I look forward to seeing what classics exist.

[andiesenji]

Ooooh. I'll have to dig out my 1960s era rice cookbook that was my go-to thing for PTA potlucks.

One was a spicy "confetti" rice in a sausage "crown" that had rice with pineapple and I think red bell peppers and something spicy in a deep casserole dish that had brats, grilled and cut in half, standing around the sides with the rice in the center. Everyone loved it and it was rather pretty.

I always had to prepare two because my husband and his two sons could finish one all by themselves.

I think I served it with mango chutney on the side.