The Beauty of Rice

As I stated in my last post, the hubs & I are trying to cut down on some grocery bills and are being a bit creative with our menu lately.  One thing we have discovered?  The beauty of rice.  I know rice is one of those foods that's getting a really bad rap lately, with all the carbs and whatever other problems it has.  But it's great for getting a filling meal on the cheap, and hey, everyone keeps talking about this crappy economy so sometimes affordable food is more of a priority than healthy food (not saying it's right, saying it's a reality for many). 

Here are some of the ways we have been using rice lately:

• Served with some canned beef stew.  Yes, I stole this idea off of a commercial.  But it was surpisingly good (the hubs loved it, and he was really skeptical of the idea to start with).  Meat, veggies, and rice all in one swoop.  And cost less than $5.
• With veggies.  There is a brand that does canned okra and tomatoes, pre-seasoned, and it's so freakin' good.  I poured some over some rice and took it to work the other day for lunch- amazeballs.  I usually am not a big fan of many canned foods, at least not without adding my own seasonings, but I really like this.
• My dad reminded me that rice with cream of chicken soup is also good, he used to make it pretty often when I was a kid.  Add some mushrooms and shredded chicken to really amp up the meal.