Sticky Rice No More

I don't think I am the only person that always ends up with rice problems.  That is the reason for this post.  Every time I cook rice I end up angry, disappointed and, well, with nasty rice.  We LOVE rice, so this is very frustrating to me.  I follow the instructions: rice, water, butter, stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer, remove from heat, let stand...and Ta-Da...usually hard (undercooked), half-burnt rice that is very sticky and not very palatable.  My family is always so precious though and just eats whatever I give them (probably because that's the family rule - but that's another post).

So, I had a bag of rice in the pantry and I just happened to notice there are microwave cooking instructions on the back of the bag.  Sure, I'll try that.  It can't be any WORSE.  I notice that the measurements are different than if I cook it on the stove top.  Hmmmm.  Interesting.  Well, I did it - AND - TA-DA - fabulous rice!  I will never cook rice on the stove top again...ever!  We have had rice often since this discovery.  So, here are the instructions.

Combine rice, water and butter in a microwave-safe glass dish.

Cover and cook on HIGH using times below:

Reduce to MEDIUM (50%) for 20 minutes.  Remove from microwave.

Let stand covered 5 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Fluff with fork and serve.

Microwave ovens vary: adjust cooking time as needed.

My Notes:

Due to the size of my family, every time I have done this, I have done 6 servings.  I'm sure all the other measurements work, but I just wanted to provide that disclaimer.

Since my "inner Paula" often rears its ugly head, I doubled the recommended amount of butter.  (o:

Another variation I tried: Stir in dried minced onions and parsley with dry rice, then add one can of chicken broth with water added to equal amount of liquid for recipe.  Then follow cooking instructions.  This one was definitely a hit!