# Macaroni or Rice side dish or meal



## Oldtimerjax (Dec 17, 2014)

Here is a dish I make now and then when I get tired of popping the steamed veggies in the microwave.

I use either rice or elbow macaroni, enough for two ppl. 

Some of the cooks out there toss it in a pan and know when enough is enough and some measure everything. I am one of those who only measures when it comes to ingredients that have to be somewhat exact. The cakes, cookies, breads, and things that rise still make me nervous and I am almost 60 and from what ppl tell me a good cook. If I haven't gotten over that by now, I guess I never will. Oh well, that is another post.

To carry on, we are going to fry the rice or macaroni in a skillet you can use to cook it in with tomatoes and onion and green pepper if you like the tast of them. You don't have to use the onion or green pepper, but it gives the dish more taste.

I use either hog lard or bacon grease I saved from frying bacon. You need enough in the pan to just keep the rice and onion and green pepper from sticking to the bottom while frying. A couple of Tablespoons should do it. I cut up the onion and green pepper into small pieces and fry them on medium heat along with the dry rice and dry macaroni until the rice or macaroni turns brown. Season to taste. Sometimes I put in a couple of boullion cubes or seasoning salt and pepper to taste. Most of the time I sprinkle in a pinch of crushed dried red pepper flakes. After browning the rice or macaroni I put in a large can of diced tomatoes and enough water or broth to cover the ingredients with about 2 inches of water. This will disappear as the rice or macaroni gets tender. Cook until just about all the water has disappeared. When parted with a spoon you will see about a quarter of inch of water on the bottom. Turn off the heat and cover for at least 15 minutes before serving. The water will disappear. I make this dish with fried pork chops or with meatloaf or with any other kind of solo meat.

This dish is real good as a side, but if you want to make a meal out of it, add some sausage or meat to it while the rice or macaroni is frying and it will cook and get tender while the other ingredients are boiling. I have served it with meat before and had it with biscuits either on the side or spooned it onto the biscuits on the plate. let me know what you think.


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## Zhizara (Dec 17, 2014)

That sounds good.  I like to make brown rice using turkey stock instead of water.  The stock usually contains a quantity of cooked onions.

I like your idea of browning the rice in bacon fat.  I'll definitely try that next time I make it.  Thanks for the idea.


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## Oldtimerjax (Dec 17, 2014)

Zhizara said:


> That sounds good. I like to make brown rice using turkey stock instead of water. The stock usually contains a quantity of cooked onions.
> 
> I like your idea of browning the rice in bacon fat. I'll definitely try that next time I make it. Thanks for the idea.


 
Thanks, I grew up with bacon fat and hog lard. Back in the day we made our own from parts of the pig. The farmer would slaughter a hog and send us over a portion of it and my Mother butchered up her own roasts and made her own sausage. We also had a dish called scrapple now and then. She took all kinds of leftover meats and ground them up, cooked them in cornmeal and spices and then cooled them in loaf pans and fried them and put maple syrup on them. I love homemade scrapple. Brings back memories again.


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## CarolPa (Dec 17, 2014)

I like scrapple, but many people won't eat it because the word "scrap" turns them off.  It's actually delicious, but I've never made my own from scratch.


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## Oldtimerjax (Dec 17, 2014)

CarolPa said:


> I like scrapple, but many people won't eat it because the word "scrap" turns them off. It's actually delicious, but I've never made my own from scratch.


 
My Mother's scrapple was awesome. I have never tasted one like it in the store bought kind. It is good, but hers had liver, sausage, roast pork, leftover roast of beef, onions, green pepper, garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, cornmeal, and all chilled nicely in a loaf pan. She always made some to eat now and some to freeze for later. Those were the good old days. I know what you mean about the name, but anyone from up north knows what it is and most ppl like it.


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