triedunture | Recipe: cheesy broccoli rice

If you are lazy like me, then why the fuck haven't you bought a rice cooker yet? There are so many cheap, easy things you can make with it. Sure, it's not going to be classy French cuisine, and sure, it's all going to be rice-based, but what's your problem?? Basic food staples not good enough for you!? Hm? HM?

So here's my inspiration. Remember these? If you were anything like me, you lived off of them in college:

Mmmm, taste the preservatives and powdered cheese goodness.

Whatever! Those packets cost like $2.15 in NYC, so fuck that. Here's how to make it out of semi-real food:

1. Put rice in rice cooker like normal. I dunno, maybe two cups? I use brown rice.
2. Cook it until almost done. Like the rice is still moist, but not swimming, and the rice cooker hasn't yet clicked from 'cook' to 'warm.'
3. Dump in some broccoli florets. No need to stir, just let them lay on top and cover again.
4. The broccoli will steam inside the cooker. When it turns bright green, unwrap some processed yellow cheese product and lay it on top, covering for a little bit to melt it.

Done broccoli, and the cheese that's standing by, looks like this:

When everything's melted and gooey and the rice cooker clicks over to 'warm' just scoop some out.

If this is wrong, guys, then I don't want to be right.

For a fraction of the cost of a Lipton packet, you can make the same serving amount in your rice cooker. And yeah, maybe the vibrant yellow cheese isn't the healthiest thing ever, but it melts nicely and makes everything taste...just so god-damned American. I could wrap myself in the stars and stripes and eat this all day.

I'm going to experiment with making rice and beans in the rice cooker, too. Since canned beans are fully cooked, they just need some time to warm and such. Toss in some other goodies and you're not doing too bad.

GOD I love rice. Sorry to everyone who can't nosh on it. :[