Cherry Blossom Rice

2 1/2 cups rice
15 cherry blossoms (fresh is best)
1 tblsp of sake (Japanese rice wine)
1 small piece of seaweed (kombu)


Wash rice and put into a rice cooker. Pour water to the mark, add sake, seaweed and cherry blossoms.

***Serve while sitting under the cherry blossoms.

Green Tea Rice

from the kitchen of a friend


Boil two teaspoons of loose sencha or bancha, half a cup of white rice, and one cup of water in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer twenty minutes over low heat or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, over low heat, stir one tablespoon of sugar, one tablespoon of rice vinegar, and a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt until dissolved. Fold into cooked rice and serve.

Note: when left overnight in a warm rice cooker, Green Tea Rice will become brown, rather than a pretty white with green flecks. However, it is still tasty...

Creamy Wild Rice Casserole

from the kitchen of a friend


Tastefully Simple Creamy Wild Rice Soup
1/3 cup chopped onions
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 to 2 cups instant rice
1/3 cup sour cream

Prepare soup according to package directions, omitting 1 cup water. While soup is simmering, sauté onions, mushrooms and ground beef in butter until onions are tender and beef is no longer pink. When soup is done simmering, add beef mixture, soy sauce and rice. Cover and simmer until rice is done; stir in sour cream. Pour mixture into greased casserole.

Bake at 325 F for about 1 hour until casserole reaches desired consistency.

Baked Rice and Broccoli

from the kitchen of a friend


1 small onion -- chopped
1/2 cup celery -- chopped
1 pkg frozen chopped broccoli (10-oz)- thawed
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 jar process cheese spread (8-oz)
1 can condensed cream of mushroom (10-3/4 oz) -- undiluted soup
1 can evaporated milk (5-oz)
3 cups cooked rice


In a skillet over medium heat, saute onion, celery and broccoli in
butter for 3-5 minutes. Stir in cheese, soup and milk until smooth.
Place rice in a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Pour cheese mixture
over; do not stir.

Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.