Oven-Baked Brown Rice with Parmesan, Lemon, and Herbs

Avoid using dried herbs, as fresh herbs really make this dish.  To double the recipe, use a 13 by 9 inch baking dish; the baking time need not be increased.

1 ½ cups long-, medium-, or short-grain brown rice

1 small onion, minced (about ½ cup)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

2 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

¼ cup minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1.     Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spread the rice in an 8-inch-square glass baking dish.

2.     Combine the onion, oil, and salt in a medium saucepan.  Cover and cook over medium–low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in the broth and bring to a boil, covered.  Once the broth is boiling, immediately pour it over the rice.  Cover the baking dish tightly with a double layer of foil and bake until the rice is tender, about 1 hour.

3.     Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and fluff the rice with a fork.  Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pepper.  Cover the dish with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes.  Uncover and let the rice stand for 5 minutes longer before serving.

Sharon's Turtle Bars

Regular Batch                                       

1 bag Kraft Caramels  (about 48 caramels)                                          

½ cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 - 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 
1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)                                     

Crust

1 ½ cups flour                                                        
1 ½ cups quick oats                                              
¼ tsp. salt                                                                 
2/3 tsp. baking soda                                             
1 1/8 cups brown sugar                                      
2 cubes melted butter                                         

Large Batch

1 1/2 bags Kraft Caramels (about 72 caramels)
3/4 cup evaporated milk
2 - 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 - 2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Crust

2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups quick oats
3/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 cubes melted butter

Melt caramels in milk.  Mix crust ingredients together.  Pat ½ crust mixture into 9” X 13” pan (for regular batch) or 11 ½” X 16 ½” jelly roll pan/cookie sheet with 1”sides (for large batch).  Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Pour caramel mixture over crust.  Sprinkle with pecans and chocolate chips.  Crumble rest of crust mixture over the top.  Lightly press toppings into caramel mixture with fingers. This will help hold the toppings on the cookie bars after they are baked.  Bake 15 minutes more. 

Cool.  Cut into bars.  Store in Tupperware- type container.