Savory Cinnamon Rice

This dish is all about the cinnamon. A friend brought me a big honkin' stick of cinnamon bark from her recent trip to Vietnam. "Honkin'" is the most appropriate adjective. Trust me. I was thinking of a side dish for dinner and happened to remember the cinnamon. But what could I do with it? Rice popped into my head. Well, why not?

First I preheated the oven to 350°.

I started by melting a couple tablespoons of margarine over medium heat, in an oven-proof skillet. I added a yellow onion that had been finely diced and cooked it until it was translucent. Then I added a cup of white rice and a couple ounces of whole wheat noodles that had been broken into small pieces. I cooked this for about a minute, stirring constantly. Next I added a little salt and about a teaspoon of freshly grated cinnamon. I used my microplane for the grating. It worked wonderfully. I gave the skillet a quick stir and added a can of chicken stock.

The skillet is covered and placed in the preheated oven to cook for about a half hour, or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice a little and serve.

This came out beautifully. The warmth of the cinnamon added a really nice depth to the rice and noodles that was a great complement to the grilled pork chops with which it was served. The simplicity of the flavors didn't try to steal the show from the entrée. Definitely something I will be making again, with little if any variation.

Sorry, no picture.

Bon appétit!