Harvest Rice Salad

I make this rice dish fairly often, it's a combination of a few different recipes I've seen. Aside from coming together easily, it is also filling and a great mix of flavors and textures. The rice gives the dish a nutty base. The onions and cranberries sweeten it up. The bell pepper and almonds give it a nice crunch, and the lemon zest seems to brighten up all the flavors in the dish.

I like to serve this with salmon or grilled chicken, and I think it's perfect for a cool autumn evening.

Harvest Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 c. slivered almonds
2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. uncooked brown rice
1/2 c. uncooked wild rice
3 Tbsp. butter
3 onions, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. green bell pepper, diced
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Salt and pepper to taste

Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.

Mix broth, brown rice, and wild rice in a medium saucepan, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer about 50 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.

In medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Saute until butter is absorbed and onions are translucent and soft. Reduce heat, and cook onions for another 20 minutes, until they are caramelized.

Stir cranberries and green pepper into the skillet. Cover, and cook 10 minutes or until berries start to swell. Stir in almonds and lemon zest, then fold the mixture into the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.