"Sticky" Rice

Here is me and my Gram.

The last conversation I had with my Gram was around on my birthday. She never forgot my birthday or anyones for that matter. We talked and talked. We talked about Pa, we talked about the kids, we talked about Christine's upcoming wedding, we talked about how much we missed each other. One thing I remember her saying was how proud she was of me moving out to Washington. I thought it was an odd thing to be proud of so I said "oh that's nothing to be proud of" and she said "oh but it is, you are very brave to leave the only home you've known, leaving behind family and friends but you are still always so happy and take such good care of your husband and kids, and that is what I am proud of" I loved hearing those words from her.

On to the recipe. This was such a signature Gram recipe. I vividly remember sneaking in front of line at the Thanksgiving spread to get a spoonful of Gram's sticky rice...yeah only a spoonful because Gram only made a little bit of this rice. We call it sticky rice because well...it sticks together. I think Gram was way ahead of her time with this one because now when you go to the grocery store there are tons of "flavored" rices to choose from, chicken, broccoli, Spanish, you know they come in the big envelopes. But leave it to Gram to have her own version. It reminds me of the time when microwave popcorn first came out. It was so expensive. But Gram made her own using regular popcorn a pat of butter and a paper lunch bag.

The sticky rice isn't a recipe that will be featured on the Food Network, or grace the cover of Martha Stewart, but to my family it is one of those recipes that will always remind of us Gram.

Ingredients:

2 chicken bullion cubes

Long Grain rice (NOT THE INSTANT)

Butter (I used 4 tablespoons)

Directions:

Boil 2 cups of water and the bullion cubes

once it comes to a boil and the cubes have dissolved add butter

Add 1 cup rice

reduce heat and cover (20-25 min)

the rice should be WELL cooked and "stick" together

This rice came out "pretty close" to Gram's. I can't tell you why I just know because I remember Gram's rice.