A handsome main or side dish, this method can also make a great breakfast rice pudding. It easily adapts for 25-40 people! To cook for a large group in a family kitchen, you have to shift some stove top foods to the oven. By cooking your rice or grain in the oven after a brief boil on the top of the stove, you free your stovetop for all the other foods that need last minute attention. Plan a soup or sauce in one crockpot and a peach cobbler in another, (or baking on the second shelf of the oven), add a salad, and you can prepare a great meal with very little fuss. The new Corning Vision Dutch ovens that can go from stovetop to oven are handy, or a large covered roaster pan works for a large amount, making the stovetop to oven transition very easy.

All temperatures mentioned are for metal pans. Reduce heat 25 degrees for glass or ceramic casseroles.

Any whole grain may be substituted for rice in the recipe, with whole wheat increasing the cooking time, whole oats or cracked wheat (bulgar) lessening it, and millet, barley and rye about the same. You will also find that most grains except millet combine for excellent flavors and textures.

Plain Rice and Breakfast Rice Pudding variations:

For plain rice, omit the spices and vegetables and add about 1/2 t of salt added, may be used to prepare plain rice or cooked grains for other uses. 

Breakfast Rice Pudding variation:
1/4 C honey may be substituted for the seasonings to prepare a breakfast cereal. Stir in raisins or other dried fruit to taste.

Main Dish Variation:
If the casserole is to be used as a main dish, add 1/2-1 C soy grits pre-soaked and increase milk to 3 1/2 cups. Grated cheese or cottage cheese may be stirred in after cooking or spread on top for the last 10 minutes of baking (be sure to replace cover on the casserole after adding the cheese). 

Vegetable concentrate bouillon:
This is a dried or freeze-dried vegetable powder blend without salt which is sold under various names such as Garden Broth, Vita Broth, Super Broth, or Vegebroth. It is basically an instant concentrated soup stock.

Preparing Baked Grains for a Group
This recipe can be increased up to six times in a single pan.

Increase the ingredients as necessary to give enough for the group, bake in a covered roasting pan or foil-covered enameled dish pan at the same temperature, cooking time increases by 5 minutes per inch of depth above 2 inches to compensate for the quantity of the food.

Vegetable juices such as tomato juice, soup stock, or even water may be substituted for part of the milk. This will decrease the available protein in the dinner unless you beat 1-2 T non-instant milk per cup into the liquid before cooking.

Vegetables such as green pepper, peas, cooked drained beans, corn, chopped tomatoes may be added to the dish before cooking, or cooked separately and stirred in before serving.