Homemade Beef-flavoured Rice-A-Roni

When I was a kid I enjoyed eating Rice-A-Roni, the 'San Francisco Treat'.  I loved the flavour of the chicken or beef flavoured rice ladden with bits of vermicelli or noodles and seasoned perfectly with those little seasoning packets that came with the kit.  Rice-A-Roni is one of those American favourite staples I miss.  I've learned to make my own using a few ingredients.  This is a one pot meal.  It only takes about 45 minutes to enjoy this savoury meal.  The fact that it's a one pot meal appeals to me all the more!

Homemade Beef-Flavoured Rice-A-Roni with Sausages

Ingredients

2 cups long-grained rice, washed
1/3 cup vermicelli rice or thin spgahetti
4 cups good beef stock
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon each:  salt, pepper, ground parsley
4 good sausages, cooked and chopped
2 TBS butter
1 TBS vegetable oil

Method

1. Cook susages until brown and cooked through.  Let cool and then dice.  Set aside.
2. Heat a saucepan on medium heat.  Add oil and butter.  Swirl the butter until it sizzles.
3. Saute the onions until translucent.  Add the rice and vermicelli and stir to coat rice. Add the seasonings.
4. Add the stock and stir once.  At this point  cover the pan, lower the heat to medium low.  Let the rice simmer for twenty minutes.  
5. Once rice has absorbed the water, uncover and fluff up with a two-pronged fork.  Cover the rice again and let it sit on an on-lit hob for approximately 10 minutes to steam.  
6. Add the diced sausages, fluff up again and enjoy.

Beef Flavoured Rice-A-Roni with sausages