4 c. chicken broth
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
2 onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 c. fresh parsley, chopped
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 c. Italian short-grained pearl rice (or rice of your choice) 8 to 10 plum tomatoes, diced
2 sm. zucchini, sliced thin
1 c. peas
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring the chicken broth to simmering. Heat the olive oil and the butter over medium-high heat in a heavy, deep frying pan. Saute' the onions until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the celery, carrots, parsley, basil, and rice, and saute' about 2 minutes until well coated with oil and butter. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth. Keep liquid simmering and stir continually, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the liquid has been absorbed.

Add the tomatoes, zucchini, peas, and another 1/2 cup of the hot broth, and stir continually. Each time the rice becomes dry, add another 1/2 cup of broth. You may not need all the liquid before the rice is done...or you may need a little more, so in that case just add water. Cook the rice until it's tender, but a little firm to the bite. Total simmering time should run about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with a bowl of grated Parmesan cheese in case someone wants to sprinkle some over their dish. Serves 6.