For your Rice Leftovers – Baked Rice, Cheese & Vegetable Casserole

(NO PICTURE ALERT! I’m so not Pioneer Woman. I still only have 24 hours in my day, and much of them involve not taking pictures.)
We’re working on reducing the meat content of our diet and increasing the whole grains and vegetables in our diets. It makes sense for a bazillion (yes, bazillion) reasons, but it’s hard when that is not the normal way of American eating. I’ve started making Jennifer’s (Alton Brown’s) brown rice recipe in the oven more often, and I must say, I still love it.

And don’t we all love leftovers of rice? Okay, not really, I don’t. It’s usually dry and unpalatable afterward, and two nights of plain rice in a row? It’s not my thing yet. So, I have a recipe I used to use more often that I pulled out of the archives. We loved it then, and we love it now. With a nice green salad, it’s a full meal and full of fiber, if you’re into that.

As you look through it, you will see that it calls for certain veggies and swiss cheese. Please don’t be too afraid to mix it up. We happened to have ALMOST all of the listed ingredients on hand, and I think it is the best way it is prepared. I’ve tried making it a southwestern dish, but it wasn’t my thing. Tonight, we did it with half Jarlsberg and half aged white cheddar that wasn’t too cheddary, but more rich. (I’d give you a name, but it’s been wrapped in wax paper in a zipper bag for a few months with no identity.) That’s the best way I can describe it. One day I might be a total cheese snob and start using words like bouquet and floral and crystals.

Sorry, there aren’t pictures, but I’m just trying to share recipes people have asked for and ones I think people could use and enjoy.

BAKED RICE, CHEESE AND VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

An excellent main dish, or a rich side dish for pork or lamb chops.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1 large tomato, seeded, chopped
3 cups cooked rice (about 1 cup raw)
2 cups grated Swiss cheese (about 6 ounces)
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add corn and tomato and sauté 3 minutes. Add rice, 1 cup cheese, cream and thyme and stir until cheese melts and mixture is heated through. Transfer mixture to 8-cup soufflé dish.
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese over rice mixture. Broil until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Bon Appétit
May 1993