Quick Dinner Idea #1

Here is an old favorite recipe of ours: Beef and Rice Casserole from Cooking Light magazine. It uses only 1/2 lb. of ground beef for 4 servings, and it is a kid-pleaser in our house. We like to use brown rice, and skip the green chiles for more selective eaters.



Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)
Ingredients
1/2 pound ground round
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup skim milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
Cook first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until meat is browned, stirring to crumble. Add water and next 6 ingredients (water through chiles); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
Combine the rice, sour cream, sliced green onions, and milk in a bowl. Spoon rice mixture into a 9-inch baking dish. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Note: The beef mixture could also be used as a filling for burritos.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 442 (26% from fat)
Fat: 13g (sat 6.8g,mono 3.9g,poly 0.8g)
Protein: 25.1g
Carbohydrate: 56.7g
Fiber: 3.9g
Cholesterol: 64mg
Iron: 5mg
Sodium: 394mg
Calcium: 290mg
Cooking Light, APRIL 1997