Minute Rice Five Spice Casserole

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 lb ground beef (lean is great, as you don't need to drain it)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (or any oil you like)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons no-salt brand salt
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 dash pepper, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/8 teaspoon garlic granules
• 1/8 teaspoon thyme (ground basil also works)
• 1/8 teaspoon oregano (ground is best)
• 1 -2 bay leaf (try to take them out before baking)
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can mushroom soup, reduced fat works okay
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes (the larger "family size" is good)
• 1 cup minute rice
• 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese, reduced fat is good

Recipe

• 1 brown meat in oil, add onions and cook until tender.
• 2 stir in seasonings, soup, tomatoes, and minute rice.
• 3 simmer 5 minutes.
• 4 stir occasionally.
• 5 spoon into 1 1/2 quart baking dish. (but i only use a cast iron skillet, since it is both oven and stove top friendly. plus, my grandmother always made it in a cast iron skillet, and i did learn from her. she was the best cook for comfort foods.).
• 6 criss cross with cheese and broil until cheese melts.
• 7 garnish with olives if desired.
• 8 instead of olives, we sometimes use jalepenos.
• 9 also, this recipe works well when you cook it in a cast iron skillet- you only dirty one dish that way!