I have no clue what I'm doing with rice. I did not grow up in a household where rice was served. Pasta-yes. Rice-not so much. And no one I knew really ate much of it until I got older and moved outside of my little circle. And I know Michael likes rice and I know brown rice is good for you so I really am working on figuring out how to use it more and create rice recipes. And this is my first attempt!
First of all--this rice bake can be either a side dish or a main dish, and it can be vegetarian or...not. I chose to throw some chicken in there when I made it so it would be more of a meal for Michael, but you can substitute that (like for sausage or whatever) or omit it completely and let this just be a vegetarian side! It's cheesy, hearty, filling, and super tasty. A rice success!
Rice, Cheddar, & Spinach Pie
Adapted from EatingWell
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- one 10 oz. package of frozen, chopped, spinach-thawed and squeezed dry (I place spinach in the middle of a clean towel and enclose it-then I wring it out over the sink.)
- 3 cups cooked brown rice (or about 1 cup uncooked rice)
- Optional-1 large boneless, skinless, chicken breast-cooked and shredded (about 1 and 1/2 cups shredded chicken)
- 2 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar (or Monterey Jack or similar type) cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk (skim, 1% or 2% are best)
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Coat a 9 inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until soft and beginning to brown.
- Stir in garlic and spinach and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add cooked rice, cheese, salt and pepper to bowl and stir together.
- In a small-medium bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Mix into the large bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Transfer into the prepared pan-use a spatula to smooth out.
- Bake about 25 minutes, until the top is beginning to turn golden.
- Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving!
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
It's so golden and loverly!