Beefy Spinach and Rice

Ulsh72's Note:

A hearty meal with a healthy kick from the spinach.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 16 ounces frozen spinach
• 4 (10 1/4 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 cup brown rice
• 2 cups barley
• 7 cups water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine rice, barley, butter and water in large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for approximately 30 minutes, or until it reaches desired consistency and water is absorbed.
2. While rice and barley are cooking, cook and brown ground beef. Drain fat and set aside.
3. Sauté and caramelize onion and slivered garlic.
4. Combine cooked rice and barley, beef, onions, garlic and mushroom soup. Add beef broth to desired consistency.
5. Place in casserole dish and top with bread crumbs if desired.
6. Heat in oven as desired. (Everything is already cooked. Overcooking the spinach will NOT taste good).
7. NOTE: Instead of a casserole, you can keep the barley and rice separate and the beef mixture in a crockpot on warm.

Reviews

[tracytrebilcox]

First off, some corrections to the recipe. It didn't state where to add the spinach, so I added it after browning the meat and onion, and at the same time as adding the barley (I decided not to use rice because barley is sufficient on its' own). There also wasn't any timeline or temperature for baking it in a casserole dish, so I just went for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

That said, once I completed the meal, it's good for when you're really hungry and your family doesn't really care what you've made, but it's really bland, and would probably benefit from some seasoning or the addition of parmesan cheese. It also makes a HUGE casserole, so it can be cut in half, and still make a dinner with enough for left-overs.