Creamy Rice Casserole

pattikay in L.A.'s Note:

A simple and flavorful rice side dish from the Border Cookbook, posted for ZWT 3, Mexico. Prep time does not include time needed to cook rice.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups corn kernels
• 1/2 cup mild green chili, chopped and roasted
• 3 cups cooked rice, preferably cooked in chicken stock
• 4 ounces asadero cheese, grated (or monterey jack or a cheddar or jack blend)
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche or 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt
• 3 tablespoons minced cilantro

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350. grease a baking dish.
2. warm the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
3. add the onion and saute till soft. stir in the corn and chile and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. transfer the corn and chile mixture to a large bowl.
5. stir in the rice and remaining ingredients.
6. spoon the mixture into the baking dish and bake, covered for 25 minutes.
7. uncover and bake for 5 minutes more.
8. serve warm.

Reviews

[anme]

I had a slew of left over rice today.... and I was just so sick of making fried rice... and this recipe put the cooked rice to excellent use! I used low fat sour cream, brown rice, and part skim cheese to make this a bit more healthy. Also I added in some left over roasted garlic since everything tastes good with garlic lol!! Great recipe to use up cooked rice or not!

[Aunt Cookie]

I liked this a lot! I think the creme fraiche really prevents the rice from drying up (a common problem with rice casseroles). I used cheddar for this, and really enjoyed the results. Thanks for posting!

[hepcat1]

This was great! So easy and cheesy with a bit of creaminess. I didn't add green chilis because I wanted my two and four-year-olds to eat it, so we just sprinkled jalapeno on top of our separate portions. We also added cheese to the top while baking and left it uncovered. Easy dish that even my finicky kids will eat - thanks!