Fund Raiser Rice

This what I created when I was asked to bring a vegetable and rice dish for a fund raiser. Beware this makes a big batch, so get out the big equipment!

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

• 6  cups cooked rice (I used converted white rice, but any firm rice, will work)
• 5  cups fresh broccoli, diced (crowns and stems)
• 1 1⁄2 cups carrots, diced
• 8  ounces fresh mushrooms, diced
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup onion, diced
• 1  teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1  dash fresh ground pepper
• 1  dash nutmeg
• 2  teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 2  cups half-and-half cream
• 2 (11 3/4ounce) cans  cream of mushroom soup
• 12  ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 6 cups)
• 6  tablespoons  dry breadcrumbs, plain

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. After dicing the broccoli and carrots, place them in a bowl, rinse them well again allowing water to cling to them (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup). Place in microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large heavy pot on medium heat and add onions, pepper and nutmeg, saute until onion is translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms, mix, turn down heat to low and cover, stirring occasionally about 7 minutes. Uncover, remove from heat, gently add carrots and broccoli and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. While the vegetable mixture and rice are cooling, combine the mushroom soup, half-and-half, and Worcestershire sauce (if using) in another large pot over low heat. Cook 5 minutes and set aside.
5. Get out a very large bowl and gently combine the vegetable mixture and the rice. Add 4 cups of grated cheese and toss again.
6. Divide the resulting mixture between two shallow roasting pans. Spoon the soup mixture over both, top with the remaining cheese and bread crumbs.
7. Place in oven at 350°F for 30 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from oven and serve.