Rancho Rice

My sister gave me this many years ago and we make it often and everyone that tries it loves it and asks for the recipe. Great one dish meal with maybe a small green salad.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 4  cups cooked rice
• 2  cups cottage cheese
• 1  pint sour cream
• 1  medium onion, chopped fine
• 1  tablespoon  italian seasoning
•  salt (to taste)
•  pepper (to taste)
• 3  cups cheddar cheese (grated)
• 7  ounces  chopped  Ortega green chilies
• 1  lb ground beef, cooked (season with the Taco Seasoning while cooking)
• 1 (1 1/4ounce) packet  taco seasoning
• 1  cup  mild  picante sauce

Directions

1. In large Bowl mix together the Cooked Rice, Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream, Chopped Onion, Italian Seasoning, and Salt and Pepper to taste.
2. Layer in a 9"x13" pan:
3. The rice mixture, then meat mixture and chilies, then cheese, then rice etc.
4. Then cover with Picante Sauce.
5. Cover with foil and
6. Bake at 350* for 25 minute To heat through as everything is cooked already.
7. Then remove cover and add more cheese put back in oven till cheese is melted about 10 minute. Serve.
8. Layer as many or all of the ingredients you want in pan(ie. some may not want the meat).
9. Optional: In the layers you may add or substitute: Refried beans, Shredded Chicken, Chopped Black Olives, Crumbled Doritos, or anything you may wish to try.