Wheat Casserole

First time I made this I cut the recipe in half, thinking my family wouldn't be interested. I was trying to incorporate more wheat into our diet. I wished I had made the whole thing. I think it's yummy. I've adapted this from a recipe in "Marlene's Magic with Food Storage". Unsure of yield. Update: Recently made this and my 2 wheat salads as part of a booth at a preparedness fair. They were all a hit. The men especially liked this wheat casserole as it is similar to chili. The women generally liked the salads better - figures!

• Ready In: 1 hr 55 mins
• Yields: 1 casserole

Ingredients

• 2  cups  wheat berries
• 4  cups water
• 2  lbs ground beef
• 1⁄4 cup  dried onion, reconstituted
• 1⁄2 cup green pepper, chopped
• 2  teaspoons chili powder
• 2  teaspoons garlic powder
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  teaspoons oregano
• 2 (14 1/2ounce) cans tomatoes
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (5 3/4ounce) can black olives, drained, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 cups monterey jack cheese, grated

Directions

1. Cook wheat in water for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. You may need to add more water during cooking time. Drain.
2. Brown ground beef with onions and peppers. Add to the wheat along with all the spices. Add tomatoes, sauce, and olives. Simmer for 30 minutes. Place in a 9x13 casserole dish and top with cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.