Spinach and Cheese Rice With Mushrooms

Submitted by Kittencalrecipezazz

"A favorite rice dish at our house! Frozen spinach can be used in place of fresh if desired, just make certain to hand-squeeze out excess moisture."

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 -2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or to taste)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms (can use more)
• 1 1⁄2 lbs spinach, shredded (about 5 cups)
• salt and pepper
• 1 1⁄2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (can use more or less)
• 1⁄2 cup small curd cottage cheese
• 3 cups cooked short-grain rice
• 7 slices mozzarella cheese
• paprika (to garnish, any amount desired)

directions

1. Set oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
3. In a 10-in skillet, heat oil with butter; add the garlic and mushrooms, cook, stirring for 1 minute.
4. Add in the spinach, stir and cook about 2 minutes, or until spinach wilts.
5. Stir in salt and pepper, cheddar cheese and cottage cheese; set aside.
6. Make a layer of cooked rice on the bottom of baking dish.
7. Spoon spinach/cheese mixture evenly over the rice.
8. Top with mozzarella cheese slices, then sprinkle with paprika.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and set broiler; broil the rice casserole for 1 minute, or until the mozzeralla cheese is bubbly and light brown.
11. Cut into squares, and serve hot.

Reviews

[tarab5]

This was tasty but I prefer Kittencal's recipe for Spinach Parmesan Rice Bake... it just had a little more pizzazz. I used a 10 oz box of frozen spinach. The slices of mozzarella on top fused together and made it tough to cut (still tasty, though). I think I'd rather use shredded. I used a full 8 oz package of mushrooms, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper.

 

[Pookatron]

Awww, I can't give it five stars b/c then it wouldn't be a true rating of the recipe posted...just a happy result of the method! I had about a cup worth of sliced fresh mushrooms and saw this and thought...what a great way to toss in all this extra Stuff I have sitting around the house...and make it work :) I subbed fresh collards for the spinach that I'd picked a few days ago, threw in two shredded leftover chicken drummies and about a cup of fried okra bits (all leftover from my hubby's trip to fastfood the night before.) I'm eating it now and tonight...a great method for recycling leftover bits you have no idea what to do with!! I'm sure the Actual recipe deserves nothing less than five stars :D

 

[Marla Swoffer]

A great way to use up leftover rice and other ingredients on the verge of spoiling. My husband couldn't stop raving about it--even a few days after we finally polished it off. I enjoyed it but thought it was missing a little zing--I might add artichoke hearts and/or sundried tomatoes, as well as more garlic. I did use more mushrooms. I also slightly reduced the cheddar and upped the cottage cheese, since I had less of the former and more of the latter than needed to be used. So it's actually a pretty versatile recipe--definitely a keeper.

 

[Imagenie]

I used to make almost this exact recipe, and somehow lost it. I searched the web, and this is the closest I found. My whole family loves this. Thank You.