Mexican Rice Bake

You can't go wrong with Mexican food, at least not at my house.  My kids will always eat it if I say it is "Mexican food."  This recipe is from "Family Feasts for $75 a Week."  This cookbook has some great, simple recipes and it also has some great tips for shopping and saving money.

This is a casserole type meal.  I serve it with either corn chips and salad or homemade flour/corn tortillas and other burrito type fillings such as lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa and of course some extra cheese.

MEXICAN RICE BAKE

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 (14 oz.) can tomato puree (2 cups)
• 3 cups water
• 1-1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. brown sugar
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Preheat a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron (I use a magic pot), until hot.  Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking into small pieces.  Reduce heat to medium low, and drain off the excess fat.  Stir in onion, garlic and and bell pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to soften.  Add remaining ingredients, up to black pepper, cooking over medium-high heat until simmering.  If you are not using a cast iron skillet or magic pot, carefully pour contents of skillet into a 2 quart ovenproof casserole  dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once, until rice is tender.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro.

*The magic pot.  What is that?  The magic pot is any cast iron skillet that is coated with enamel.  I have a couple, but my favorite is my 3 quart, casserole size, which you see above.  It is a Tramontina, which I got for a steal at Tuesday Morning. 

You can find more great ideas at Works for me Wednesday.