Beef and Rice Fiesta Bake

By MarieR

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 (4.5-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups cooked long-grain rice (cook per package instructions)
• 1 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions, green parts only
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
• Cooking spray

Details

Servings 8
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 60mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Season the beef with salt and pepper. Put the beef, onion and bell pepper into a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook until the meat is browned, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon. Add water, diced tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, sugar and oregano. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet and simmer the mixture for
2 more minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set aside.

Combine the rice, sour cream, green onions and milk in a bowl.
Coat a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray, then spoon rice mixture into casserole dish. Top with the beef mixture, and sprinkle the top with the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is bubbling on top. Makes 6 to 8 servings
Recipe adapted from The Casserole Queens