Ground Beef Rice Bake

How is your luck with baking rice? I usually have poor results when there is a recipe that calls for cooking rice in the oven. I do a great job in a rice cooker or on the stovetop, but not so well with the oven. Who knows, maybe the recipes were not good? Regardless, it makes me nervous to try recipes that include that step. This one had that step, and also called for half-and-half (I hate buying it, especially for such a small amount, since I rarely use it). And then there is the bratwurst idea. I liked it, it was supposed to be the meat in the dish…but it meant going to a separate grocery store (there is a local brand of sausage I like a lot, and it’s not carried at my main store). It also meant that the Fudgelet might not like it. As it was, he decided to not eat much of the ground beef (fickle toddler), but I actually really like it with the beef. I always have some in the freezer and so I just swapped it in. No big deal. Whole milk seemed just fine in place of the half-and-half. I bet you could just use more chicken broth instead, if you didn’t want to use milk. Maybe add a bit of butter to up the richness if you do that?

As for the rice?

It turned out perfectly!

Directions for Ground Beef Rice Bake

Adapted from Food Network

• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces sliced (baby portabello) mushrooms
• 3/4 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
• 1.5 cups diced carrots (about 4-5 carrots)
• 4 green onions, chopped (green and white parts separated)
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• All-purpose seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (such as jasmine)
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.5 cups grated cheese (I used Monterey jack, but other cheeses could work, too)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a large oven-safe skillet, brown and cook the ground beef, using a bit of oil if necessary to keep it from sticking. Add some salt and pepper to the beef as you stir it.

Remove from the pan and set aside while you brown the mushrooms in the pan. Again, add a bit of oil if necessary.

After 5-10 minutes when the mushrooms are browning, add the celery, carrots, white parts of the green onions, garlic, some all-purpose seasoning (and a bit more salt and pepper), and the thyme.

Cook for a few minutes to soften the veggies a bit. Then, add the rice, stirring it in for about one minute, then stir in the chicken broth and milk.

Add the meat back, then bring to a simmer, then cover the skillet and place it in the oven for 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.

Remove from the oven, remove the lid, and turn on the broiler for the oven. Top the skillet with the grated cheese and green parts of the green onions.

Broil for about 2 minutes to melt the cheese and let it brown a bit. Serve.

Directions for Ground Beef Rice Bake (without pictures)

Adapted from Food Network

• Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 8 ounces sliced (baby portabello) mushrooms
• 3/4 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
• 1.5 cups diced carrots (about 4-5 carrots)
• 4 green onions, chopped (green and white parts separated)
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• All-purpose seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (such as jasmine)
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1.5 cups grated cheese (I used Monterey jack, but other cheeses could work, too)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a large oven-safe skillet, brown and cook the ground beef, using a bit of oil if necessary to keep it from sticking. Add some salt and pepper to the beef as you stir it. Remove from the pan and set aside while you brown the mushrooms in the pan. Again, add a bit of oil if necessary. After 5-10 minutes when the mushrooms are browning, add the celery, carrots, white parts of the green onions, garlic, some all-purpose seasoning (and a bit more salt and pepper), and the thyme. Cook for a few minutes to soften the veggies a bit. Then, add the rice, stirring it in for about one minute, then stir in the chicken broth and milk. Add the meat back, then bring to a simmer, then cover the skillet and place it in the oven for 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed. Remove from the oven, remove the lid, and turn on the broiler for the oven. Top the skillet with the grated cheese and green parts of the green onions. Broil for about 2 minutes to melt the cheese and let it brown a bit. Serve.