Been There

Baked Green Rice.

Been there. Done that.

I know, I know – I’ve done a post (or more…) before on this recipe that my mom has for Baked Green Rice. You know what though? I never did it justice…I don’t think I even ever posted the actual recipe for it.

Today changes that.

I came to my mom’s this weekend with one thing in mind: I wasn’t leaving until baked green rice was made and devoured.

Both these things were (easily and eagerly) accomplished.

This rice casserole is one of the easiest things ever – plus, not to mention that it’s full of room for add-ins and tweaks – like different veggies, meats or cheeses. Plus, the leftovers are spectacular…and that’s the important thing for a “party of one” like myself!

This recipe was handed to my mom from a friend who had seen it published, at some point in the Boston Globe. It says that it serves 6…but honestly, for me, it’s more like 12. They would be six HUGE servings.

Ingredients:

• 4.25 Cups of Water
• Salt, to taste
• 2 Cups – long grain rice, rinsed (I’d love to do this with all sorts of grains)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups milk (I use fat free)
• 1 box of frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (I love onion so I kept the pieces bigger)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup part-skim mozzarella (this is my mother’s addition)
• Black pepper, to taste (our addition)
• Red pepper flakes, to taste (our addition)
  

1. Set oven to 325 degrees. Oil an 8×12 inch baking dish.

2. In saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add salt, to taste. Cook rice for about 40 minutes or until tender.

3. In a large boil, beat together eggs and milk; add spinach, onion, garlic (for the record, we precooked the onion and garlic in this recipe) mozzarella, half of the Parmesan and the rice. Season to desired level.

4. Spread evenly into the baking dish, sprinkle the top with the remaining mozzarella and sprinkle black pepper and red pepper flakes over the top.

5. Bake the dish 45-60 minutes until custard is set and the top is brown.

Dig. In.

 

One thing you have to know about me is that I absolutely love food. Obsessed might be the better word for it. I love it so much that I blog about it on regular, often daily, basis. Whether it’s a Michelin-rated restaurant or a taco truck, I want to try it. I love talking about food, blogging about food and photographing food. It’s a passion of mine that has translated into new opportunities, skills and relationships.