Easy mushroom rice casserole has endless possibilities

The rice casseroles of my childhood have long been put aside since I’m usually just cooking for two these days, but an unusual number of covered dish dinners this holiday season had me scratching my head for new recipes to make.

Two covered dish events in one day pushed me to scrambling for a recipe that, in my husband’s words, wouldn’t take a lot of time or mess up the kitchen. I had some fresh mushrooms on hand and thought of a tuna rice casserole I had made for dinner the week before.

Since everything was already cooked, it just needed a few minutes under the broiler to melt the cheese on top, making it a super quick meal. I decided to use that recipe as the base for a mushroom casserole side dish. While it really only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish if being served at home, since it needed to still be hot after arriving at the holiday dinner site, I popped the mushroom casserole into the oven for a half hour to make sure it stayed heated all the way through.

This recipe is simple, inexpensive to make and crowd-pleasing.

Equally important, you can switch up the add-ins for an endless variety of casseroles, whether you want a vegetable side dish or an all-food groups main course by adding your favorite meat or seafood.

Wishing you a happy, tasty and adventurous New Year!

Endless Possibilities Mushroom Rice Casserole

1 cup uncooked rice (not instant) 2 cups water 12-ounce bag of frozen peas 8-2 ounces of fresh mushrooms 1-2 cloves of minced garlic 4 tablespoons of butter, divided 2 tablespoons of flour 1 cup milk 6-8 ounces of cheese or combination of cheeses such as cheddar and parmesan 1/2 teaspoon curry powder *** Begin by cooking the frozen peas in the microwave according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a square baking dish, combine the rice and water. Cook uncovered in the microwave oven for 10 minutes, then cover and cook for another 4 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, saute the mushrooms and onions in 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan until the onion begins to get clear and the mushrooms soften.

Remove the mushrooms and onions from the pan and set aside while you make a white sauce in the same pot by making a roux with the remaining butter and flour.

Add the milk, whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the curry powder and about 1/3 of the cheese to the sauce, reserving the rest to top the casserole.

Stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the mushrooms, onions and peas. The rice should now be cooked. Stir the sauce/vegetable mixture into the rice, mixing well.

Depending on the depth of your pan and the number of added vegetables, you may need to transfer everything to a 9×13 or similar sized pan.

Top the casserole with the remaining cheese. If serving immediately, just lower the broiler rack in your oven and brown in the broiler until the cheese is melted.

If taking this on the road, cover and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, uncovering and switching to broil for a few minutes until the cheese begins to turn golden.

Christine Haines is a retired reporter and a culinary enthusiast who collects recipes from around the world and throughout historic time periods, often adding her own twist to an old tradition. She encourages her readers to cook adventurously.