Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Monterey Bake- Cheesy Rice with Chilies



In college, I only lived in the dorm for one year, but I was warned about the cafeteria by my older sister and her friends.  The food was awful and they only recommended one dish, Monterey Bake.
I was suspicious...
It looked like... well... a casserole!
We didn't grow up eating anything that remotely resembled a casserole, or even a "hot dish".  It just wasn't in my Mom's repertoire.  I like that about her.
But, this... this dish was special.  In fact, I can single handedly blame this dish for my freshman 10 weight gain. I don't recommend that you eat this every day, OK?
To my family, this is the ultimate comfort food.  It's also very budget friendly.

I love that this recipe is best with LEFTOVER rice.  Cook up a big batch one night, and the next night, use the leftovers for this recipe. I like that.


Makes an 9x13 pan
Ingredients

8 cups leftover rice
1 cup sour cream
4 oz pkg cream cheese
1 packet ranch mix (or you can use my recipe for homemade)
1 cup milk
1 7oz. canned green chillies, diced, mild
1/4 - 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos. OR 1-2 Tbsp fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced
1-2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, or cheddar, or a combination of both
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper 

Topping:
Bread crumbs (omit if doing gluten free)
Parmesan cheese 

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients (except the topping items) in a large bowl.
Add into a greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for about 1 hour until getting crispy and brown around the edges.






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