Casserole Queen

I don’t ever remember my mother making a casserole in my entire life. It probably had to do with the fact that she’d have to make ten of them to feed our entire family. Maybe more if my brothers were home from college. Anyway, I always just thought that casseroles were just a bunch of stuff you’d find on a regular dinner plate all mashed together and sprinkled with cheese. I guess half of that is kind of true, but now that I’ve broken the casserole barrier in my house I’ve found that I can make a damn good casserole. I’ve learned that casseroles may not be a gourmet meal fit for a queen, but you know what? It’s the fellowship, not the food sometimes. My sisters are my best critics. They shoot me straight, and you know what? They love this casserole! Well…at least a few of them :) I have to say, the last time that I made this, last Monday actually, I didn’t have any milk so I added a cup of sour cream instead of a cup of milk and it was BETTER THAN EVER! Make it with love people.


Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small onion, minced
1 cup milk (substitute a cup of sour cream for a creamy switch up!)
2 eggs
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar, plus extra for top
4 cups of brown rice
4 large chicken breasts diced
1 teaspoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large casserole dish.
In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute onions with 2 tablespoons of butter and cayenne until translucent add diced chicken and cook thoroughly. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.
Add the cheese, rice, parsley, thyme, basil and chicken and combine well. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with extra shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and serve piping hot.