Easy Rice Bake Casserole

butter,

onion,

cayenne pepper

spinach,

milk

eggs

Cheddar,

rice

parsley leaves

thyme leaves

basil leaves

Salt and black pepper

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 the spinach and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.

Add the cheese, rice, parsley, thyme, basil and spinach mixture 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.

Fabulous and Easy! Added pine nuts, a dash of lime zest and fresh spinach.

This had no flavor. I added extra onion and a garlic clove and it was still bland. 

Just love this simple recipe!!!!   So tasty and like others, I upped the herbs just a tad and a bit more cayenne :).  Last time put in asparagus and loved it.  This time used brown rice and used a combo of cheeses as I need to get rid of partial packages.  Cheddar and gryere went into the rice mix and topped with an Italian blend left over from pizza night :)

Loved this and was so easy! I used the Publix frozen brown rice which made a little over 2 cups and cut everything else in half except I used all of the spinach and cheese. I didn’t have any of the herbs on hand so I left them out and did not miss them. Tasted great and great texture, and also colorful. I served it with pot roast and biscuits. Will make this again for sure. 

Fantastic! It’s very similar to one my mother used to make when I was growing up. We used Swiss Chard out of the garden instead of spinach. Add toasted garlic croutons on top of the cheese and serve with fried chicken - one of my favorite childhood meals. Thank you Neelys !

Great taste and texture!! Added some spicy pan cooked beef and some Parmesan on the top when I put it in the oven. Came out fantastic!! Family very happy!  

Delicious! I added cut up chicken breasts and a can of cream of chicken soup. Turned out to be great one pot meal.

I made this before reading the reviews.  No spinach on hand and made with only the onion. Also only fresh parsley on hand and left out the other herbs. This was served with a flavorful marinated pork tenderloin I needed a blander side dish. I made 1/2 recipe and cooked the full time, perhaps that is why it was dryer than expected, yet like many also will cut back the amount of rice to 3 cups for full recipe or 1 1/2 cup for 1/2 recipe.  Also reduce time to 20 minutes, yet my  husband loved it and when I told him I left out the spinach he said not to add it he liked it just the way it was.  I know I can improve my 1/2 recipe version and will make again.

Delicious and easy way to combine the carb with the vegetable 

Instead of spinach, I added broccolini and some white mushrooms. I also used garlic and rosemary instead of thyme and parsley. I already cooked twice and it is very yummy! 

This is delicious! I added broccoli chopped small to the onion then spinach and chopped half rotisserie chicken - perfect!!!  Also used basmati rice cooked in broth

Great inspirational idea that leaves lots of room for personal variations. I used broccoli florets instead of spinach, green bell pepper, dried prosciutto, chicken hot dog sausage, evaporated milk and extra sharp cheddar.  Cooked and served in iron skillet.  Pair with leafy green salad and a glass of white wine (apple juice if under age), and voilà!  A casserolicious  rice dish.  Already, definitively part of my culinary arsenal 

Recipe was amaze balls! I added already made mac and cheese and chopped celery, it just made the dish a whole something new! LOVED this recipe!!!!

Great recipe to build on....I added Italian Sausage, red pepper flakes and a lot of garlic.  I also undercooked the rice a bit so it wouldn't get mushy.  I too added a cheese and panko topping....next time I will put chicken in it.    Someone else mentioned adding asparagus,  I will add that next time too, great idea.  Mushrooms would be good too...anything is possible!

Great recipe to kick off from! I used cooked basmati rice, added some chopped asparagus and a minced clove of garlic to the onions-spinach saute, and pumped up the egg-milk mix with a few dashes of hot sauce. Also used fresh from my indoor herb garden some parsley and thyme. Left out the basil altogether. Plus, I salted things along the way - every layer needs its own tasting and adjusting, so that the resulting dish won't end up being "bland." Ahh, I also used freshly grated parmigiano reggiano plus some crunchy panko crumbs topped with a few dots of butter just before sticking the casserole in the oven. End result? Delish!

I made this for my daughter and husband and they loved it...adding to my favorite side dish list...thank you, Patrick and Gina for a great recipe!

Gluten free, awesome and easy to make! Used fresh baby spinach not canned, with both yellow and red onions. Topped with Parmesan instead of more sharp cheddar and added 2 roasted cloves to sautee mix. Served with  grilled salmon. Delish!!!!

Very tasty recipe! Easy to make too. A good variation of cooking rice. Loved it.

I modified the recipe.I used coconut oil instead of butter in sauteing. I also used coconut almond milk. I did not have spinach. so did not sub anything. I added Sazon seasoning, garlic powder to the mix. Added Parmesan cheese to Cheddar topping. It turned out DELISH!!

Yummy and easy. Added some garlic. This is a great recipe to customize for your family's taste. 

Yes, this was awesome my children are very picky eaters and they loved it.

My husband and I really liked this dish.  I didn't have enough Cheddar cheese, but I also had some mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses, so I mixed them together and used that.  I had a 16 ounce bag of frozen spinach on hand, and I used the whole thing.   It turned out great, and I would make this again.

This is easy to make and tasty. I invited some of my family over to eat and made this for the first time and everyone liked it. I will make this again.

There is no mention as to how big a package of frozen is.  Where I live it is 500g.  So someone said this is like the goya recipe so googled that and they said to use an 8 ounce box of frozen spinach.  So in the end I used double the amount of spinach that I should have.  Other than that I followed the recipe exactly.  I really liked it but my husband didn't.  It certainly wasn't dry and it wasn't bland either.  To me it tasted like moist cheesy rice.   If I make it again I might add some meat that might make hubby happy.

I've made this recipe a few times and it's loved on each occasion. It is easy and delicious. I used brown rice. It was terrific!

This recipe is a great basic theme that can be adapted to any vegetables, spices/herbs, or cheese you have around. I used baby spinach and a zucchini. I did not bother with the fresh herbs and used dried instead. Family loved it.

I added cooked shrimp, sliced carrots, and used 2 cups rice combined in a 2-qt casserole.  It was very good.  I didnt find it bland or dry at all.  

Its a very bland casserole unless you tweak it a bit, but its a good place to start. I doubled the spinach (and when they say "drain" they mean pressing some liquid out of it. I added more cheese, about 1/4 more. Don't overcook the rice and above all omit the thyme. I tasted the mixture before putting in the oven and it still was lackluster. I took out the top layer of rice and put in a layer of seasoned sauteed ground beef mixed with a little more  milk/egg  then assembled it back together with the rice/mixture on top with more cheese topping.. It turned our great, aside from the thyme taste.

Served 7 hearty eaters and 6 out of 7 were thrilled.  The 7th thought it was too spicey.  Very filling and satisfying for a main course...we had salad and asperagus as sides.  Just yummy.

A new family favorite! Tasty and easy to make. I've also added shredded chicken for a dish meal complete with protein

This recipe is wonderful!!  I think perhaps the problem with those who thought it was too dry was the amount of rice they used.  The recipe calls for 4 cups of COOKED rice.  I use the frozen Green Giant brand for ease of preparation.  

Neely's you're the best !....... I made this today, and the aroma from cooking it made my family ask a few times is it done yet :- ?  I'm not sure why there are reviews that said this came out dry and tasteless, I believe that if they would watch the actual video of this recipe,it would turn out so much better.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS RECIPE !  

Thank you Neelys this was great.  I didn't change a thing- Barry Studer

I was very disappointed in this. It came out very dry and no taste at all. My kids did not like it and the love rice. I will not do this recipe again sorry to say.

Waste of a lot of good ingredients and too many pots and pans.  Bland and dry.  Will take other recommendations and try the Goya version.  First of the Neely recipes I have tried and possibly the last.  And for those who wonder, yes I am a cook and know what I like.

I have made this 3 times now. I always add a little more salt, and last time I substituted the cheddar cheese for mozzarela, it turned out much better. Next time I will try adding some smoked sausage.

My husband and I really liked this casserole. I will definitely be making this again. I added only one egg and it still turned out really good.

I will make this again, it was very easy and a nice accompaniment to nearly anything.  I substituted cilantro for the parsley because I didn't have any.  I used fresh spinach, it turned out well.

My family loved this dish. This was easy to make and I had most of the ingredients at home. I actually just used italian seasoning and it turned out just wonderful. I loved the spinach as a twist to my family favorite of the old faithful broc cheese and rice casserole. I hope I can recreate it for Thanksgiving.   (btw- I used 1/2 Knorr's broc cheese and rice and 1/2 minute rice because that is what I had on hand.

This recipe is great - and easy!  the cayenne adds a nice kick.  I made it for a charity event where we were serving brunch to 200 people and it was a huge success!  I added some shredded carrots and sliced mushrooms to the onions.  This is a keeper!

This recipe was a big hit with my family.  Only would recommend that you cook the rice with chicken stock to give it more flavoring.  My son hates veggies but he really enjoyed eating it because it was so "flavorful" (his own words and the additional flavor came from cooking the rice with chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste.  

This was excellent. Only used a total of 2 cups of shredded cheddar so it wasn't as cheesy as the picture. Also substituted EVOO to saute onions and sprayed pan with olive oil cooking spray. It doesn't appear to be kid friendly. My 9 year old son was sad when he sat down to eat. I will make again for adult dinner guests.

I thought it was great. I made a few modifications only because I used what I had on hand which is what a casserole is. I didn't have enough cheddar cheese but I did have enough Velveeta cheese which I cubed.  I didn't have an onion but I did have minced dried onions so I hydrated about 1/4 cup of that. The amount of rice was perfect with one package of chopped spinach.  The only spices I used were cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper and that was fine. Everything else I had on hand and the dish was great.  My 17 year old son loved it.  I will be making it again and using what ever I have.  Thanks Gina and Pat :

This was a great change of pace from my normal mashed potatoes that I make as my stand-by side dish. I suggest adding a bit more cayenne and it takes much more than a "pinch" of salt to bring all that rice and spinach out of being bland. I also used chicken stock to cook my rice in and I believe it allowed me to reduce the amount of salt I added. Overall, this was pretty good.

I'm a little confused about why some are commenting that it's too much rice. Do these ppl not realize that 2 cups UNcooked rice equals 3-4 cups cooked rice?   This recipe is very tasty. My hubby was pleasantly surprised which is always good. This recipe is very good on it's own but I think I will have fun adding different ingredients to it also.

So good!  My modifications (because it's what I had on hand) were 1 bunch fresh swiss chard, chopped, pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar, some frozen corn and fresh diced carrot which I sauteed with the onion.  I also deglazed the veggies with a little sherry when I added the chard, and because I had skim milk I added a dollop of creme fraiche to the egg/milk mixture.  Holy cow - yummy comfort food that makes a satisfying vegetarian main dish or would be killer as a side dish for roast chicken, etc., or awesome as a brunch dish with a fried egg on top - I loved this.

This recipe is great for people like me who have to eat gluten free. I took what I had on hand in my fridge and freezer -- peas, carrots and onions and it was so good. I ended up sticking it under the broiler since the cheese was taking too long to brown. But this recipe is so versatile!

Just took it out of the oven YUMMY!! I read the reviews and made a few changes,(chicken broth instead of water,frozen broccoli and cauliflower instead of spinach (Hubby won't eat it) and only baked it for 15 minutes. If hubby likes it I'll make it again. Thanks for the delicious idea Neely's

WOW followed recipe exactly dont change a thing, well one maybe i added some bacon to it, didn't really need it just did it and it was awesome.....Got son and hubby to eat it and will be making it again. Oh i used fresh spinach. WONDERFUL is all I can say being a southern girl ya'll did it again...THANKS!!!!!!!

have not made it yet but after reading the reviews and seeing the Neely's make this tonite, I will definitely try it. Yes I will use less rice and add more cheese(who doesn't like more cheese) and maybe some other spices and for sure some sour cream. This has great potential if you play with the basic recipe. I love spinach but my family does not. Any time I can get them to eat it is a plus. I'll be back in touch after I've made it to our tastes.

This dish is great and I do it almost exactly as it says!!  I cook a pound of ground beef with my onions and cayenne and it makes a great hearty casserole!  Just remember to season with salt and pepper, especially season the rice.  I don't think there's too much rice at all, and if you use sharp cheddar cheese it gives it a great flavor.  Thanks Neelys - another winner!!! 

I made this recipe taking in consideration what everyone said, and made some changes, I add more onions, spinach, cheese, and changed the cayenne pepper for paprika (I don't like it spicy) and it was delicious, I loved it, so tasty :)

I almost didn't make this because of the reviews, but I'm glad I didn't listen to people who I worry can't cook. I think many people didn't use sharp cheddar cheese and fresh herbs.  Four cups of rice is not took much especially for a family of five.  I didn't have spinach on hand so I substituted frozen broccoli.  I did add a dollop of sour cream, but this turned out great.

Except for the 4 cups of rice, this recipe is exactly the same as a Goya Recipe I use called "Rice and Easy Caserole." As another reviewer stated, 4 cups is entirely too much rice.  Two cups is more like it.  I hope the Neelys gave credit to the Goya people for THEIR recipe.

I am so glad I read the other comments.  I thought I goofed but I followed the recipe to a T.  I didn't like this dish at all.  It was way too much rice.  I would reduce the rice as well and use more cheese.  I felt like with all the work it wasn't worth the reward.  My family didn't like it either.  I may try it again with some changes.

Light on flavor - little dry - much better next day.  this one was just ok.

I found that there was a bit too much rice and not enough egg to bind it all.  Next time I'll probably reduce the amount to 3cups instead of 4 and maybe add some mushrooms.  The flavor combination was nice though the thyme and the cayenne work well together 

I tried this dish and it was wonderful. I did not have enough cheese to put on top, but it was still good to eat. I would recommend this recipe to anyone. Just make sure you buy at least 2-3 packs of cheese.  Thank you Mr &amp; Mrs Neely. 

This recipe always comes out PERFECT and everyone loves it. The people who say its "dry" or "bland" obviously have no idea how to make it right. get cooking lessons before judging a great dish. 

was very tasty, i like rice and greens together good for a change:0)

I followed the recipe somewhat.  I added 4oz of cream cheese ( next time I may add the whole block), omitted the milk &amp; eggs and added a can of cream of mushroom soup, plus I threw in a 4oz can of drained sliced mushrooms.  I think some of those who comment on these recipes are way to critical.  Cooking is supposed to be fun and expermental!  With any recipe you try think about is this going to taste good?  If you try something, taste it and if its not what you were expecting change it or throw it away!  Thats the beauty of cooking; nothing is set in stone people!  This rice was delicous and creamy.  The whole family loved it.  Thanks Neely's for another great idea!

I followed the recipe and it turned out great! 

I added 1 red bell pepper, 3 garlic cloves (minced), and sliced button mushrooms. I also baked 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts in oven at 400 for 25 minutes, cubed and added. Just a pinch of cayenne is definitely not enough. I followed the recommendations of others: reduced rice to 3 cups cooked, used cream of mushroom soup instead of milk/eggs and substituted mozzarella/parmesan cheese for sharp cheddar. Lastly I garnished with freshly diced tomatoes which really made the dish pop. Overall really good dish, but I would eliminate the thyme next time because I felt it overpowered the other flavors. 

Well, thanks to all the reviews, this dish turned out absolutely excellent! I incorporated all the suggestions, using the cream of chicken soup, nutmeg, cooking rice in chicken stock and added a little half and half for a rich and creamy texture. Used only 1.5 cups of rice and it was too much, next time I will probably only use about 1 cup and add more vegetables. I added the red peppers (yum!), used extra cayenne and definately salted every layer. Oh, and of course added a bit more cheese (I love cheese). Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.

The dish was perfect in my opinion! I seasoned my spinach while it was sauteing , as well as the milk/egg mixture too. Once I mixed all the ingredients together and baked it, the dish was delicious! My 7 year old wanted seconds!

OK, so I just got done serving this up and I got great reviews. I didn't have the bland or dry problem that the other posts spoke of. Here's what I did different. 1. I used 2 cans of drained spinach - they already come with tons of seasoning in them and i think the added moisture kept the dish from drying out. 2. I used 1.5 cups uncooked rice - cook the rice with 3 cups water and you get a really decent helping of rice. Substitute chicken stock for water, for more flavor. 3. I topped with diced tomatoes tossed in olive oil. I'll be making this recipe again and probably throwing in some shrimp or diced chicken.

I am in agreement with many of the previous reviewers who complained about the blandness and dryness of this dish.  It had a perfect creamy texture before baking, but came out of the oven way too dry.  I may make it again and reduce the rice to 3 cups and possibly try the cream of chicken or maybe cream of mushroom soup in place of the milk and eggs.  Hopefully that will improve both the flavor and texture of this dish.

I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious.  I added a chopped red pepper which gave the casserole some nice color and flavor.  I will make this again.  It's a keeper.

I had an 8oz can of wild Alazkan salmon and Bam, it was delicious. Thank you, Gina &amp; Pat

I just made this dish today, and it came out great!  I added a few things like chopped mushtooms and cut up some boneless chicken breast.  I made sure that I drained all the water out of the spinach.  I would make this dish again.  This dish is great for a pot-luck, a dinner option...can't wait to eat the Leftovers!!!!

I read a bunch of comments before making this. It's great with leftover roasted chicken and juices. Here's what I did: I used a leftover chicken breast (cubed) from last night's roasted chicken. I sauteed the onions in the rendered chicken fat (some of it) from last night's chicken pan) and used steamed broccoli which I added to the onions once they cooked. I made the rice in chicken broth and used the whole 4 cups. I used 2% milk as I don't have whole and jack cheese because I didn't have sharp cheddar. I added the extra pan juices from last night's chicken to the mix too (I read how some people used soup in place of milk and I never care for soup in my recipes, but had read some reviews saying this recipe lacked flavor, so that's why I used the chicken fat and pan juices). There were only a couple tablespoons (if that) of pan juices. I didn't use basil (though I had it, but thought it would interfere with the stronger chicken flavor I was trying to add to this- I do use italian herbs and garlic powder when roasting my chicken). I used about a tablespoon of fresh parley and no thyme, as I didn't have it. I put a lot of cheese on top as well. My six year-old said he hated it upon seeing it, but once he had a bite asked me to make it for his birthday. If that's not a testament, I don't know what is! I would agree that it needs a boost of flavor and next time I might mix sharp cheddar with jack and try to get more pan juices from my roast. For a "leftover" meal, it was great and very little work!

if you use the cream of chicken soup, do you not use any eggs?

I tried this recipe tonight for a potluck and it was a hit.  I made some minor adjustments.  I added a teaspoon of House Seasoning and 1/4 tsp of nutmeg (to bring out the flavors in the spinach).  I also added  1/4 cup of half and half to keep it moist.  It turned out awesome.  

I wanted a dinner casserole and since I frequently change things up I added 2 cups of shredded chicken and a bit less rice. Always use nutmeg with spinach,and maybe a little more cheese.  

I made my rice in the microwave since i suck as cooking rice on the stove, my ADD is way to heavy for cooking rice. I used Basmati rice and cooked it with chicken stock, it soaks up all of the yummy flavor. I only used 2 cups un cooked but seemes to make a ton. I also used squeeze tube basil since fresh basil leaves cast too much. I also added a can of fire roasted tomatoes to the dish, beefroe i put it on the over, i could tell it needed something extra.   

I was so excited to make this recipe because it sounded easy and delicious.  Unfortunately, it was easy but fell a bit short.  This casserole was super dry!  If I made it again, I would heed what others have said and make 3 cups of rice instead of 4, use fresh spinach, and may even add a bit of chicken stock.

This recipe was a little bland and bla for my taste.  The more I ate of it the more I liked it ok but didn't have the wow factor I was hoping for.  It seems like it needs a little more umph.

So it's dinner time and all I have thawed is ground turkey.  I found this recipe and thought I could add my ground turkey and make a meal out of it.  So I browned the turkey with seasoned salt, black pepper and garlic.  Cooked the rice in chicken stock to give it a kicked up flavor.  Instead of a pinch of cheyenne, I added a few more pinches :-)  With all the ingredients, I thought a pinch would not be enough.  I was right about that part.  Also I toke the advise of another reviewer to add nutmeg to the spinach and that was excellent.  I also added more cheese than the recipe specified including adding a second cheese, marble.  After this was baked and nice and brown on top, it was delicious!!  The extra cheyenne gave it the right amout of kick in each bite.  It was a great way to have a meal in one dish.  I will definitely make this another time......will try grilled chicken next time.

There's not enough cheese in the world to save this recipe - I made this this evening and was a little disappointed. I think it needs some garlic salt or a house seasoning to kick it up a notch...add some flavor.

I thought this recipe did not live up to the rest of the other reviews posted her. Even after adding nutmeg and mozzarella cheese, I just thought the whole thing tasted odd and very bland. The fresh herbs are a nice touch, but I still don't feel they make up for the lack of flavor coming from this dish.

The first time I made this it turned out dry, sort of bland.  I took the advice and seasoned all portions and used three cups of rice instead of four--turned out perfect!  Also used the nutmeg, which Rachael Ray says is good with all dark greens.  I added smoked turkey sausage to make it a main dish, but the rice was great without it.  also used a cheese blend--mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan.  this will definitely be a go-to.

The only reason I give this recipe four out of five is because I made a few changes to the recipe: I added about a 1/4tsp of nutmeg and two cloves of garlic to the onion and spinach mixture, I substituted the egg and milk mixture with cream of chicken soup, and I added about a tsp. of soy sauce to the rice before mixing it in with the rest. I tried this recipe for the first time with my husband, brother-in-law, and his fiance, and everyone was complaining that there wasn't enough! It was gone in probably 20 minutes (just fyi, my husband;s family are VERY picky eaters). Needless to say, this recipe will definitely be made again in my home:).

Made this for a VERY last minute Mother's Day dinner and I was so nervous it would be bland.  It wasn't at all; in fact it was just perfectly seasoned with fresh herbs.  DO NOT overcook though as I bet it would be dry if you forgot about it for a few minutes.  Easy to reheat-mix w/milk and toss in the microwave.

I made this recipe for my husband and I and the taste was so phenomenal that my husband has asked me to make it for him again soon. I did not put any Cayenne in, and instead of spinach, I used broccoli flowerets. I only had 3 cups of rice instead of 4 and it was perfect. My husband grows fresh herbs, but we didn't have enough parsley or basil, so I used italian seasoning and that was the big pop of taste when you bite into it. I do not like the taste of sharp cheddar, but I used it for this recipe and it turned out perfect!

This was very quick and easy to make when I got home from work.  IT was ready to eat in about 45 minutes.  It was a little bland so I did add salt when I was eating it.  I should have tried the Cream of Chicken soup like other people have mentioned.  It heats up well in the microwave for lunches.

I JUST TRIED THIS RECIPE AND BOY IS IT SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS. I TOOK THE ADVICE OF ANOTHER REVIEWER OF THIS RECIPE AND PUT CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP INSTEAD OF THE MILK AND EGG MIXTURE. iT TURNED OUT PERFECT!!! 

I tred this wonderful dish (sooooooooooooooooo since It can be a versatile dish I used orzo pasta for the rice and parmesan cheese.,hook and morzella cheese. and this was so goooooooooooooooooooood.      thanks gina &amp; pat     

I saw the show yesterday morning and made this dish last night as a side dish for dinner. I thought it was very good. My only issue is that it was bland. It definately needs some salt. The recipe doesn't specify the amount of salt needed so I lightly salted at each phase, and it just wasn't enough. I also added a couple of cloves of minced garlic with the onions and spinach.  This recipe is very versatile. You could come up with a zillion variations by adding different veggies, herbs, and using different rices. I'll will absolutely make this again, being sure to use adequate salt.

Didn't have parsley or basil so added 3/4 teasp italian seasoning. Also used fresh spinich instead of frozen. This was AMAZING! I'm eating the leftovers as I'm typing. Thanks so much for this yummy comfort food.

I really love the Neely's recipes and love to watch their show.  However, I made this casserole tonight and it was very bland.  While i was in the process of making it, it occurred to me that it would be much tastier if I added a can of cream of chicken soup rather than the cup of milk and one of the eggs.  I only wish I'd followed my instincts rather than the recipe.  I think it would have been delicious.  (BTW, I do grow and had all the fresh herbs on hand, so I made the recipe exactly as stated.)

Easy and convenient recipe for using left over rice .. used broccoli flowerets instead of spinach but could use any veggie .. placed into buttered individual  casserole containers &amp; froze to bake off as needed for a quick side dishes 

This dish is very easy and similar version to a Rice Florentine Quiche recipe that my mother used to make.  I made a few additions based on that recipe and this was great.  I added some garlic when I saute'd the onions and spinach.  Also some grated nutmeg as it always goes well with greens.  Also, I used a mix of medium cheddar, sharp cheddar and sharp white cheddar due to what I had on hand.  But a little swiss would have been good as well and is what is in my mom's recipe.  My kids and husband even ate the leftovers, but it was definitely better the first day.  Would be good to prep ahead for a potluck then bake right before you are ready to eat.  Thanks Neely's, Another good one.

I substituted 4 cups of brown rice instead of white rice to increase nutrition, and used 2% Sharp Cheddar Cheese.  I let the casserole sit for 1/2 hour before baking to let the dense brown rice soak up the liquid. I served it with roasted asparagus that I cooked in a separate dish for the same cooking time.  I could have wrapped the asparagus in proscuito, but didn't have any on hand.  Family liked it!  Cheesy comfort food, but healthy, so I liked it, too.

I'm a favorite of the Neely's but this was alright to me.

Made it with Zatarain's yellow rice and I did not have to add the salt and pepper and my children LOVED IT!!  Served it with garlic buttered french bread.

Saw this today and had to make it.  I saw that Gina used a white cheese, so I used extra sharp white cheddar.  The fresh herbs give this such an awesome flavor.  Served this with broiled tilapia.  I really enjoy the show and seeing 2 people that get along so well.  Keep it up!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/apps/api/playback?path=/etc/sni-asset/food/videos/0/01/013/0133/0133690

Pat and Gina whip up one of their favorite casseroles.

easy rice bake casserole

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Author : Patrick and Gina Neely : Food Network

Ingredients

Instructions

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