Southern Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Step 1

Boil the four cups of vegetable or chicken broth in a 3-quart pan. Once the water comes to a boil, add 2 cups of long-grain white rice and stir. Boil for about 3-4 minutes before covering with a tight-fitting lid and reducing heat to the lowest setting. Leave the burner on the lowest heat setting covered for about 10-12 minutes, then completely turn off the heat source and let rice stand for about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, place a metal skillet on medium heat, add 3-4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the skillet, let unsalted butter slowly melt, then add chopped Vidalia onion, season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, sauté the onions in butter for about 3 minutes before adding ¼ of a cup of flour; stir continuously until the raw flour taste cooks off about 2-3 minutes.

Step 3

Add 1 ¼ cups of the extra vegetable or chicken broth to the flour and onion mixture to the metal skillet, stir thoroughly, then slowly add half and half cream and sour cream to the mixture stirring until it becomes thick and creamy, slowly add the cheeses and stir the mixture until it becomes thick and creamy, if the cheese mixture becomes too thick add a touch more broth or half and half cream to it to thin out. You may season with more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper if desired.

Step 4

Fluff the rice,  then add ⅓ of the cheese sauce mixture and the broccoli florets to the rice in the 3-quart saucepan, gently stir to combine ingredients. Reserve the rest of the cheese sauce until needed in the next step

Step 5

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray, then spoon another ⅓ of the cheese mixture to the bottom of the casserole dish before adding the rice mixture to the casserole dish, spoon the last ⅓ of sauce over the rice and broccoli, then top with seasoned bread crumbs.

Step 6

Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes uncovered. Remove from the oven and serve with your favorite meal.