Easy Chow Mein Casserole

Many food-related websites offer an online recipe box, a virtual place for you to select and store your recipes (on their website). I find that they're most helpful on sites you visit regularly. For me, those are Pillsbury, AllRecipes, and Paula Dean. If you don't visit the site enough, you can always just bookmark it.

The recipe was buried deep in my Pillsbury recipe box when I stumbled across it for the second time. The evenings were still really chilly here in Okinawa and this seemed like the perfect comfort food for a movie night at home.

Serves 4 (1 1/2 C each)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes


Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
• 1/2 tsp garlic pepper blend
• 1 C uncooked regular long-grain rice
• 1 3/4 C Progresso beef-flavored broth (from 32 oz. carton)
• 1/4 C teriyaki sauce (from 10 oz. bottle)
• 1/4 C water
• 1 can (28 oz.) stir-fry vegetables, rinsed, drained (*I couldn't find canned stir-fry veggies at the commissary so I substituted with frozen.)
• 1/2 C chow mein noodles (*I prefer 3/4 to a whole C.)
• 1/4 C cashew pieces, if desired (*I desired. And devoured. I'd go heavy here if you like a good crunch.)
• additional teriyaki sauce, if desired

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, crumble beef; sprinkle with garlic pepper. Cook over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.
2. In ungreased 11x7-inch (2 quart) glass baking dish, mix beef, rice broth, 1/4 C teriyaki sauce and the water. Stir in vegetables. Cover baking dish with foil.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover and stir; sprinkle with chow mein noodles and cashews. Bake uncovered 10 to 15 minutes longer or until noodles and cashews are golden brown.
   
   
   
   Et voila!