Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole

Well, we are back from our trip to Seattle. We had a great time...saw lots of friends, had great weather, saw one of my childhood friends get married. And now it's back to the daily grind! It is nice to be back home in my bed and not have to eat out anymore!

So on tonight's menu, Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole. This is a recipe I have never tried before from the Weight Watchers website. I have most of the stuff on hand for it, and since we ate so poorly (health-wise, that is) on our trip, we're getting back to good, healthy foods. Not sure what we'll have with it, I need to see what veggies the grocery store has on sale this week.

Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole
1 sprays cooking spray
4 cup cooked brown rice
1 1/4 cup salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
15 oz canned refried beans
10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
1 Tbsp chili powder
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl
3/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional; for garnish)

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish. In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top. Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired), cut into 6 pieces and serve.

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So we'll see how it turns out. I'm worried it's going to be a bit dry. I may mix some sour cream in some where to give it a little extra moisture, but I'll see how it's looking once I start mixing it together. I may have tortillas on the side, too, in case we want to eat it burrito style.