Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

This is a great side dish for the holidays and pot-lucks. My sister used to make this years ago and called it Broccoli Casserole, but in the mid-west they sometimes call it “green rice” – which is kind of catchy 🙂

1 cup instant rice (instant)
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
1/4 cup milk
4 ounces processed cheese (Velveeta)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

– Preheat oven to 350°.
– Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and spoon into a 2-quart casserole.
– Cover with shredded cheese
– Bake at 350° for 45 minutes

Linda’s notes:
– Can substitute low-fat soup, or COM mushroom soup with garlic
– For extra texture, add water chesnuts or celery pieces
– To make this a meal add large mushrooms, pork or chicken
– My sister’s version of this recipe uses Cheeze Whiz instead of Velveeta, which has more calories and a saltier taste.