Memorial Day

 Today, we remember those who have lost their lives serving our country. Perhaps you found an opportunity to support a Memorial Day event in your community.

My menu for today was a "bit off the grid" from a traditional holiday meal. However, I added an ice cream treat with chocolate sauce for those who needed their sweet fix. It was a good contrast to a spicy dish.

Taco Rice Fiesta Bake

Cook's Notes: This is a winning recipe the whole family will enjoy. It brings together all your favorite Mexican flavors—tacos, salsa, and a side of rice—in one easy-to-make casserole. Perfect for any busy night or family gathering, it tastes even better the second night. You may have to add some chicken broth to reheat since rice absorbs the liquid. Prep ingredients ahead of time for easier assembly. A side of cornbread instead of chips also works well with this dish. I used Italian sausage as it gives the dish a bit more flavor. 

The recipe was adapted from Parade.com and serves six.

Taco Rice Fiesta Bake is adapted from parade.com and serves 6.
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef or ground Italian sausage
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup each red, yellow, orange sweet mini peppers 
• 3/4 cup diced sweet onion 
• 1/2 cup of your favorite chunky salsa
• 1 tablespoon dry taco seasoning mixture
• 1 small can Steamfresh Mexicorn
• 1/2 can of black beans rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup of a can diced green chiles, drained and patted dry with a paper towel
• 1-1/4 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked or brown rice (I used brown rice) 
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 can (14 oz.) Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Basil and Oregano
• 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese, divided
• Tostitos Chips

Directions:

• Grease a 3-quart baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown the meat in a large skillet, crumble it, and drain the grease from the pan. Set the meat aside.
• Wipe skillet clean, add olive oil, and saute onions and peppers until soft.
• Return the meat to the skillet and add the rest of the ingredients except cheese. Mix well, and then add 1 cup of cheese.
• Pour the meat mixture into the baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 50 minutes or until rice is cooked.
  
  
  
• Uncover, add the rest of the cheese, and bake 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
• To serve, Fiesta Bake, crumble Tostitos chips in each bowl. Top with the Fiesta Taco mixture.

Stunning lake images with big, puffy clouds and mirror-like images caught my attention. It's difficult to really capture how idyllic the scene was this past weekend.