Trust me on this

And for my final post of the week (Bobby went to bed at 8 tonight after downing a package of Lean Pockets like a college freshman, and is on call tomorrow, thus no more cooking) I give you a Gibbons staple! This is one of the fastest, easiest things you can possibly make, it's not too terrible for you, and it reheats excellently--I've had it twice for leftover lunches this week. This was first served to Bobby and I by Whitney Blocker Mashburn, and it was introduced to us merely as "Cheesy Beefy Thing." I thought titling my blog post "Cheesy Beefy Thing" was probably a bit weird, so really you have to trust me (and Whitney). As further proof this should be incorporated into your dinner rotations, Colleen trusted me and she and Ryan have had it several times. So there.

You can do a lot of substitutions so I'll present all the options.

Cheesy Beefy Thing

1 lb ground beef (OR substitute ground turkey or chicken--this week we opted for turkey)
2 cups rice (white or brown, OR substitute 1 cup quinoa)
1 large jar of your favorite pasta sauce (Whitney opted for Ragu with veggies, while Bobby and I go strictly for Paul Newman--we switch it up between his Marinara, Four Cheese, or this week we used his Garlic and Fire-Roasted Tomato)
2 cups shredded mozzarella (2% is good)

Cook rice or quinoa according to package directions. While your starch of choice is cooking, thoroughly cook the ground beef, turkey, or chicken. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked meat, the the rice or quinoa, the entire jar of sauce, and the 2 cups of mozzarella. Stir, stir, stir. Pam a 9x13 Pyrex or other baking dish and pour in mixture--spread evenly. Top with sprinkled additional mozzarella or Parmesan if desired, and cover with tin foil. Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

So I get that you wouldn't normally combine rice, beef, and marinara sauce, but seriously just trust that it's quick, yummy, and can reheat all week long--so make it on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. And the lighter version with ground turkey, quinoa, and 2% cheese is JUST as good. Or ya know...as close as you get with ground turkey :-) I'll also note that since Bobby gets to make requests, so do readers. So if there's something that you recommend, or want more chicken recipes in general, or know of something I make and want the recipe for...feel free to submit!