Broccoli Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked Rice
• 2 cups Broccoli, cooked and drained
  
• 1 can Cream Of Mushroom Soup (I use homemade)
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Chopped Onion
• 2 cloves minced Garlic 
• 10 oz. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 1/2 cups Milk
• 1/4 cup Butter
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 3 1/2 quart baking dish.
2. Saute onions and mushrooms in butter in a skillet until the onions get translucent. 
3. In a large bowl, mix together rice, broccoli, soup, cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for topping), milk, onion and mushrooms, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Add reserved cheese and bake for 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Makes 6 servings

Araksya's Tip: I like to add cooked chicken or turkey

Armenian Rice Pilaf with raisins and dried fruits

This is my favorite Armenian Easter dish!

1 cup rice

1 cup raisins and dried fruit (apricot, dates, chopped)
2 TB butter
1 TB honey
a pinch of salt


Cook the rice following the instructions on the package. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet and add the raisins and dried fruits. Cook them for 2-3 minutes until they look shiny and moist. Add honey, and a pinch of salt.

Mix the raisins with the pot of rice and stir well. If it looks a little dry, add more butter.



Araksya's tip: You can only use raisins if you don't have other dried fruits. I used regular and golden raisins, dried apricots, peaches, and dates.