Mexican Brown Rice Casserole

It's fall and with it comes the first crispness in the air I love to feel! The arrival of fall means the end of gardening season. I like to can produce each year, and I usually wrap that up as September nears its end. We also begin thinking about cleaning up the garden and getting it ready for the winter. Before that happens, I like to cook with some of my fresh produce one last time. I have a few recipes I pull out so I can use the last of the garden before the first freeze comes and kills off the plants.

This Mexican Brown Rice Casserole is one of those recipes. It's easy to make and is also a crock pot meal, which comes in handy for those busy days and nights at the beginning of the school year. To make it you will need:

1 medium white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup water
3/4 cup brown rice
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 pound ground beef, cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning

First I cook up my ground beef and season it with taco seasoning.

Then I put all the ingredients together in the crock pot. I made a double batch this day so I could freeze some for a later meal...so it's a lot.

Stir it all up, cover with the lid, and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5 hours.

I always think it looks so pretty. :)

You can garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and cheese. I serve it with tortilla chips.

An easy, tasty recipe to use up some of that last produce from your garden. Happy fall!