Broccoli, Minute Rice, Cheez Whiz Casserole

Minute Rice, Broccoli, Cheez Whiz, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Onion and Celery make this Classic Old Fashioned Side Dish.

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 297kcal

⅓ cup onion chopped
⅓ cup celery chopped
¼ cup oleo oleo is an old name for margarine. Butter will work for this recipe.
1 cup Minute Rice Uncooked. Do not use regular rice. Minute Rice is a brand name freeze dried product that quick cooks.
10.5 ounces Cream of Mushroom Soup or Cream of Chicken, canned
1 cup water or milk or chicken broth
8 ounce Cheez Whiz
10 ounce box frozen broccoli Use broccoli florets, or broccoli pieces. A 12 ounce bag of broccoli works fine for this recipe.
Pam non-stick spray

Let the package of frozen broccoli partially thaw. About 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a fry pan, saute the onion and celery in the oleo (butter or margarine) until soft.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and stir together.
Turn into a 2-quart casserole pan which has been coated with non stick spray (Pam). Bake uncovered for 30 - 40 minutes.

Tips For Success:

This recipe is very old and calls for a 10 ounce box of frozen broccoli, which is now hard to find. I have used a 12 ounce bag of broccoli florets, it works just fine without any alterations to other ingredients.
This casserole can be assembled the day before. Cover the casserole dish tightly and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Let it sit at room temperature before baking to insure it will be cooked through in the 30 - 40 minute time.
If you can, choose a 2-quart casserole dish that is wider with low sides. As pictured in this article. Of course a deeper casserole dish will work fine, but the lower sides and wider base of a shallow baking dish helps the casserole cook quicker and more even.
Fresh Broccoli? You can use an equal amount of fresh broccoli to make this recipe. Purchase broccoli heads and trim them into florets and chop stems in bite sized pieces. Blanch fresh broccoli in a pan of rolling boiling water. Cook for about 1 - 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Proceed with the recipe.
Brown Rice: Minute Rice, Brown rice can be substituted. Since brown rice takes longer to cook, cook the rice first before adding to the casserole.