Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole

I usually don't have too hard of a time coming up with ideas and recipes for the main dish each day, but the sides? Whew.. Now that's a whole different story. My mind draws a huge blank each time I try to think about sides and I usually go back to the same boring salad, corn on the cob, mixed veggies, salad, fresh fruit... salad.. You get the picture. It was so nice and refreshing to actually find a different side recipe other than salad! And if you haven't already picked up from my blog that I love mushrooms, then you need to come visit more! I absolutely loved everything about this casserole. The rice was moist and flavorful and the mushrooms and onions added a nice texture and flavor to the brown rice. It's a very simple dish, very creamy and comforting that reminds me of home. And the best part of all is I now have a new side dish to add to my salad and veggies! Perfect in my book. (Recipe and picture courtesy of Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 lb. brown mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups cooked brown rice, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• Minced fresh herbs (optional) such as chives, parsley, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 2-qt. baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat saute the mushrooms in the olive oil, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their juices, about 5-7 minutes. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add in the rice and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream and salt until smooth. Add in the rice mixture and stir gently until blended. Spoon mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle most of the Parmesan cheese over the top, reserve a bit for finishing. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes more, until the top is lightly browned. Top with remaining Parmesan and fresh herbs, if desired.