FINALLY…Rice I Don’t Have to Cook!!!!

About 10ish years ago, one of my best girlfriends told me the cutest story of her run-in with a broccoli/rice casserole.  She made dinner for her & her husband, and her husband took the leftovers to work the next day.  One day, he took some leftover broccoli and rice casserole with him for lunch.  One of the guys that worked with him noticed they both brought broccoli & rice for lunch and said to him, “looks like we brought the same thing.”  My friend’s husband looked back at his co-worker and said, “did your wife cook the rice first?” to which co-worker replied “yes”.  Friend’s husband looked at him and said, “well then we’re not having the same thing!!!!”  I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard!!!!  She is PRECIOUS and that story KILLS me every time I think about it!  That totally sounds like something I would’ve done back in the day.  When I found out that this recipe called for rice that didn’t have to be cooked first, I almost died.  I immediately thought of my sweet friend…she really could’ve used this recipe back then!!!!  HA!!! 

 

SHRIMP and RICE CASSEROLE

via Eat, Live, Run

1 1/2 lbs raw shrimp, {shells off, deveined}

2 cups raw white rice

4 tbsp. butter

1 can {10 oz.} Cream of Celery soup

1 can {10 oz.} Cream of Chicken soup

1 can {10 oz.} mild Rotel

1 tsp. salt

1 yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp. pepper

 

Not too shabby, eh?!

I’m just gonna warn you….this will be tastiest, EASIEST meal you’ve ever tried {unless you’ve tried the other meals I claimed to be the easiest & tastiest ;)} 

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, RAW {not cooked!!} rice, soups, Rotel, onion, red pepper, and salt & pepper.  Mix well until combined.  Y’all know I can’t cook rice to save my life, so any recipe that tells me I can use RAW rice is an absolute winner in my book ;)

Melt the butter in a 12x9 baking dish.  Just pop it in the oven until it’s melted and remove.

Make sure oven is heated to 350 and then pour the shrimp & rice mixture on top of the butter.  Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and give it a good stir.  RE-cover the dish and pop it back in the oven for another 40-45 minutes.  You’ll know it’s done because the rice will be COOKED!!!!  Light and fluffy.  No extra elbow grease on your behalf ;) 

Hello happiness.  That’s one big bowl of amazing flavors and easiness right there.  I seriously couldn’t get over the FLAVOR!!!  And the fact that it took me all of FIVE minutes to prep?!  Well, that was just the icing on the cake!  I am head over heels, hands down, IN LOVE with this dish!!!! 

Go ahead and give ‘er a whirl…you know you want to!