Creamy Rice Bake with Black Beans

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Like many of my recipes, this one came about while I was cooking on a ranch for five weeks. I always make a menu and a grocery list to cover all the meals while I’m out on the wagon, but sometimes it’s hard to stick to the schedule. And when there isn’t a Walmart for ninety miles and supplies are getting low, a good wagon cook learns to improvise. I have to work with whatever food I’ve got on hand. The black beans in this recipe are a nice change from the regular old pinto beans, which are a staple in a cowboy’s diet. This dish is as colorful as it is flavorful and creamy.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• ½ cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped poblano pepper
• 2 cups cooked white rice (from 1 cup uncooked)
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of celery soup concentrate
• ¼ cup milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-x-11-inch casserole dish.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter and cook the onion and peppers over medium heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat.

3. In a large bowl, combine the pepper mixture with the rice and beans.

4. Stir the soup concentrate and milk into the rice mixture.

5. Scrape into the casserole dish and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the dish is hot. Serve warm.

Tip: This dish can be served warm, but stick it in the icebox overnight and it’s a tasty chilled leftover.