Brown Rice and Turkey Casserole

This will be the last turkey post for a while. I did make a turkey pot pie, it's the Pioneer Woman's recipe, but I messed it up, so I decided not to post it here. If you want the recipe, here is the link. Pioneer Woman's Turkey Pot Pie.  If you haven't checked out her blog before, I highly suggest you do. It's not great for us diabetics, but she takes beautiful pictures and tells really fun stories.

I wanted to make s comfort food-like casserole. My dad made a wild rice and turkey casserole when I was a kid that was awesome. But I couldn't find the recipe for that. So, I did what every good cook does - Googled it. :-) I found one that sounded really yummy, and decided to try it. I wasn't disappointed. This one is from Kalyn's Kitchen. She seems to follow the South Beach diet, which works with the glycemic index.

We forgot to take pictures until the very end (actually, my husband made it, so I can't take credit for anything). But it was really good. Hope you enjoy it (and it can be made with chicken, too).

Brown Rice Casserole with Leftover Turkey (or chicken), Mushrooms, Sour Cream, Cheese, and Thyme
(Makes about 6 generous servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

2 cups cooked brown rice (long grain brown rice is best)
16 oz. mushrooms, washed, thickly sliced, slices cut in half
2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil (or more, depending on your pan)
1 onion, finely diced
2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 - 2 cups diced leftover turkey  cut in 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup turkey stock (We used the leftover broth from the soup I made)
1/2 cup sour cream (I used low-fat sour cream, but don't use fat-free)
1/2 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup + 1 cup grated low-fat cheese

Cook brown rice following package directions or using a rice cooker and let cool. Preheat oven to 375F.

Wash mushrooms and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Cut mushrooms into thick slices, then cut slices in half. Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in heavy non-stick pan and saute mushrooms until they're starting to brown and all liquid has evaporated. Remove onions to a dish.

In same frying pan, add 1 tsp. more olive oil and heat, then add onions and saute 3-4 minutes until onions are softened. Add thyme, ground poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper, and saute about 2 minutes more.

While onions cook, dice leftover turkey or chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Add mushrooms and diced turkey into pan with the onion-herb mixture, and stir to combine. Add rice and gently stir until all the meat and vegetables are evenly distributed in the rice.

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and stock, then stir in coarsely grated parmesan cheese and 1 cup grated low-fat cheese. Gently stir the sour cream mixture into the rice mixture.

Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray or olive oil. (I'd use a relatively flat dish without a lid for this casserole - we used a lasagna pan.) Spoon rice mixture into the casserole dish and press down to evenly distribute. Bake for 25 minutes, or until casserole is slightly bubbling and barely starting to brown. Sprinkle with second cup of grated low-fat cheese and bake about 15 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serve hot.

Now, doesn't that look yummy?