This side dish is as easy to put together as it is tasty; my mom made it for us at least once a week. It packs lots of nutrition and flavor into a single dish, it is a very successful way to get kids to eat broccoli, and it is great to eat with so many things. Try it with Tilapia with Citrus-Garlic Sauce (page 74), Lemon Fried Chicken (page 80), or Meat Loaf (page 115). Any amount of butter works here. I tend to use a lot, but feel free to use less.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 8 servings

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish, or as desired

　　3 cups broccoli florets or 1 10-ounce package frozen, chopped broccoli

　　1 cup uncooked long grain white rice

　　1 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup

　　1 cup chopped celery

　　1/4 cup chopped onion

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

　　

Step 2

If using fresh broccoli, place a steamer insert in a lidded saucepan or skillet and add about 2 inches of water to the pan; the water should not come over the holes of the steamer. Place the broccoli in the steamer basket and cover the pan. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Steam until the broccoli is bright green and tender when pierced with a sharp knife but still crisp, about 5 minutes. If using frozen broccoli, cook it according to package directions.

　　

Step 3

Cook the rice according to package directions. Transfer the cooked broccoli and rice to one large mixing bowl. Add the mushroom soup, celery, and onion and stir until well combined.

　　

Step 4

Transfer to the buttered dish. Dot the top with as much butter as desired and use a fork to gently toss the mixture to barely incorporate the butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

　　Eva's Kitchen