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Mexican Beef and Rice Casserole
by Naomi Prettyman
serves: 8
  Served with tortilla chips, this is a quick, easy and delicious meal that the whole family will love!
Ingredients:
  1 lb   Ground Beef
  3 cups   Cooked Rice (can be instant)
  2 8 oz cans   Tomato Sauce
  1 can   Tomato Paste
  3/4 cup   Water
  3 tbsp   Chili Powder (to taste)
  1 tsp   Salt
  1/2 tsp   Cumin
  1/2 tbsp   Brown Sugar
  1 small   Onion
    Tortilla chips
    Shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
  Brown ground beef. Cook rice in pot. Chop and saute onion.
In large pot, combine beef, tomato sauce and paste, water, chili powder, salt, cumin and brown sugar, stir over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat. Add sauteed onion.
Gradually add rice to desired consistency.
Over medium heat, simmer covered, stirring occasionally until thick. Should be thick enough to scoop up with tortilla chip.
Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Eat with tortilla chips as you would a dip.


*note: In case you're wondering, the brown sugar is to take away some of the "zing" from the tomato sauce! Also, you may want to add more or less Chili Powder, according to your taste.

For non-meat eaters: You can substitute beef with lentils. It's great!