Baked Rice

Ingredients for Sauce

1 - 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
1 - 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes
6 cloves garlic
1 tbsp Basil
1 tbsp Oregano
1/2 cup red wine
1 lb. chop meat (hamburger)
1 lb. sausage (out of casing)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Other ingredients
2 cups rice
Organic chicken broth
1 lb whole milk mozzarella, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus 1/4 cup

To prepare sauce:
In saucepan, press garlic, saute in EVOO
Using immersion blender (or regular blender), blend tomatoes
Add blended tomatoes to sauteed garlic
Add wine, basil, oregano and a little red pepper.
Add meat that has been fried/drained in separate pan
Bring to boil, simmer for 1 hour

While sauce is cooking, prepare rice, substituting chicken broth for the water.  Cook a little less than done since the rice will continue cooking during baking.

When rice is ready, add a little sauce and cubed mozzarella cheese.  Add 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  Mix thoroughly. Add more sauce until the desired consistency, Glenn used most of the sauce from the recipe above, but not all.

Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish.  Sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until very hot.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Serve immediately with favorite full body red wine.  Makes great left overs, too.