THE OLD STANDBY

WEEK SIXTEEN: RECIPES THAT BRING OUT THE HOMEBODY IN YOU AND MAKE YOU GLAD THAT YOU LOVE TO EAT.

This is a recipe that is good to eat, easy to make and that everyone always loves and always wants more. I call it 'The Old Standby' because I can always rely on it to fill the bill when I need something easy, fast and reliable. You can make it ahead and leave it in the oven to turn on automatically while you go off and enjoy yourself at the zoo, at the Mall or wherever you happen to want to be for the day. I've made this so many times I can practically do it in my sleep. I wouldn't say it say it was fancy and I probably wouldn't serve it to the Queen if she were to come calling, but I do make it a lot and it's always well-received which means there are not many left-overs. This recipe makes a lot so you can either cut it in half if you are feeding a smaller family or you can freeze half for a later time. It freezes well.

Here is how you do it:

In a large skillet brown:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

2 pkgs. French-cut frozen green beans

1 lg. can cream of mushroom soup

1 C. sour cream

1 1/2 c. long-grain white rice

seasoning to taste (I use garlic salt and Lawry's seasoning salt)

2 C. grated cheese

1. In a large skillet, brown the meat until it is completely cooked. Drain the fat off.

2. Add the chopped onion and continue cooking until the onion has had a chance to cook, as well.

It won't hurt the hamburger to cook a little longer while the onion cooks. In fact, it will do it a lot of good. Season the meat after you have drained the fat off and while it is still in the pan.

3. Meanwhile, put the frozen green beans in a colander and run hot water over them. This will make them easier to work with when you add them to the beef. I know you want to know why it has to be French-cut green beans and not just any old green bean and the answer is: Just Because. It's the way I've always made this casserole and the way everyone has gotten used to it. If I changed it now, I would probably have anarchy on my hands.

4. Meanwhile, back to the ground beef in the skillet: Add the mushroom soup and the sour cream to the seasoned meat. Stir well and add in the green beans.

5. Next add in the rice. If you're wondering if you should be adding extra water to it, the answer is no. The soup provides enough moisture and the rice cooks very nicely without any added water. I've had the best success with long-grain rice because it cooks quickly and evenly and you don't end up crunching on hard pieces of rice.

6. Now put the whole thing into a 9" X 13" casserole dish, cover with foil and bake for one hour. You can go off and read the newspaper or polish your nails while it bakes and it will take care of itself and be ready to pop out of the oven when the hour is up. Remove the foil from the casserole and sprinkle on the cheese and allow it to melt before you serve it. Make sure it's hot when you bring it to the table. Add a nice salad, some good bread or rolls and you'll have a VHP (Very Happy Family) at your dinner table. Serves 8-10. Enjoy!