Black Bean Casserole

I really wish this dish looked prettier than it does. It's really delicious, basically healthy, vegetarian, and quite filling. The original recipe was from a 1999 Cooking Light issue. I'd say it is pretty light if you use half the cheese that I use and fat-free sour cream. I love cheese and I don't worry much about how much fat is in our food, so I use a nice amount of cheese.

I vary this dish a little depending on what I have available. The corn tortillas that I like best come in packages of 8, so I usually just throw 4 extra tortillas in. Last night when I made this, I didn't have enough cilantro and forgot to buy a jalapeno, so I used what cilantro I had and didn't worry about the jalapeno. It was still good because there are so many flavors. I vary the salsa also. I usually use a 24 ounce jar of Tostitos mild salsa, but last night I used the leftover roasted verde salsa that I made the night before.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded colby jack cheese

1 cup light sour cream

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts, sliced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 cups (24 ounces) salsa

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the brown rice in 1 1/4 cups water for about 40-45 minutes, until soft and water is fully absorbed. Combine the rice, 1 cup of the cheese, and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spread a couple spoonfuls of salsa on the bottom of a 9 X 13 baking dish. Dip 6 tortillas in the salsa to coat them and arrange them on the bottom of the baking dish. Spread about half the black bean mixture over the tortillas. Dip the remaining 6 tortillas in the salsa and arrange them over the black bean mixture. Spread a few spoonfuls of salsa over the tortillas. Spread the remaining black bean mixture over the tortillas. Pour and spread the remaining salsa over the black bean mixture. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until bubbly. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.