The snow is falling gently outside. I’m sitting on my couch in the same position I’ve been in for the last 48 hours — nestled in a blanket and a heap of tissues with my cat curled up next to me. I’m fairly certain my husband is getting tired of hearing me clear my throat and blow my nose every five seconds, but he doesn’t show it. Instead, he willingly goes out to run errands for me, heats up my tea and lets me use his lap as a footrest while we watch movies together (side note: “Argo” is fantastic. Watch it).
At one point, I’m also fairly certain that I might suffocate beneath this mountain of wadded-up tissues, so I lug myself off the couch and into — where else? — the kitchen. If I’m going to be cooped up for the next couple of days to recover from whatever amalgamation of illnesses this is (survey says it’s a nasty bout of the cold plus the beginnings of spring allergies. Fun times for Stephanie), I might as well make myself useful (second side note: I am not good at being sick and resting all day. I can’t do it. It makes me antsy).
I’m in serious need of comfort food and because a) the snow is piling up on the streets and b) I sort of look like death warmed over, I am limited to whatever lurks within my cupboards. So I paw through the boxes and the cans and peruse the refrigerator shelves until I decide that indeed, a casserole must be made and it must be filling and yummy and topped with cheese — as is per my usual standards for most anything I eat.
Of course, the cough kicks in and the couch beckons, but my tummy continues to rumble so I know I need to make something, but something that won’t cause me to spend too much time vertical. I cook the rice, saute the mushrooms and onions in a few tosses and stir everything together with a creamy mushroom cooking sauce from Progresso. A sprinkle of Gruyere cheese on top (something I also do with this rosemary beer bread recipe) and into the oven it goes to bake up into something warm and hearty and utterly delicious.
Once the cheese bubbles and my apartment smells like magic, I know it’s ready. I pull the casserole out from the oven, scoop a heap into my bowl and into that of my Footrest’s and resume my recovery couch-side.
One bite of this comfort food, and I’m already feeling better.
Creamy Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole
A Girl Versus Dough original (loosely inspired by Heidi Swanson’s recipe in Super Natural Every Day)
Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients:
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cups cooked wild rice
1 can (18 ounces) Progresso Recipe Starters creamy portabella mushroom cooking sauce
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a medium or large casserole baking dish and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add just enough oil to coat bottom of pan, about a tablespoon; add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms until tender and liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, another 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat; stir in cooked rice and cooking sauce and pour into prepared baking dish. Top with cheese. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes; remove foil and bake another 20 minutes until filling is bubbly and cheese is browned.
Disclosure: I received compensation from Progresso for recipe development purposes. All opinions are my own.
This post contains affiliate links.
Karen — I haven’t done that but I’m sure you could — just be sure the ounces are equivalent.
Could you use cream of mushroom soup instead of the can if mushroom starter?
Amy — I have not done that before, but I expect it would work! It would affect bake time, though, because you’re putting it in the oven cold, so I’d add at least 10-15 minutes to the bake time. I also wouldn’t sprinkle the cheese on top until just before you put it in the oven, so it doesn’t get soggy in the fridge. Hope that helps!
Have you ever made this earlier in the day, refrigerated and baked later? Was wondering if it affected rice consistency or bake time?
Julie — Progresso is still making the sauce (in fact, I just made a recipe for the brand the other day, to be posted soon!), it just comes in packets now instead of cans. If you go here: http://www.generalmills.com/ProductLocator.aspx you can search for where the sauces are near you!
And if all else fails, I’ve used cream of mushroom soup in its place. ๐
Now that Progresso is no longer making the sauce shown in this recipe what are you using to substitute? I was so excited to make this and went to three stores looking for the sauce to find out they discontinued it. ๐
Thanks!
mrsblocko — So glad to hear you and your family enjoyed the recipe! And yeah, those darn recipe starters are hard to find in the grocery story — you never know where they’ll put them. ๐
I made this recipe and wrote about it here. My daughter who isnt a fan of mushrooms liked it. High praise indeed. I couldnt find the right kind of soup so I had to make a switch, wouldn’t you know it, last week I found the soup starters. Why they were in the gravy section and not the soup section I will never understand! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Thank you very much, Stephanie. Cream of mushroom soup we have aplenty!
Satu — I would suggest substituting an equal amount of cream of mushroom soup for the recipe starter in this recipe. It should give you a very similar flavor. Hope that helps!