Taquito-Rice Casserole

Taquito-Rice Casserole

8 frozen chicken and cheese taquitos
2 (5.4 ounce) packages of Spanish rice
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup green onion

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place taquitos on a rimed baking sheet.  Bake for fifteen minutes, or until crisp.  Prepare rice according to package directions.  In a medium bowl, combine prepared rice, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cheese.  Spoon into a shallow baking dish.  Top with taquitos and remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

2.  Bake for 8 minutes, or until cheese melts.  Sprinkle with cilantro and green onion.  Garnish with chopped tomato, if desired.

I am making good on my promise to tackle that stack of recipes and not keep resorting to shopping in my deep freeze.  We had company tonight, so I decided to omit the cilantro.  It has been my experience that people either fall in the love or hate it camp.  HH said that even for me, it was one of my better meals.  My friend's husband went back to finish up the dish.  We had chess club after school, so we only got home about twenty minutes before our company arrived.  We only had about five more minutes before dinner was ready.  This is an easy weeknight meal!