Lemon Thyme Zucchini Rice Casserole

In my last post I mentioned growing more herbs this year, which necessitates more creativity on my part to cook with herbs ready for harvest.  My thyme has been growing like mad, so I made this rice dish, modified from a recipe I had found online sometime ago.  I'm surprised how great it turned out, and a friend tried the recipe with basil instead of thyme and LOVED it. :)  I think the key is to use good-quality cheese, and the lemon gives it a nice tang.  This is definitely going into my regular rotation.

Lemon Thyme Zucchini Rice Casserole

Ingredients:


Long grain rice, uncooked, 1.5 cups
Fresh thyme leaves, 1 tbsp
Lemon juice, 1 tbsp (about 1/2 a lemon)
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
Olive oil, 2 tbsp
Zucchini, 1.5 lbs, cubed
Green onions, 3, sliced
Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic salt
Paprika, 1 tsp
Oregano, 1 tsp dried
Plum tomatoes, 4, chopped
Sharp cheddar cheese, one 1/3-lb block, freshly shredded, divided
Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook rice, thyme leaves, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in rice cooker (or follow package directions if a rice cooker is not available).
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Cook the zucchini, green onions, and garlic about 5 minutes, until zucchini is tender.  Season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, and oregano.  Mix in cooked rice, tomatoes, and cheese, preserving some of cheese for the topping.
4. Spray a 2.5 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.  Transfer content from the skillet to the casserole dish.  Top with remaining cheese.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 12 minutes.

Yields 4-5 servings