Sauerkraut Casserole

The recipe for this casserole is similar to the casserole Janice Schmidt takes to most (if not all) pot luck meals at church.  Janice prepares/bakes hers and then puts it into a crock pot to keep it warm.  It is always a HIT!

You will need to have some cooked rice on hand, or cook it up before you begin the recipe. (I like doubling this recipe because I LIKE sauerkraut and want left-overs.)

Grease/spray a 9x13-inch baking dish.

INGREDIENTS: 

• 1 cup raw rice (cooked ahead according to directions).
• 2 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained.
• 1 packet dry onion soup.
• 2  of 10.75 oz. cans  cream of mushroom soup.
• 1 cup water.
• 1 large can of sauerkraut (up to 1 quart), drained.  IF you decide to also rinse it, run water over it very briefly/quickly.  If you rinse it for too long, you will eliminate too much of the flavor of the sauerkraut.
• A sprinkling of French fried onions for the top, just before baking.  (Optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• Cook the 1 cup of rice and set aside.
• Brown hamburger and add dry onion soup powder-- mix well and set aside. 
• Combine cooked rice, cream of mushroom soup, water.  Add this to the meat/onion mixture.   Add the sauerkraut.  Blend well.
• Spread into greased 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle French fried onions on top, optional.
• Bake in 350-degree oven for about 1 hour.