Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the California Milk Processor Board and Latina Mom Bloggers. However, all opinions expressed and recipe is are 100% my own.

I always scramble at Thanksgiving… with a mad dash to the market to try and get everything in one shopping trip. Of course I’m not completely delusional …  I realize some items need to be bought the day before or the day of the feast. What I do like to buy when I am in one of my Thanksgiving shopping frenzies are a couple gallons of milk. It helps make my mashed potatoes dreamy, my rice dish creamy, and my hot chocolate steamy. I keep my milk coupon in my purse and save a dollar on two gallons. It’s a good way to pocket a buck. 🙂 When I run dry on ideas I always turn to Toma Leche cookbook for more recipe ideas. Click here if you’re looking for some MILKY inspiration! I decided to make a video of one of my favorite rice dishes that I always serve at the holiday table…. plus it doubles down as a main dish for the vegetarians. Happy Thanksgiving!

Ingredients for creamy mushroom chile rice casserole:

• 1 – stick butter
• 1/2 – cup onion (chopped)
• 1/2 – tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 – cups long grain rice (uncooked)
• 8 – ounces mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2 – teaspoon dried basil
• 1 – teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning salt
• 4 – cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 – cup roasted chiles (chopped) (I used anaheim)
• 1 – cup of whole milk
• 16 – ounces sour cream
• 2 – cups grated pepper jack cheese

Directions:

Watch the 2 minute and 27 second video above to see exactly how to make it! Serve this lovely rice dish this holiday season for a casserole of perfection…. Enjoy!

Sometimes you just need comfort. I found joy and comfort in Idaho. I had never been and went with the Idaho Potato Commission on a breathtaking trip to the carbs capital for a 75th anniversary celebration. I made fantastic new friends while discovering the world of potato farming. We met the growers and the humble people that supply us with mountains of potatoes. I witnessed first hand all the work that goes into bringing spuds to our table.  I will forever remember these lovely people and wonder from this point forward if my potatoes came from one of the farms I visited. I made this lovely recipe with Idaho potatoes as an ode to my incredible trip. I couldn’t resist showing you a few pics from the trip and a short sneak peek video of our spuds from ground to the factory. I left there loving Idaho with hopes of returning one day.

Ingredients for potato green chile cheese casserole:

4 – cups corn flakes

1 – stick butter (melted)

1 – can 14 0z whole anaheim green chiles (only use (8)drained, patted dry)

12 – oz pepper jack cheese

6 – green onions (sliced thin)

1/3 – cup chopped onion

15 to 20 – Melissa’s Produce Dutch Yellow Idaho Potatoes

1 –  Russet Idaho Potato

1/2 – cup sour cream

12 – oz cheddar cheese (grated)

1/2 – cup 1/2 & 1/2

Preheat oven to 350 fahrenheit

Crush cornflakes in a bag then add to a bowl with melted butter. Mix well to combine.  Place half of the cornflake mixture into a 8×5 baking dish. Press down on cornflake mixture to line bottom half of baking dish.

Take chiles and stuff with big pieces of pepper jack cheese. Place stuffed chiles on top of corn flakes. Then sprinkle with green onions and onion. Shred remaining pepper jack cheese and set to the side.

Peel all potatoes and cut into 2 inch pieces. Then in a pot bring water to a boil and boil potatoes for 2o minutes. Remove from flame and drain. Then pour potatoes over chiles and onion.

In a pot add sour cream, remaining pepper jack and cheddar cheese, and 1/2 & 1/2 and mix over a low flame until sauce is smooth and cheese is melted. Then pour over potatoes.

Then with the other half of cornflake mixture add to the top of the casserole.

Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until top is golden crisp brown. Enjoy with a leafy green salad for the perfect meal.

Here are some photos from my trip.

Eleven bloggers in Idaho- L to R: Marla Meridith, Julie Deily, Dorothy Reinhold, Patti Londre, Meagan Micozzi, Rachael Hutchings, Me, Greg Henry, Sara O’Donnell, Jessica Reddick, and Jessica Segarra.

A BIG BIG FUZZY WARM THANK YOU TO THE IDAHO POTATO COMMISSION FOR THIS WONDERFUL TRIP!