Zippy Turkey Bake

The time has finally come for me to start making meals that I can freeze and then use after the baby is born. We love casseroles in our house, so it's a fairly easy task. I got this recipe from a cookbook my mom had and played with the amounts of ingredients so that I could get two dinner-sized dishes out of it - one to eat now and one to freeze.

It turned out very well for a weeknight supper. I used ground turkey instead of ground beef, but you could use either (I didn't think Zippy Meat Bake had quite the right ring to it though). Chuck and I both enjoyed this slightly spicy, creamy, cheesy dish with just the right amount of hearty vegetables.

Zippy Turkey Bake
adapted from Taste of Home
Makes 6-8 servings

1 1/3 pound package lean ground turkey
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
3 medium zucchini or yellow squash, halved vertically and sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 cups rice, cooked (I measured out 3 cups uncooked rice, not 3 cups cooked rice)
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilies
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 or two 8 x 8 baking dishes.

Cook turkey over medium heat in large skillet, drain. Add butter, zucchini, mushrooms, and green onions; cook and stir until vegetables are tender. Drain if necessary. Stir in chili powder, salt, and garlic powder. Remove from heat.

If the skillet is big enough, add rice, green chilies, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded cheese to turkey mixture and stir to combine. If not, add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix.

Turn mixture into baking dishes. Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until heated through and slightly bubbly.