Monster Rice

A friend in high school made this meal for me once, and I've been re-creating it ever since. She didn't have a name for it, but I've named it "Monster Rice." It's a simple dish which can be adapted to create many variations.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp. butter or oil
• 8 oz. Muenster cheese
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup cooked rice

Directions

Chop and saute onion with butter or oil in a large frying pan on medium high heat. Chop tomatoes and add to pan once onions have become translucent. Cover pan and lower heat to medium flame.

While tomatoes simmer, cut cheese into thin slices. Stir tomatoes occasionally until they begin to liquify, making sure not to overcook them. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Then add cheese slices in a layer over the onion and tomato mixture. Lower heat and cover to simmer, allowing the cheese to melt evenly. Stir occasionally. The onion-tomato-cheese mixture will become a thick, creamy sauce. Stir in cooked rice until it is evenly covered with sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then serve.

For variation, you may saute garlic with the onions. Also, you can add other vegetables: mushrooms, squash, bell peppers, zucchini, or broccoli. Be sure to chop into bite-sized pieces, cook separately and stir into mixture after rice is added so it be won't overcooked.

Serves 4