Spicy Cajun Noodles

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, undrained
• 1 cup converted long-grain white rice
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• salt and black pepper to taste

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon until it’s nicely browned and no longer pink. Drain off any extra grease. Add the garlic, onion, and green bell pepper to the beef and cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent—this usually takes about 7 minutes.

Step 2

Pour in the tomatoes and let the mixture simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off, around 5 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans, rice, and water, then season with chili powder, salt, and pepper to your taste. Transfer everything to a 9x13-inch baking dish and cover it tightly with foil.

Step 3

Pop the dish in the oven and bake until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid—this should take between 45 minutes to an hour. Once it’s done, give it a good stir and enjoy!