Beef-Taco Rice With Refried Beans

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black
• 8 ounce cheddar cheese reduced-fat
• 1 cup bell pepper green chopped
• 1 pound ground round 
• 4 cups rice instant uncooked
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 16 ounce refried beans fat-free canned
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 1.3 ounce taco seasoning divided
• 16 ounce no-salt-added tomato sauce canned
• 4 cups water 

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• baking pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan; add half of the taco seasoning. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in rice; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce.
4. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble.
5. Drain; return meat to pan. Stir in remaining taco seasoning.
6. Spread half of rice mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
7. Spread beans evenly over rice mixture; top with beef mixture and half of cheese.
8. Spread the remaining rice mixture over cheese; top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.