Beefy Eggplant And Rice Casserole - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef, 4% fat
1 large eggplant, peeled and diced
3 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon italian seasoning, divided
1 (32 ounce) jar marinara sauce
2 cups 2% mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper

Preparation

Brown ground beef with salt and pepper and half tsp italian seasoning. Add onion, celery and garlic and cook til soft.
Stir in rice.*If rice was leftover and a little dry, add a little water or beef broth to refresh. Pour into bowl and set aside.
Spray pan with cooking spray and add eggplant with a little salt and pepper and remaining italian seasoning. Cook until softened and slightly browned. Add marinara sauce and cook additional 3-5 minutes. Pour over meat and rice mixture and combine.
Pour casserole into a 9x13 baking pan and top with cheese.
Bake at 350 until warmed through and cheese is melted and bubbly about 20 minutes.