Pizza Rice Casserole

We made it our mission to use stuff in the house this weekend for our meals.  So I pulled out my copy of the More-with-Less Cookbook and went hunting.  I came across this delightfully simple little casserole.  I admit it sounds a little odd—cottage cheese and rice???—and yet the taste is very nice.  We served it alongside a fresh fruit salad.

2⁄3 c raw rice, brown or white, or 2 cups plain cooked rice
1 1⁄3 c water or vegetable broth
3⁄4 lb ground beef  (we had leftover ground turkey)
1 onion, chopped
1 cn 15oz., tomato sauce 
1⁄4 t garlic powder or 1 clove minced fresh garlic
1 t sugar
t salt and pepper to taste
1⁄4 t dried oregano
1 t parlsey flakes or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1⁄2 c cottage cheese
1⁄2 c shredded cheese

Cook raw rice in water or broth until tender, 15 minutes for white rice or about 40 minutes for brown rice; cool slightly. 

While rice is cooking, brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet. Add tomato sauce and seasonings; cover and simmer 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 325°F; butter a 2-qt. casserole. 

Combine cooked rice with cottage cheese. Spread one-third of the rice mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with one-third of the meat sauce. Continue to alternate layers, ending with tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese. 

Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.