Thanks Betty Crocker!

My sister-in-law bought us the wedding version of the infamous red Betty Crocker Cookbook for our wedding present.  I've dabbled with a few recipes in the past but here recently I've started searching for quick, easy and healthy meals for the family.  Seeing as we all get home around 6pm and the girls go to bed between 7:15pm-7:45pm.  That doesn't leave a lot of time for cooking and eating and bathing and brushing teeth and...you get the picture.
I was flipping through the cookbook the other night and found the Wild Rice & Beef Casserole.  I'll give you what the recipe calls for and then tell you how we modified it and plan on modifying it even more next time for quicker cooking. 

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 package (6.2 oz) fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix

1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup

1/4 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)  

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown; drain.Meanwhile, make rice mix as directed on package—except omit butter. Stir rice mixture, soup, milk and pepper into beef. Spoon into casserole.
Cover and bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and mixture is hot.

*Here's how we altered it and plan on altering it next time*
Instead of beef we used fresh pork sausage.  I think it would have been too plain with just hamburger meat.
We didn't use Cheddar cheese.  We just used whatever was in the refrigerator.  I think it was the taco mix kind?   
Next time I will prep the night before.  Cook the meat and maybe even the rice so I can just throw it together as soon as we get in the door and it will be done 30 minutes later.  I also might throw some corn or peppers in there to get some veggies in.  The possibilities are somewhat endless!