Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Sausage & Rice Casserole

Some nights are made for cozy dishes like casseroles. When my sweetheart arrived home from work, the kitchen was all full of good smells from dinner and candles glowed cozily in the living room. The temperature has taken a definite downturn and it feels unquestionably of Autumn beyond the confines of the house. This sausage and rice casserole is my adaptation of one from the classic River Road Cookbook, put out by the Baton Rouge Junior League and relied on by cooks throughout the South. I served it with lima beans & a green salad. Easy peasy.

Sausage & Rice Casserole
1 lb. sausage (I used Bob Evans pork sausage, but you could sub any sort of sausage---even turkey sausage or veggie crumbles)
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. rice (I used jasmine; brown rice would be great, as would wild rice, but cooking times would need to be adjusted)
2 c. beef broth (I actually used 1 can of the 98% fat-free, reduced-sodium sort with enough added water to make up 2 cups)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (again, 98% fat-free, reduced sodium is just fine)
2 cans cream of chicken soup (healthier is just as tasty, again)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the sausage. Drain. Add veggies & cook until tender. Meanwhile, bring the rice and broth to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 14 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir into sausage mixture. Add soups and stir well. Spoon into a greased (I use cooking spray) 13x9 casserole and bake half an hour. Serves 6-8.

2 comments:

Patti said...

Hi, I live in Michigan too, and I check your blog for dinner ideas. I don't remember how I came across your blog. Sorry. Reading that you are Cuban, and my husband and I visited there last year on the people tp people tour. We fell in love with the black bean soup. Would you be willing to share your recipe and maybe if your family served the fried bread that the restaurant served along with it. By the way, we loved Cuba and the people. Such a beautiful country

Daria Schaffnit said...

How nice to get your comment. I got to visit Cuba with my uncle briefly a few years ago & would love to go back. The fried bread does not sound familiar, but I am posting a black bean soup recipe for you!