On a really cold and windy day, nothing hits the spot quite like warm comfort food. And, if you're feeling a little international, nothing says comfort like Italian food (OK, and Ethiopian food, but I have yet to try making Ethiopian cuisine).
I made this dish a year or so ago and forgot to write it down, so I had to go from memory to recreate it for tonight's dinner. This is "almost" as good as the original. The measurements are anything but exact, but it's a forgiving recipe, so adjust according to your preferred tastes. It cooked/braised in the tomato sauce for more than two hours, so it was incredibly tender and packed with flavor. This is definitely a dish that needs to cook for a long time. And, you definitely want the smell to permeate the house. I served it with creamy polenta.
Beef Braciole in Tomato Sauce
1 pound lean ground pork or sausage
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
4 tbsp (or more) minced olives or tapenade
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs or Panko
1/2 cup Parmesiana Reggiano
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced (optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp celery salt
Red pepper flakes and/or chipotle powder to taste
Salt and pepper
1 pound sirloin, very thinly sliced into four pieces with the grain
8 slices provolone
Handful of fresh spinach, stems removed
Searing flour (all-purpose will work)
Olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. In hot saute pan, toast pine nuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden.
3. Combine pork and next 13 items (through salt and pepper) in a bowl and gently mix until well incorporated. Set aside. (Best to let it sit in the fridge for at least a few hours to have the flavors meld. Make the tomato sauce -- see below -- while the flavors get happy.)
4. Pound meat between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap until very thin. On each piece, layer provolone and spinach. Starting at a narrow end of the sirloin, spread sausage mixture onto spinach and provolone, covering approximately 2/3 of the sirloin. Tightly roll the sirloin and tuck the end under. Repeat for each piece. Dust each sirloin roll with flour.
5. Heat saute pan, add a little olive oil (no more than 1 tbsp) and heat to almost smoking. Add sirloin rolls and sear on all four sides until a brown crust forms. This should take no more than a few minutes total.
6. Place beef rolls in deep, oven-safe dish. Pour tomato sauce over the rolls (recipe follows). Cover and bake for two to three hours. The larger the roll, the longer it will need to bake. Uncover for last 30 minutes of baking. The rolls are done when you can cut into them with a table knife or a fork.
7. Top with Parmesan and enjoy.
Tomato Sauce
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
2-3 cloves garlic, minched.
1/2 Vidalia onion, diced
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp sugar, depending on sweetness of tomatoes
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
1. In a sauce pot (yes, a sauce pot, not a saute pan), saute onion in a little olive oil until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently, for at least 20 minutes, although longer is better. The longer the sauce reduces, the richer the flavor will be. Taste to adjust seasonings. (Note: The sugar is not necessary, especially if the tomatoes are already sweet or the balsamic is fruity. The onion measurement is just a suggestion. Adjust to personal preference.)
2. Carefully transfer the sauce to a blender in batches and blend until smooth. Pour over beef rolls and bake as directed above.
Substitution Suggestions: OK, get comfy. This is going to ramble. Let's start with the ground pork. You can absolutely use prepackaged pork sausage instead. The lean stuff will work fine, but if you can find something with a little kick already incorporated, even better. If it's got kick, omit the red pepper flakes from the mixture. Whatever you do, don't use the stuff with maple syrup in it!
Some recipes I've seen call for flank steak. I found thinly sliced sirloin at my favorite grocery store for a great price, so that's what I went with. It was fantastic. Just make sure that no matter which cut you use, that it's pounded thin (but not so thin that you can see light through it).
Cheese: Romano works. So does Pecorino. I'd stay away from cheddar. Any Italian cheese should work, although mozzarella might melt too quickly and become stringy.
Spices: You know what you like. Change up the spices to suit your tastes. If you're unsure if you have enough salt in the sausage, fry up a little bit of it in the pan you'll use to sear the rolls. If you like a lot of garlic, add more. If you hate olives, don't add them. Add mushrooms if you like. If you use seasoned bread crumbs, go easy on the other spices. You definitely don't want to overdo it.
Tomato sauce: I didn't do it this time, but you could definitely add a healthy splash of red wine to the sauce before you reduce it. A bay leaf wouldn't hurt either, but remove it before you blend the sauce. You could also add fresh basil and/or oregano. If you get really lazy, a jar (gasp!) of spaghetti sauce would work, although if you're going to go to the effort to make homemade braciole, why would you use jarred sauce?
Lessons Learned: This may have a long list of ingredients, but most of them are pantry staples and any well-stocked kitchen will already have all of them.
Don't pound the meat too much. It's already dead. You don't want it to turn to ground beef. Just make it thin enough that it'll roll easily -- 1/4 inch should be good enough.
I ended up with extra sausage mixture, so I made pork meatballs with the rest of it, seared them like the sirloin rolls, then added them to the baking dish with the sauce. They were great.
Some recipes will tell you to tie the rolls before you sear them. If you pound the sirloin thin enough and then roll it tight enough, it will hold its shape when you sear it, thus negating the need for the annoying string to keep it together.
I'm not sure the spinach adds any noticeable flavor, but it does make me feel nominally healthier because it has roughage in it. I only did a single layer of spinach in each roll.
Showing posts with label casserole. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casserole. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Spicy Barbecue Meatloaf
Meatloaf -- it's the quintessential 1950s American comfort food. I had my fair share of meatloaf growing up. Most of it was pretty bland -- ground beef, tomato sauce, egg, onion, and bread crumbs (or oats) with a subtle nod to flavor in the form of garlic (maybe), salt, pepper and oregano. Yep, it's boring stuff. Truth be told, I'd rather have a hamburger patty than meatloaf. But, my husband loves the stuff (his mom's version, anyhow). I had some use-or-lose ground sausage in the fridge, so it meant either rice and sausage casserole (of which I was missing a variety of ingredients) or meatloaf. I opted for meatloaf. And boy am I glad I did. This stuff was crazy good. And, it's entirely my own creation.
Spicy Barbecue Meatloaf
3/4 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 tbsp dried parsley1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup spicy barbecue sauce
1. Combine first three ingredients in saute pan and cook until onion softens. Remove from heat.
2. In medium bowl, combine onion mixture, beef, sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and egg. Mix gently until thoroughly incorporated. Add barbecue sauce and mix until incorporated. Pour into glass pie dish and spread around.
3. Bake at 375 for 45 to 50 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Serve immediately.
Substitution Suggestions: You can switch around the ratio of beef and pork you use. And, you can add in other flavors as well, but I wouldn't change a thing in this recipe.
For the bread crumbs, I used a loaf of stale Pane Italian that we never got around to eating before it went hard. Thank goodness for a food processor, which made quick work of the bread. I liked that the crumbs weren't uniform and that they were bigger than grains of sand (like the boxed stuff).
Lessons Learned: Note to self -- make more homemade barbecue sauce. I used poblanos, jalapenos and tomatoes from my garden (with some extras from the Farmers Market) to make a spicy barbecue sauce about a month ago, which I then canned. On its own, the barbecue sauce is pretty spicy. Mixed in with the other ingredients, it added the perfect amount of heat and sweetness. I'll post that recipe at some point.
Don't overmix the meat or it'll go tough. I used my hands since it takes less effort than trying to use a fork or spoon.
Spicy Barbecue Meatloaf
3/4 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1 tbsp dried parsley1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup spicy barbecue sauce
1. Combine first three ingredients in saute pan and cook until onion softens. Remove from heat.
2. In medium bowl, combine onion mixture, beef, sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and egg. Mix gently until thoroughly incorporated. Add barbecue sauce and mix until incorporated. Pour into glass pie dish and spread around.
3. Bake at 375 for 45 to 50 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Serve immediately.
Substitution Suggestions: You can switch around the ratio of beef and pork you use. And, you can add in other flavors as well, but I wouldn't change a thing in this recipe.
For the bread crumbs, I used a loaf of stale Pane Italian that we never got around to eating before it went hard. Thank goodness for a food processor, which made quick work of the bread. I liked that the crumbs weren't uniform and that they were bigger than grains of sand (like the boxed stuff).
Lessons Learned: Note to self -- make more homemade barbecue sauce. I used poblanos, jalapenos and tomatoes from my garden (with some extras from the Farmers Market) to make a spicy barbecue sauce about a month ago, which I then canned. On its own, the barbecue sauce is pretty spicy. Mixed in with the other ingredients, it added the perfect amount of heat and sweetness. I'll post that recipe at some point.
Don't overmix the meat or it'll go tough. I used my hands since it takes less effort than trying to use a fork or spoon.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Dominican Pastelon
For the past several weeks, I have been longing for Dominican foods: frito verde (fried green plantains), mangu (boiled and mashed plantains with fried onions and salami on top), sancocho (vegetable and various meats stew), and after my son asked for it, habichuelas con dulce (a bean drink served at Easter). One of my favorite treats from the 18 months I lived in the DR was pastelon. Some call it Dominican lasagna. I think it's more like shepherd's pie. Either way, it's savory and sweet and oh so good. The saltiness of the meat, coupled with the sweetness of the ripe plantain make for a delightfully flavorful party in the mouth. I dug up a recipe last week and tweaked it for my ingredients. This is roughly what I did.
Dominican Pastelon
6 very ripe plantains
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of butter
1 lb. of ground beef or sausage
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1 small red onion diced into small cubes
1 green pepper
1 tsp. crushed garlic
Black ground pepper
1. Mix meat with pepper, onion, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and garlic. In a shallow pan heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the meat and stir, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until completely cooked. Add two tablespoons of water and the tomato paste. Simmer to blend flavors. When the meat is ready to use, cook to evaporate excess liquid.
2. Peel and boil plantains in salted water. When the plantains are very tender, remove from the water and puree with a hand mixer. Add butter and keep mashing until it is very smooth.
3. Put half of the plantains mixture in 9x9 baking pan. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese and add the meat. Add another third of the cheese, cover with the remaining plantain mixture. Cover with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350 oven until the top is golden brown (approx. 15 minutes).
4. Serve with a few slices of avocados.
Substitution Suggestions: Green plantains will NOT work with this dish unless you want mangu instead of pastelon. I used a few tablespoons of a Latin spice blend (Goya brand) instead of some of the spices. It was a little saltier than I would have liked, but it was still good. If tomato paste is unavailable, use tomato sauce and reduce the amount of water in the meat mixture. I omitted the green pepper (since I didn't have any on hand).
Lessons Learned: I remember that the trabajadoras who cooked for us in the DR would mash the plantains by hand. If you have electricity, use the hand mixer. (We often didn't have electricity and we definitely didn't have a hand mixer.)
I cut the butter amount down by using some of the water used to boil the plantains. When you mash the plantains and it gets really stiff (and trust me, it will get stiff), add some hot salted plantain water to the mix until it loosens up. For six plantains, I ultimately added almost two cups of water (in addition to almost a half cube of butter). If the calories don't matter to you, stick with butter.
How to pick a ripe plantain: Unlike the green ones, which are very hard to touch and even harder to peel, ripe plantains are yellow with lots of black striations. They are also soft (but not squishy). Don't let the black color fool you -- it is not bad. I'm sure plantains are edible in their raw state, but I don't know anyone who eats them raw. Ripe plantains, like their green counterparts can be fried, but I much prefer the green variety, which are the preferred "French fry" of the Dominican Republic. We would salt them and eat them with ketchup. It was a little piece of fried heaven.
Dominican Pastelon
6 very ripe plantains
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of butter
1 lb. of ground beef or sausage
2 tbsp. oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1 small red onion diced into small cubes
1 green pepper
1 tsp. crushed garlic
Black ground pepper
1. Mix meat with pepper, onion, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and garlic. In a shallow pan heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the meat and stir, breaking it into small pieces. Cook until completely cooked. Add two tablespoons of water and the tomato paste. Simmer to blend flavors. When the meat is ready to use, cook to evaporate excess liquid.
2. Peel and boil plantains in salted water. When the plantains are very tender, remove from the water and puree with a hand mixer. Add butter and keep mashing until it is very smooth.
3. Put half of the plantains mixture in 9x9 baking pan. Cover with 1/3 of the cheese and add the meat. Add another third of the cheese, cover with the remaining plantain mixture. Cover with the rest of the cheese. Bake at 350 oven until the top is golden brown (approx. 15 minutes).
4. Serve with a few slices of avocados.
Substitution Suggestions: Green plantains will NOT work with this dish unless you want mangu instead of pastelon. I used a few tablespoons of a Latin spice blend (Goya brand) instead of some of the spices. It was a little saltier than I would have liked, but it was still good. If tomato paste is unavailable, use tomato sauce and reduce the amount of water in the meat mixture. I omitted the green pepper (since I didn't have any on hand).
Lessons Learned: I remember that the trabajadoras who cooked for us in the DR would mash the plantains by hand. If you have electricity, use the hand mixer. (We often didn't have electricity and we definitely didn't have a hand mixer.)
I cut the butter amount down by using some of the water used to boil the plantains. When you mash the plantains and it gets really stiff (and trust me, it will get stiff), add some hot salted plantain water to the mix until it loosens up. For six plantains, I ultimately added almost two cups of water (in addition to almost a half cube of butter). If the calories don't matter to you, stick with butter.
How to pick a ripe plantain: Unlike the green ones, which are very hard to touch and even harder to peel, ripe plantains are yellow with lots of black striations. They are also soft (but not squishy). Don't let the black color fool you -- it is not bad. I'm sure plantains are edible in their raw state, but I don't know anyone who eats them raw. Ripe plantains, like their green counterparts can be fried, but I much prefer the green variety, which are the preferred "French fry" of the Dominican Republic. We would salt them and eat them with ketchup. It was a little piece of fried heaven.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sun-dried Tomato and Sausage Strata
This is an adaptation of a recipe that came from one of my many magazines, probably Sunset. I played with it to add some more healthy girth to the dish. The results were very colorful and a happy melding of flavors. It is definitely an improvement on the traditional egg and sausage casserole that inevitably shows up for brunch potlucks (which was the purpose of this dish).
Sun-dried Tomato and Sausage Strata
1 1/2 pound pork sausage
6 eggs
3 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and julienned
1 cup green onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp coriander
2 cups smoked mozzarella, shredded
1 loaf day-old Italian style bread, cubed
1. Brown sausage, crumble and drain.
2. In bowl, combine eggs, milk, ricotta, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper and whisk until blended.
3. In separate bowl, combine tomatoes, green onion, mushrooms and coriander.
4. In greased 9x13 casserole dish, spread layer of bread cubes. Spread half of corn-tomato mixture, half of sausage and 1 cup mozzarella over bread. Pour half of egg mixture over the layers. Repeat the process with the second layer.
5. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.
6. Remove from fridge for 1/2 hour before baking.
7. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until the egg is set.
Lessons learned: I couldn't find seasoned sausage that wasn't in a casing, so I seasoned ground pork with brown sugar, salt, pepper, sage, nutmeg, thyme and crushed red pepper. It worked just fine even though it was supposed to marinade for eight hours first.
I like that this dish has a lot of non-egg substance to it. The original recipe called for plum tomatoes, but I thought that would add too much water to the dish, so I used sun-dried tomatoes. I liked the results. Next time, I'll add in some garlic and a little more salt to the egg mixture. I also think it needs to bake a little longer than 50 minutes. The middle wasn't runny, but it didn't set as well as I would have liked. If you extend the cooking time, cover it for the last 10 to 20 minutes, so the sausage doesn't dry out.
I suppose you could substitute regular mozzarella or another cheese, but the hint of smokiness from the smoked mozzarella really is nice. And, it melts really well. It's worth the extra dollar or two to add it, I think.
The original also called for bacon instead of sausage. I am a firm believer that the only way to eat bacon is if it is crispy. This would have made it soggy, so I omitted it. It would be fine as a topping, though. Personally, I like the meatiness of the sausage. Turkey sausage would also work. Or, go more vegetarian and omit the sausage altogether. I think well-chopped broccoli would be a nice substitute.
Sun-dried Tomato and Sausage Strata
1 1/2 pound pork sausage
6 eggs
3 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups part-skim ricotta
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and julienned
1 cup green onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp coriander
2 cups smoked mozzarella, shredded
1 loaf day-old Italian style bread, cubed
1. Brown sausage, crumble and drain.
2. In bowl, combine eggs, milk, ricotta, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper and whisk until blended.
3. In separate bowl, combine tomatoes, green onion, mushrooms and coriander.
4. In greased 9x13 casserole dish, spread layer of bread cubes. Spread half of corn-tomato mixture, half of sausage and 1 cup mozzarella over bread. Pour half of egg mixture over the layers. Repeat the process with the second layer.
5. Cover and refrigerate for eight hours or overnight.
6. Remove from fridge for 1/2 hour before baking.
7. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until the egg is set.
Lessons learned: I couldn't find seasoned sausage that wasn't in a casing, so I seasoned ground pork with brown sugar, salt, pepper, sage, nutmeg, thyme and crushed red pepper. It worked just fine even though it was supposed to marinade for eight hours first.
I like that this dish has a lot of non-egg substance to it. The original recipe called for plum tomatoes, but I thought that would add too much water to the dish, so I used sun-dried tomatoes. I liked the results. Next time, I'll add in some garlic and a little more salt to the egg mixture. I also think it needs to bake a little longer than 50 minutes. The middle wasn't runny, but it didn't set as well as I would have liked. If you extend the cooking time, cover it for the last 10 to 20 minutes, so the sausage doesn't dry out.
I suppose you could substitute regular mozzarella or another cheese, but the hint of smokiness from the smoked mozzarella really is nice. And, it melts really well. It's worth the extra dollar or two to add it, I think.
The original also called for bacon instead of sausage. I am a firm believer that the only way to eat bacon is if it is crispy. This would have made it soggy, so I omitted it. It would be fine as a topping, though. Personally, I like the meatiness of the sausage. Turkey sausage would also work. Or, go more vegetarian and omit the sausage altogether. I think well-chopped broccoli would be a nice substitute.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Egg and Sausage Casserole
I've been doing a lot of reading about casseroles lately, and not necessarily by choice. It seems that all the main cooking mags are on the same page because casseroles are the "it" thing right now. I've never been a big fan, to be honest. I like my foods somewhat compartmentalized. (I'll blame my childhood phobia of stewed tomatoes in green peppers for that one.) But, there are a few casseroles that get two thumbs up from me. This is one of them. I think every woman (OK, almost every woman) has her version of this recipe. (It turns up at every MOPS meeting I've attended in the past five months.) I've tried several versions, but this is by far my favorite. It came from my dad's co-worker Candice, who frequently brought it to Friday morning potlucks when they both worked for Discover.
Egg and Sausage Casserole
1 lb. ground sausage, cooked
6 slices bread cubed
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 ½ cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (perhaps a little extra)
1. Grease 7x11 or 9x11 pan.
2. Place meat and bread cubes in pan.
3. Mix together eggs, salt, mustard, soup and cheese. Pour over meat and bread
4. Toss lightly. Refrigerate minimum 10-12 hours.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (can take longer) until middle is done and knife comes out clean.
Lessons learned: This recipe is pretty forgiving and a good baseline for lots of experimentation. If you want more zing, add several dashes of chipotle Tabasco. For even more zing, use a can of Campbell's nacho cheese soup instead of the cheddar and serve it with salsa and guacamole. Add onions if you like them ... or sauteed mushrooms. I usually up the sausage content since I like sausage. The original recipe said you could use bacon instead, but I like the substance of the sausage. I want to try it with French bread sometime instead of the pillowy stuff you get for less than a dollar in the bread aisle. Going for the healthier version? Use Egg Beaters and turkey sausage. See? I told you it was a very forgiving recipe.
Egg and Sausage Casserole
1 lb. ground sausage, cooked
6 slices bread cubed
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 ½ cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (perhaps a little extra)
1. Grease 7x11 or 9x11 pan.
2. Place meat and bread cubes in pan.
3. Mix together eggs, salt, mustard, soup and cheese. Pour over meat and bread
4. Toss lightly. Refrigerate minimum 10-12 hours.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (can take longer) until middle is done and knife comes out clean.
Lessons learned: This recipe is pretty forgiving and a good baseline for lots of experimentation. If you want more zing, add several dashes of chipotle Tabasco. For even more zing, use a can of Campbell's nacho cheese soup instead of the cheddar and serve it with salsa and guacamole. Add onions if you like them ... or sauteed mushrooms. I usually up the sausage content since I like sausage. The original recipe said you could use bacon instead, but I like the substance of the sausage. I want to try it with French bread sometime instead of the pillowy stuff you get for less than a dollar in the bread aisle. Going for the healthier version? Use Egg Beaters and turkey sausage. See? I told you it was a very forgiving recipe.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Chicken and Sausage Casserole
It's cold in Virginia right now, which means I'm totally up for comfort food. While this casserole isn't the most exciting dish ever created, it fits the bill (at least in my mind) as comfort food. What's more, it's a staple from my childhood. So, thanks Mom, for sending me this recipe. It's a hit in our house.
Mom Carter's (Not So Famous) Chicken and Sausage Casserole
1 cup white rice
1 package Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup
4 1/2 cups water
1/2 bell pepper
1 onion, chopped
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
1 can tuna or chicken
1 to 2 pounds sausage, cooked and crumbled
1. Brown and crumble sausage. Drain. Add onion, celery and green pepper.
2. Combine soup mix and water. Cook for five minutes.
3. Combine sausage, soup and raw rice in casserole dish. Add chicken or tuna.
4. Bake at 350 until rice is done (between 45 minutes and 1 hour). Stir partway through cooking to avoid over-browning the casserole.
Optional add-ins:
Raw ramen noodles (no seasoning packet)
Curry powder
Lessons learned: To cut baking time, partially pre-cook the rice and then reduce the water by the amount used to cook the rice. I found some low-fat sausage that doesn't have any grease to drain. Also, I omit the bell pepper since my family doesn't like it. The ramen, though, is a must! If you don't have Lipton soup mix, use a low-sodium chicken bullion powder or the chicken-flavored ramen seasoning packet.
Mom Carter's (Not So Famous) Chicken and Sausage Casserole
1 cup white rice
1 package Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup
4 1/2 cups water
1/2 bell pepper
1 onion, chopped
1/2 bunch celery, chopped
1 can tuna or chicken
1 to 2 pounds sausage, cooked and crumbled
1. Brown and crumble sausage. Drain. Add onion, celery and green pepper.
2. Combine soup mix and water. Cook for five minutes.
3. Combine sausage, soup and raw rice in casserole dish. Add chicken or tuna.
4. Bake at 350 until rice is done (between 45 minutes and 1 hour). Stir partway through cooking to avoid over-browning the casserole.
Optional add-ins:
Raw ramen noodles (no seasoning packet)
Curry powder
Lessons learned: To cut baking time, partially pre-cook the rice and then reduce the water by the amount used to cook the rice. I found some low-fat sausage that doesn't have any grease to drain. Also, I omit the bell pepper since my family doesn't like it. The ramen, though, is a must! If you don't have Lipton soup mix, use a low-sodium chicken bullion powder or the chicken-flavored ramen seasoning packet.
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