Thursdays are crazy around here.  I’m picking up one kid, dropping off another and I’m not home in time to cook dinner.   Instead of a drive-thru meal, I make dinner on Thursday morning in my crockpot.   It’s so nice to come home to a delicious-smelling house after such a hectic day.  This is what I made last week.  It was rainy and cold outside and this meal was like a warm hug.

AUTUMN SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

Adapted from the book: Make It Fast, Cook It Slow

Ingredients

3 cups cooked rice (I used brown basmati that I made the night before)

1 pound sausage, sliced (Use cooked sausage; I used nitrate-free, no-pork casing, chicken apple)

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 large apple, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice (the recipe calls for 1/2, but I use more)

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (the recipe calls for 1/2, but I use more)

3/4 teaspoon black pepper (the recipe calls for 1/2, but I like my food more seasoned)

1/2 cup chicken broth (you can use water instead)

assembled and ready to cook

Directions

I use a 6 quart slow cooker and it’s 3/4 full, but the recipe calls for a 4 quart slow cooker.  Put the rice in the pot and add the sliced sausage (assuming that you are using cooked sausage; if not then cook it first).  Add the onion, apple, carrots, raisins, brown sugar, parsley, allspice, cinnamon and pepper.  Pour in the broth and stir.  Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

I have found that this recipe burns easily because except for softening the vegetables, you are really just heating the other ingredients.  The first time you make it, cook for the shortest amount of time and ideally stick around to check on it.  I wouldn’t keep it on warm for too long either.  I cooked mine on low for 5 hours and if I was at home, I might have just done 4.5 hours.

It’s really good!  It’s sweet, from the apples and raisins, and the pumpkin pie-like spices make it taste like autumn.  You can create different flavors by using different sausages.

let’s eat!

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