Recipe Wednesday on Thursday

Well, yesterday was to be RECIPE WEDNESDAY, but since I had to let my emotions flood out over the loss of my sweet old Buddy dog, recipe Wednesday will have to be on Thursday this week.  The recipe I chose for today is a family recipe from my Grandma  called "Sausage Casserole."

My Grandma Richeson has always been one to cook some of my favorite recipes of all time, and I will be sharing them with you.  Not to sound sad two days in a row, but my Grandma is having a rough go lately too!  She is suffering from Alzheimer's, is in assisted living, and knows where she is and wants to go home...but obviously can't, or else she could walk off and get lost, or burn the house down.  Talk about heartbreaking, she was the grandma who used to climb up in a deer stand and hunt with a bow and arrow.  Now she wears diapers, can't even remember to take her meds, or recognize me and my kids in a photo I mailed to her in a card :(

Anyway, here is the recipe and I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.  I have also taken a picture of it as I just made this for my own family a few days ago.  Trying today to Smile and just move on...but still not there yet.

1/2 lb pk whole package breakfast sausage (mild or spicy depending on preference)
1/2 cup Green or Red pepper chopped finely
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
1 cup diced celery
2 pkg of Lipton Chicken noodle soup mix add dry (which is a box with both pkgs used)
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup  rice of your choice (I used white rice, but you could use your favorite, just not instant or 5 minute)\
1/4 tsp sea salt

Brown sausage, pepper, onion and celery in skillet until sausage is thoroughly cooked and other ingredients are soft.  In separate large pot combine soup mix, rice, and water.  Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes or as rice specifies per directions. Check rice mixture occasionally to make sure rice is not sticking to the bottom of the pot.  Once rice is cooked, add in sausage mixture and stir thoroughly adding salt in as you stir. Place in a Pam sprayed shallow baking dish, I used a 9 x 9 glass dish with a lid for storing leftovers without having to transfer once the family was finished with dinner and second servings :)  Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes uncovered.  Can be served with a simply salad or veggie of your choice.