SAUSAGE AND RICE CASSEROLE

This is a launching pad recipe!

    You can play around with it endlessly. Use smoked sausage, Italian sausage or kielbasa instead of ground sausage, add red or green bell pepper, use green onions instead of or in addition to the common onion, use tomato juice instead of chicken broth, top with cheese or stir cheese into the casserole, Top with sliced tomatoes just before serving.... It’s an invitation to creativity.

1 pound ground hot pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
1 clove chopped garlic
black pepper
Two (14-oz) cans chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
Dry white wine

     Fry sausage in a skillet, stirring constantly, but do not brown.  Saute' onions, celery and garlic in sausage grease. Drain sausage and add to onions, celery and garlic. Add uncooked rice; pour in chicken broth. Add black pepper to taste. Remove from skillet and bake in 3-quart casserole in 350 degree oven for one hour. Stir to fluff up the rice before serving.

Servings: 6