Cheesy Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole

We ALL loved this one.  The little "big" 4-year old inhaled it.  I don't know if it was all the super yummy, yet so unhealthy cheese or if it was smoked sausage, but this casserole definitely disappeared and we will definitely be having it on the menu again.  Again, it is fairly easy to put together.  Please notice my "notes" at the bottom as I did make changes to this recipe. 

Here is what you will be needing:

• 3 cups Idaho potatoes, peeled, cubed
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 lb Velveeta cheese, diced
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 lb skinless smoked sausage 
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika

1) Boil peeled and cubed potatoes until just barely tender (in pasta cooking, they use the term al dente).  Drain off the water.
2) While they are cooking, cut the smoked sausage into half moon shapes (if you want-otherwise just slice them up) and then brown them in a skillet.
3) In a saucepan, melt butter.  Whisk in flour to form a roux.  Add in milk, salt, and pepper and whisk until it just starts to thicken.  Add in the cheese and stir until melted.
4) When everything is prepped, add the sausage and the potatoes to the a 2-quart casserole dish or pan.  Mix together a little.  Pour the cheese sauce mix over the top.  Sprinkle paprika over top. 
5) Bake 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Notes:
1-If you are using precooked smoked sausage, you can skip the browning part to save time and dishes.
2-I personally can NOT stand Velveeta.  So I used 1/2 pound of cheddar and probably about 1/4 pound of Swiss cheese-just because that is what I had in the fridge.  I also think that you could use whatever cheese or cheese blend that you wanted-as long as it melts good...Some cheeses just don't melt too well.
3-I forgot to set the oven timer and then I got busy talking to the hubby and paying bills.  Anyway, it did NOT burn but the paprika got a little dark. :)

Hashbrown Potato Soup-Crockpot

I LOVE potato soups.  I have tried several and pretty much all of them I have enjoyed, and I am pretty sure that I have blogged most of them.  Well, this one is getting blogged for 2 reasons: 1-it was awesome and 2-it was EASY. 

 

Here is what you need:

• 1-30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}
• 3-14oz. cans of chicken broth
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 pkg. cream cheese (I used regular.  Supposedly fat free doesn't melt smooth...I don't know)
• any garnishes desired

1) Combine everything in a crockpot except for cream cheese.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. About 30 min-1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and cook until melted. I personally used my warm setting for about 5 hours and then added the cream cheese.  I turned it up to high and let it cook about 45 minutes.

 

Serve with any garnishes you may like: sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onion, etc.

 

Enjoy!

Sausage Corn Chowder

It is pretty much soup season again!!!! I am very excited about this.  This was a new soup for my family, and we all LOVED it! RJ, the picky 4 year-old, even ate 2 bowls.  Though the recipe is a stove top recipe and that is how I made it tonight, it can easily be adaptable for the crockpot too.

Here is what you need:
1 pound sausage
1 Cup chopped onion
3 Cups cubed red potatoes (I used 3 small Russet because that is what I had)
2 Cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp marjoram, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
1 15oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14oz can cream style corn
1 12oz can evaporated milk
***I also used about 1 cup chicken broth because it needed a little more liquid for my liking.

1) Cook sausage and onion until sausage is browned.  Drain off grease.
2) Return sausage and onion to dutch oven or pot.  Add in cubed potatoes, water, salt, marjoram, and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce the heat.  Simmer covered for 10 minutes. (I had maybe 30 minutes to an hour before the hubs came home, so I just turned the burner WAY down to the lowest setting and just let it simmer until he got home.  Then I did step 3.  This is also why I think I had to add the chicken broth.  I think the water just cooked off.)
3) Stir in the whole kernel corn, cream corn, and evaporated milk.  Cook and stir until heated through.

As I said, yummy!!!

Makes 6 servings; 491 calories per serving

Country Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Here is another GREAT crockpot meal. I made it today before church so we would have food when we got home. My 2 year-old son asked for and ate TWO servings! That is amazing for him. I highly recommend this dish if you want something different with ham or if you have leftover ham (though I didn't use leftovers). Here is what you need:

8 potatoes, thinly sliced or cubed (peeled optional)

1 onion, chopped (I used minced)

1 lb fully cooked ham (I bought one of the pre-packaged 1 lb cubed ham)

1 oz package country style gravy mix

10 3/4 oz can Cream of mushroom soup

2 Cups water

2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese (I probably used more...We LOVE cheese here)

#1) Combine potatoes, onion, and ham in a greased or lined crockpot.

#2) Combine gravy mix, water, and soup in a bowl. Whisk until combined and pour into the slower cooker. Mix together.

#3) Cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

#4) Top with cheese during the last few minutes of cooking...long enough for the cheese to melt.

Serves approximately 10. (It only served 3 people, but we only eat 2 meals on Sunday and are always really hungry. But, I WILL double the recipe when I make it again.)