Shelly’s Sausage and Rice Casserole September 18, 2007

One of my favorite ways to make friends is to share recipes. The foods people like tell a lot about them (so I guess I’m a refried bean….): down home cookin’, light bistro food, ethnic cuisine, or a little bit of everything. I’m sure there is a whole philosophy out there about which foods say what about you. I’m not really interested in that. I’m interested in the foods that tickle the taste buds, and bring satisfaction to the tummy. Taste is a funny thing, and sometimes I think there really is no accounting for it, like whoever said that first must have thought. I mean, I could eat Chocolate pop-tarts and baguette with goat cheese and toasted sesame seeds in the same day, and not bat an eye at the almost dichotomy of those two foods.

For most people, there is a food or a meal that the mere mention of will light up their faces. For instance, goat cheese. I think I actually emit mild radiation during consumption, I enjoy it so much. For my friend Shelly, it is this sausage and rice casserole. She confessed to making it at least twice a month, more if her family will let her. She brings leftovers for lunch, and every time she comments, “Yeah, I just love this casserole.” Well, of course I had to know what was deserving of such enthusiasm. Lemme tell ya, this casserole is pretty darn good. It’s even better the next day. It is also very simple, so, bonus! I served it with fresh steamed broccoli, and Russell and I were very satisfied.

3 servings:

1/2 lb. breakfast sausage

1/4 white onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can milk

1. Cook sausage, chopping into small bits. Drain, leaving a tbls. of grease in pan.

2. Sautee’ onions, celery, and almonds in drippings until veggies are tender and almonds are toasty.

3. Cook instant rice according to package. Stir in sausage and onion mix.

4. In medium, heavy saucepan, bring to a boil cream of chicken soup and milk.

5. Mix soup and sausage mixture in deep baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 min. or until hot through. Sprinkle with more toasted almonds.

Spam Swiss Pie?! For real? September 18, 2007

Apparently, my gmail account posts a link to something it thinks I might be interested in. Like Spam Swiss Pie. Do I even dare look at the recipe? Spam, in my experience, is the brunt of a Monty Python skit. “Spam Spam and more Spam….” and it goes on and on. It’s also on a bunch of thrift store t-shirts that take something really odd or totally random and make it cool by, well, putting it on a t-shirt. Isn’t Spam one of those wonders of the mid-20th Century when Americans decided it was a good thing to synthetically produce everything in a lab? Spam and Nylon, and Polyester. Yes, I would put them all in the same category. Though I find polyester more useful than spam, and nylon infinitely more useful than them both.

And now, I must ask the question: Why is junk email called spam? Does it have anything to do with Spam? There is probably an actual answer to that question, so I will just wait patiently for a computer-nerd friend to answer.

Back to Spam. I have nothing against other forms of processed foods. I enjoy Velveeta immensely in Rotel dip and on broccoli. I have been known to scarf down my share of hot dogs. And who knows how many Vienna Sausages I ate as a kid! But, Spam? It’s pink, bright pink. It stays in the same shape as the can. Much like dog food, or cranberry sauce, neither of which make it onto my weekly menu. I know my Grandma had some at some point, but I think the same can sat in the pantry for at least 3 years. Ironically, it was probably still good.

I often use the Kraft Foods recipe database as a starting place for meal planning. I have found some excellent recipes there, and I’ve found some stinkers. But, as Kraft owns half the world, and of course promote their own products as “necessary” ingredients for the recipes, Spam has been enjoying a mini-revival. At least I suppose, I’m not sure if anyone has actually made the recipes with Spam. Speaking of Spam recipes, who is willing to try this one? Not I, said the blogger.

One deep dish pie crust

6 eggs

1 cup whipping cream

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 can Spam Luncheon Meat, cubed

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

   Heat oven to 425'F. Bake pie shell 6-8 minutes. Reduce oven

   temperature to 350'F. In bowl, beat together eggs, whipping cream,

   and pepper. Stir in SPAM and onion. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese in pie

   shell. Pour egg mixture over cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese over

   egg. Bake 45-55 minutes or until eggs are set.