Diva Goes Organic

This is one of our favorite dinner recipes when I’m not feeling very creative. We love the combination of flavors and you can mix it up to make it different ways. We always have enough for leftovers (which I love!) and it reheats well. I happened to use jalapeno cheddar sausages and mixed organic vegetables the last time I made this. The combinations are endless!

Cheesy Sausage & Potato Casserole

2-3 high quality sausages or brats (we get ours from our local butcher and our favorites are apple sausage or jalapeno cheddar)
Organic potatoes, diced and slightly cooked (I leave the skins on and I eyeball this based on how many I think we need but typically 3-5 medium or large potatoes works)
4 Tbls organic butter
4 Tbls organic flour (I use whole wheat)
2 cups raw milk or organic milk (raw is best!)
1/2 – 1 block of organic, sharp cheddar
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
Organic veggies of your choice (we like to use peas or mixed veggies with corn/green beans/peas/carrots)

Brown your sausage in a pan until fully cooked. I like to slice mine up into bite size pieces once cooked but sometimes I slice it up before cooking too. While the sausage is cooking, get your potatoes boiling until not quite fork tender. You don’t want to overcook them since they’ll continue to cook in the oven. If using frozen veggies (which we typically do), toss them into the boiling water just before draining the potatoes. Add the sausage, potatoes and veggies into a casserole dish. Preheat the oven to 350.

This is everything in the casserole dish before pouring the cheese sauce on and mixing.

Melt butter in a saucepan and add in the flour. Stir well and cook for a minute or two. Add the milk, bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Once the roux has thickened up, season it and add in the cheese. We shred our own cheese from blocks of cheese and if you do the same, you can also just cut it up in small pieces. I did this last time and it worked just fine. Just make sure it all melts and gets fully incorporated. Once the cheese sauce is fully melted, pour it over the other ingredients in the casserole dish and mix well. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and enjoy!

Is this the most attractive looking, photogenic meal? Not by a long shot. But does it taste great? You better believe it!