Veggies and Rice with Sausage

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rice (white or brown)
• 2 Tbsp. chicken soup start (not bouillon)
• 4 cups water
• 1 bag mixed frozen veggies (corn, carrots, beans, Lima beans) not thawed
• 1 medium onion, chopped small (but not minced)
• 1/2 or 1 lb. smoked sausage, cut into cubes (polish, kielbasa, or smoked brats)
• 1/2 stick butter or margarine
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook rice with soup starter according to package directions. I usually use my rice cooker for this part.

When rice is halfway done, melt butter in large skillet. Add in onion and frozen veggies and saute, stirring frequently. All veggies to begin to caramelize, getting a crispy glaze on one side. Add in sausage just before veggies are done to a crisp-tender stage. This whole process takes no more than 10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Add rice into the veggies and sausage mixture and stir well to mix all ingredients. Serve immediately.

For variation, you can add in fresh veggies you may have on hand. I've used cubed zucchini, cubed and peeled eggplant, sliced mushrooms, fresh corn from a cob, etc. You can also add two or three chopped scrambled eggs to enrich the protein in this dish. Add spices to your taste, but go lightly; the flavor is in the veggies and rice. Be creative, use what you have on hand! I do not recommend ever using canned veggies in this recipe, only fresh or frozen. Also, I have tried beef soup starter and it doesn't taste as nice (or look as nice) as the chicken flavor.

By Susabelle from Longmont, CO