Jolean's Cheese Potato & Sausage Casserole (R)

[Loupy]

Jolean's Cheese Potato & Smoked Sausage Casserole
By Stacky5 @ www.food.com/recipe

This was another one of our favorites in the 70's Very inexpensive and very easy to make. Just recently found this recipe hand-written by my Mom and the warm feelings flood back to me, because this was a true favorite in our house. Little did I know that she was on such a tight budget, yet made things like this that we all loved!! NOTE: The meat that was used in this recipe always varied, according to whatever we had available at the time.


prep time: 20 min
cook time: 40 min
Total Time: 1 hr

Serves: 4


Ingredients:
3 cups idaho potatoes, peeled, boiled and cut into cubes when cool, approx. 1 lb
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 (Eckrich is my favorite brand)
1/8 teaspoon paprika


Directions:
Cut skinless smoked sausage in half, lengthwise, and then chop into 1/2 inch "half moon" cuts.
Cook in a frying pan for about 15 minutes, turning frequently to SLIGHTLY brown.

Meanwhile, put cooked & diced potatoes in 2 quart casserole.
Add cooked meat and give it a gentle toss.

Mix all remaining ingredients (except for shredded cheddar cheese & the paprika) in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, melted and smooth. (Use a whisk and stir constantly.).

Pour white/cheese sauce over potatoes and meat.
Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and then sprinkle paprika evenly over the top.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 35-45 minutes (watch, until golden brown on top).

  NOTE: You can substitute: 1/2 lb. hot dogs, sliced into 1/2-inch slices OR 1/2 lb. ham diced into 1/2-inch dices OR 12 oz. can of Spam diced into 1/2-inch dices, instead of the smoked sausage

Loupy's note: I never use velvetta. It's too expensive and is not real cheese. So, when a recipe calls for it I substitute a real cheese that I think will go in the recipe. Check out our thread "Homemade" for homemade velvetta.



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[Loupy]

I made this on 10-16-12. My husband loved it and so did I. Very easy to make especially if you have leftover potatoes. Otherwise it does take a little longer. I used sharp cheddar and a mix of mild cheddar and mozzarella. I refuse to use velvetta ever since I read what it's really made of. YUCK. Anyway we live in a small RV park and the neighbors next door asked me later what I cooked because it smelled so good. So, with my husbands & my approval and my neighbors, I think this was a hit. Oh, my husband said I could make this again any day of the week.
I would recommend this to anyone with kids or without. Great recipe.
We give this recipe...

[Loupy]

I made this again tonight 4-11-13. I used mozzarella and sharp cheddar cheese instead of velveeta. The one thing I did notice is that we got about 8 servings out of this casserole. 4 would have been too much for us to eat and not fit on our plates...LOL. So, just be aware of this. We had peas and a nice salad with it. I could not find beets to make the harvard beets. We still love this casserole and I will make it again in a few months. Maybe in the fall because the oven really warms up my place and it's already hot enough in Arizona and it will only get hotter.

Enjoy!!!