Smoked Sausage and Potato Casserole

It's not the best photo, but I wasn't really planning to share this one; once I tasted it, though, I decided it was a keeper.  I saw a recipe recently for a bratwurst and potato soup, and used it as a starting point for a smoked sausage and potato casserole. I got lucky and came up with something really tasty.

***Please note that mine looks a little different than yours will look. That's because I had about a cup of leftover mildly seasoned ground beef that I threw in on a whim at the last minute. I don't think it affected the overall taste of the casserole much, but it did change it's appearance.***

I used an oven-safe skillet for both the stove top and oven steps of the recipe. You can use a regular skillet and transfer it all to a baking dish if desired.



Annie's Smoked Sausage and Potato Casserole

2 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
1 pkg. (12 to 16 oz.) fully-cooked smoked sausage, casings removed then diced
4 medium potatoes, diced (peeling them is optional)
4 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk

Heat butter and olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan; cook onion and carrot in pan until carrot begins to get tender. Add sausage pieces and diced potatoes. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until potatoes are fork-tender.

Heat oven to 300°F.

Meanwhile, place cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, then milk, until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, until sauce has thickened. Stir sauce into potato and sausage mixture, then transfer all to a large baking dish.

Place uncovered casserole in oven and bake until sauce is thickened as desired, about 30 minutes.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.