Sausage Almond Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 lb. sausage

• 1 bell pepper chopped

• 1 medium onion

• 1 cup diced celery

• 1 cup raw rice

• 1 pkg. chicken noodle soup mix

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• 3 ½ cups boiling water

• ½ cup chopped or sliced toasted almonds

Instructions

Cook sausage until brown and crumbly in skillet. Drain off drippings and set aside. Add peppers, onions and celery to skillet and cook gently until melted or limp. Add rice and stir to mix with vegetables. Remove from heat. Combine soup mix with soup and gradually stir in boiling water. Combine all ingredients except nuts in 2-quart casserole or bigger. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or 1 hour. Mix lightly with fork after 30 minutes of cooking and sprinkle almonds over top. Return to oven and cook remaining time.

From Edna Morsani Zulpo (Mama Z.)