Frugal Foodie Friday - Sausage Broccoli and Noodle Casserole

Thursday, December 5, 2013 Add Comment Edit

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While this is a nice recipe for any cook in a hurry, it is a gift for those who must feed a family on a limited food budget. It's also wonderful for teenage cooks and dormitory cooking. I found the recipe in Family Circle magazine and chose it because it because it was inexpensive to prepare. I had no expectations the first time I made the dish, but I was pleasantly surprised. For six dollars and ten minutes of my time, I ended up with a hearty and quite tasty meal that proved yet again, that I don't know as much as I think I do. There are no tricks to the preparation of this dish and you'll need no special equipment to make it. Its cost and ease of preparation make it a perfect choice for a frugal Friday feature and I think you will enjoy it. Do give it a try. Here is how this very simple dish is made.

Sausage, Broccoli and Noodles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
3 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodle soup, chicken flavor
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 links sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
3 cups frozen baby broccoli flowerets, thawed
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles for 2 minutes, reserving seasoning packets for later use. Drain noodles and set aside. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream and cornstarch. Set aside.
2) Cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking up with a spoon, for 5 minutes or until cooked through.
3) Add broccoli, 1 cup water and 1-1/2 teaspoons of the ramen chicken seasoning to skillet. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes or until broccoli is cooked through.
4) Remove cover and stir sour cream mixture into skillet. Cook for 1 minute or until sauce has thickened. Add noodles to skillet and toss to coat with sauce. Season to taste with freshly cracked pepper (I used 1/4 teaspoon). Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.