Creative Cooking Sausage Rice Casserole

It really was this yellow!

Unfortunately, I could not find saffron threads at the "Hog" (a much larger version of our "Piglet" Piggly Wiggly) and so Mr. Big Food substituted turmeric. He made other adjustments as well. The sausage is homemade Linguica, a Portuguese sausage. He tells me that when he made it a while back, he forgot to get port so he substituted sherry, "But it was still pretty good." He is correct!

This is half the recipe, by the way-- two layers of rice, onions, sausage & whatnot instead of four. There was plenty and it was all good! Mr. Big Food made a curious observation the other day, though I don't think it's really a surprise to anyone. He noted that serving sizes have changed over time. As you can imagine, when you've looked at literally thousands of recipes, you are bound to come across some exact duplicates-- identical ingredients, identical quantities. What's not identical, though, is how many folks these identical quantities will feed. A recipe from the crappy olden days fed more than the identical recipe does in our thoroughly modern times. Makes sense, as a lot we are getting taller. (Poppycock!)

Recipe below the fold. 

CREATIVE COOKING SAUSAGE RICE CASSEROLE

1/4 C milk + additional 1 C

1/2 tsp safforn OR 1 1/2 tsp turmeric

2 onions chopped course

1 lb bulk sausage (preferably homemade) rolled into links and baked at 350º for 20 minutes, turned and baked another 15 minutes

1/2 C rice

salt & pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

1/2 - 3/4 C water

Preheat oven to 325º. Steep saffron/turmeric in 1/4 C heated milk for 30 mins. Scatter 1 chopped onion in bottom of lightly greased casserole. Top onion with half of the cooked sausages. Sprinkle with half the rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top with remaining onion, sausages, rice, salt & pepper, and insert bay leaf. Pour saffron/turmeric milk, additional 1 cup milk, and water over all. Cover and bake one hour.