One Month

One month. 4 weeks. 20 days. Of what? SCHOOL! We have almost made it. We've been checking those 180 days off the calendar and it's almost time to put our Sharpie away.

I know many of you will actually see your school year come to an end before us, but I am okay with going until May 31st. Why? Because come August, we get an extra week of fun!

While we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we can't shift into coast quite yet. There is SO much to do. Let's see, Adam and Alex just got back from a week in DC for the 8th grade class trip. Next week Alex will be confirmed into our church. There is Mother's Day. Alex's first school dance. An award ceremony for an academic award he's received (YAY!!!) Memorial Day and then finally Graduation. Whew...I'm tired just thinking of it all. And that's not to mention the every day homework, finals to study for, and you know, life.

Time for mommy to bust out some easy meals so supper time doesn't become ham sandwiches every night. And for me, that means casseroles! I have a hundred of them, and would love a hundred more. This one has three of our favorite things included. Sausage. Mushrooms. Rice.

Seriously. These boys I live with could eat rice every single day. From the oldest to the baby, it is basically a food group to them. Hence why I knew this would be a hit; and boy was I right.

If you're winding down the school year, but it is busier than ever, maybe you can use a simple casserole supper too! 

Sausage & Wild Rice Casserole

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 medium white onion, diced

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 (6 oz.) box wild rice mix

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 3/4 c. chicken broth

1 c. finely shredded cheddar cheese

Black Pepper to taste 

Dried Parsley

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. In a large skillet, brown sausage until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat. Add veggies, thyme, garlic powder, seasoning packet from rice and pepper. Cook until veggies are crisp tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add broth, soup, rice and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir well to combine. Transfer to baking dish. (It will be wet!) Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour until rice is tender. Add remaining cheese and parsley. Cook for 5 minutes to melt. Stir well before serving.