Is it possible that I don’t have much to share today other than a repeat of one of our favorite dinner recipes, Low Carb Sausage, Mushroom, and Chicken Casserole? Sometimes, especially when we have a busy day ahead, there isn’t much to report. Still, there is always something enjoyable about preparing a favorite meal that we know everyone will love.

This casserole takes about an hour to prepare, which may sound like a lot of time, but I find the process quite satisfying. Once everything has been prepared and placed in a large baking pan, it can be covered and refrigerated until later in the day. Then, about 40 minutes before dinner, it goes into the oven to bake. There is something very nice about having the hard work done early and knowing that dinner is waiting in the refrigerator, ready to be baked when we’re ready to eat.

Today, I decided to double the recipe. One pan will be for tonight’s dinner, and the second pan will be saved for tomorrow evening. That will be especially convenient since we are planning to spend the day in Kruger National Park with our friends Di and Peter, weather permitting. After a full day of driving through the park, looking for wildlife and enjoying the beautiful scenery, the last thing I want to do is spend another hour preparing dinner.

Having the second casserole already prepared will make tomorrow evening much easier. We can take it out of the refrigerator, let it bake while we relax, and enjoy a good home-cooked meal with little effort beyond making a fresh salad, which I’ve yet to do for tonight. After all, when we are traveling and entertaining guests, I have learned that anything that can be prepared in advance is a definite bonus.

So far, the weather report for tomorrow looks very promising, with a sunny, warm day expected. That makes us even more excited about our plans. Since returning to Marloth Park, there have been quite a few holidays when it was too busy to enter Kruger and other days when the weather hasn’t cooperated quite as we’d hoped. Based on all the holidays we’ve experienced since our return, tomorrow will also be the first time we’ve been able to make a trip to Kruger.

We are really looking forward to having Di and Peter experience another special part of our life here in South Africa. Kruger National Park is always an adventure, and even after all the years we’ve spent coming to Marloth Park, we never know what we might see. That’s part of the excitement. It isn’t just about finding the Big Five, although seeing any of them is always a thrill. It’s also about the smaller animals, the birds, the scenery, and those unexpected moments when something appears alongside the road that we weren’t expecting.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be one of those memorable days. We plan to take our time, enjoy the drive, watch for wildlife, and savor being together in one of our favorite places in the world.

For today, though, I’m happy to spend some time in the kitchen preparing one of our favorite casseroles. Having two pans ready to go feels like a little gift to ourselves. One delicious dinner tonight, another waiting for us tomorrow, and hopefully a wonderful day in Kruger in between. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Here’s the recipe, one more time:

Jess’s Low Carb Sausage, Mushroom and Chicken Casserole

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS

• 3 to 4 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1 pound cheesy sausage, diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped onion
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 16 ounces frozen cauliflower, cooked well, cut into flowerettes, and thoroughly drained
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, softened
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the sausage with the celery, onion, and mushrooms in a large skillet until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
2. Stir the softened cream cheese into the sausage mixture until well blended.
3. Coarsely chop the cooked and well-drained cauliflower.
4. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sausage mixture, cauliflower, and cheddar cheese. Mix well.
5. Spread the mixture evenly in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
6. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top. If desired, lightly dust with paprika.
7. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly, with the top lightly browned.
9. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Nutrition will vary depending on the type of cheesy sausage, chicken, and cheeses used. Based on the recipe as written and 8 servings, each serving is approximately:

Calories: 650
Protein: 48 g
Fat: 46 g
Total Carbohydrates: 9 g
Fiber: 2 g
Net Carbohydrates: 7 g
Sugar: 4 g

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today,  August 16, 2016: