Recipe Zaar: Rice Krispies Sausage Casserole

A while back I had a really big box of Rice Krispies sitting in the cabinet. I was the only one in the house eating them and it was taking forever to put a dent in the box.

I decided to google "Rice Krispie recipe" and amidst the many hits for Rice Krispie Treats I discovered Rice Krispie Sausage Casserole on Recipe Zaar.

I made it for the hubby and son one night for dinner and what do you know-- the casserole dish was emptied; not a morsel left! Ever since my first attempt at this interesting dish it's been a hit! I made it for Easter and also today for Aunt Therese's birthday brunch. Everyone seems to love it!

Since Rice Krispies Sausage Casserole seems to be so popular I thought I'd share the recipe and also money-saving tips on ingredient substitutions.

When I first made it, I followed the recipe exactly:

Ingredients
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb hot sausage, browned
1 lb mild sausage, browned
2 cups cooked rice (or more)
5 cups Rice Krispies
2 (10 ounce) cans cream of celery soup
1/4 cup milk
2 (8 ounce) packages sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 eggs, beaten

Directions
1. Brown sausage and onion together; drain.
2. Mix sausage mixture with rice.
3. Layer with Rice Krispies and cheese, dividing between 2 (2 qt.) casserole dishes.
4. Mix together eggs, milk and soup and spoon over tops of csseroles.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Since my first casserole, I've played around and substituted with what I've had on hand. A few inexpensive substitutions and tips that worked for me:

Substituted:

(5) boxes of thawed Brown 'N Serve sausage, chopped, for 1 lb mild & 1 lb hot sausage

Mozzarella, Monterey, Colby, and Pepperjack cheese for sharp cheddar

2 cans of Cream of Mushroom for 2 cans of Cream of Celery

2 cans of Cream of Chicken for 2 cans of Cream of Celery

Aldi brand of cream soups when I ran out of Campbell's

Inexpensive tip:

Use Eggland's Best egg coupons at a store that doubles. You'll typically get "better eggs" for less than the store brand.

So what do you think? Sound good? Are you willing to try this interesting recipe?