Sausage-and-Wild Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 1 lb sage ground pork sausage 
• 3.5 cups chicken broth low-sodium
• 1 large onion chopped
• 0.5 cup pecans chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
• 12 oz rice mix long-grain wild
• 1 tablespoon tsp. rubbed sage dried fresh chopped

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• baking pan
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Heat 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 minutes or until toasted.
2. Remove toasted pecans from skillet.
3. Brown sausage in same skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink.
4. Remove sausage from skillet using a slotted spoon; reserve drippings in skillet.
5. Melt butter in hot drippings over medium heat.
6. Add onion and celery, and saut 10 to 15 minutes or until celery is tender.
7. Remove 1 seasoning packet from rice mixes; reserve for another use.
8. Combine sausage, vegetable mixture, remaining seasoning packet, rice, and next 3 ingredients in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Stir in chicken broth until well blended.
9. Bake, covered, at 325 for 1 hour or until liquid is almost absorbed.
10. Let stand 5 minutes.
11. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.