Poblano Potato and Sausage Casserole

Poblano Potato and Sausage  Casserole. A couple times a year my husband will bring home this 2 1/2 pound block of extra sharp cheese which happens to be made right here in New York. He forgets that there are only two of us and that he does not really like cheddar cheese, lol! It’s perfectly fine with me. The cheese comes in handy when I am cooking for a large group or need a dish to pass. Once a week, I volunteer to prepare a meal for a group of generous people that give their time to the community. Since I cannot be there in person to volunteer, I do it from my kitchen. I know that the meals are appreciated and I really enjoy the challenge of coming up with a new recipe every week. I do not prepare many casseroles, but they are a tasty, easy and convenient way to share a meal.

Ingredients

6 slices of sandwich bread (I used wheat), sliced into cubes
2 cups spicy italian sausage (I added turkey, diced
Olive oil
3 cups russet potato
1 sweet onion, diced

1 large poblano, sliced thin or diced
1 jalapeño, seeded, minced
2 1/2 cups extra sharp cheese, shredded
5 large eggs
2 1/4 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for topping
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/3  teaspoon pepper
Crushed oregano, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread out sliced bread cubes onto baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 13 minutes or until crispy and dried out. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Add the sausage to a pan with 1/4 cup water. Cover and heat to medium/low. Once the water evaporates, ad 1 tablespoon of olive oil and contniue cooking until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat to cool. Dice when cooled.

2. In a large skillet, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat to medium. Add the potatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and continue to cook, stirring often, until potatoes are brown on most sides. Drain onto a large plate lined with paper towels. To that same skillet, ad 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the poblanos, onions and jalapeño. Cook for another 5  to 7 minutes or until the peppers/onions are soft. Remove from heat.

3. Add the toasted bread to the bottom of baking pan in an even layer. Add the sausage, potato mixture and 1 1/2 cups of cheese. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs milk, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and a little crush oregano and smoked parpika. Bake loosely covered with foil paper for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with your favorite salsa. Yields 8 to 10 servings.