Joey's Sausage and Cauliflower Casserole

 When I first made this casserole, I used whatever ingredients I happened to have on hand. TBH, It's not always a big success whenever I do this, but this time, it had great potential, so I figured I should probably write it down. I made a list of everything that was in the dish, and added a few notes detailing what I liked about the dish and what I didn't. (Apparently I was very organized that day. Such is not always the case!) Anyway, it took two more tries, but I think I've finally settled on the final product! I didn't make any huge changes, just a couple minor tweaks, and here we are! My nephew, Daniel, told me he'd trade me some tomatoes from his garden for some of my casserole. DEAL! And of course, I asked him if I should change anything. NOPE! Not a thing! Alrighty then! Works for me! I like that it's not a heavy casserole, and it has fewer carbs than your basic noodle casserole. It's simple to throw together and you can swap out any ingredients to suit your tastes. Easy, huh? I think the key is that the spices from the sausage flavor the whole dish. It's makes everything SO flavorful! And as Daniel said "There's just the right amount of cheese." Perfect! Glad you like it, Daniel Boone. Thanx for being my taste tester and thanx for the tomatoes!!


1 lb sweet Italian sausage, bulk or removed from casings
1 red bell pepper, chopped
10 oz mushrooms, any kind you like, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions, chopped
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
4 oz American cheese, cubed
4 oz Swiss cheese, cubed
S&P to taste
pinch or two crushed red pepper flakes
 8 oz shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Break up sausage into small pieces and brown in a large skillet with a little oil. Remove from pan to a large mixing bowl. Add peppers, mushrooms, scallions and garlic. Saute until tender. Add to mixing bowl along with all remaining ingredients except for the Cheddar cheese. Toss everything together and then pour into a glass 9x13 baking dish. Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender. Top with shredded cheese. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Tips:
Use whatever veggies you like! Broccoli, spinach, carrots, onions, it will all work!
Use as much or as little crushed red pepper as you like. I only like it a little warm, not hot. So I only added a pinch. But if you like it hot and spicy, go for it! Or use hot sausage instead of the sweet!