Broccoli Casserole - Twice

This is going to be the story of the two broccoli casserole recipes found in my mother's recipe box. And how the original recipe had morphed into the recipe we use today. 

This recipe is a tradition in our house for Thanksgiving. Sometimes Christmas. It all depended if Mom decided on doing a turkey or dad talked her into a standing rib roast. It always went with the turkey and never with the roast. 

It's not healthy. And screams 1970's. 

Mom's Broccoli Casserole (the recipe we use today):

• 1 stick of oleo (we use butter actually)
• 1 c celery, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 c minute rice
• 1 package chopped broccoli, thawed (not cooked)
• 1/2 lb burger or sausage (we almost always used a roll of Jimmy Deans original sausage)
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1 jar (8oz) CheezWhiz

Melt the butter in a pan. Add the celery and onion. Cook until translucent. Add it to a big bowl for mixing later.

Cook the sausage (or beef). Drain and put in the large mixing bowl.

Cook minute rice. Add to the large mixing bowl.

Add broccoli, cream of mushroom soup and cheezwhiz to the large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Taste it for seasoning, but it's rare you need to season it because of the salt content in the cheezwhiz and sausage. 

Put into a 9X11 dish. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until it's bubbling.

The original recipe...

• 2 packages chopped broccoli, frozen
• 1-2 cups rice (minute rice)
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 small jar CheezWhiz
• 1 onion chopped

Brown onion in butter (note it's not listed in the ingredient list). Add broccoli, soup, cheezwhiz and stir until bubbling. Bake 30 minutes at 350F.

I remember VIVIDLY the year dad added the sausage. It was in the fridge and he wanted to use it up. I have no idea when the celery was added, but it's a nice add.