Right, so if you ever need proof that I am a genius then look no further….Sausage and Baked Bean Casserole….it’s kind of like a poor mans Cassoulet (thats french for sausage and baked bean casserole 😉 Again, proof that I am multi lingual as well!

First things first. The photo. Now it isn’t the best looking shot in the world I will admit, but you try and cook this and make it look all fancy. This is more about taste and enjoyment when eating rather than trying to impress someone with fancy looks. Plus I didn’t have a tripod and I didn’t have any natural light as it was grey outside with horizontal rain. (A good dish to cook when it’s like this by the way)

ok so this one is really easy, pretty healthy and only takes about half an hour. If you have kids its a great one to give them as it’s got loads of vege in but cunningly disguised by baked beans. It’s an evolution of the baked beans and sausages in a tin you probably used to have as a kid only a bit more grown up. You can still wear a silly hat and pull faces when you eat it if you like.

If you are  giving this to kids then cut up the vege a bit smaller (they’ll never know!) If you’re feeling more grown up and brave then cut the vege a bit more roughly. Feel free to mess with this recipe and change things up a bit. The basic idea is cook some vege and some sausages together and chuck a load of beans in there.

ok so this will feed 4-5 people easily. You will need.

 2 tins of Heinze baked beans you can use other beans if you like but come on!
1 large onion or 2 medium onions
4-5 carrots
2 courgettes if they are massive courgettes then only use 1
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 medium leek
a handful of mushrooms
1 large pepper (capsicum for you crazy Aussies out there!) colour of your choice. Red works well
6-8  Pork Sausages no need to go too fancy with the flavour of sausage. Just a simple pork sausage is great.
500ml of chicken stock or vege stock
salt and pepper
butter
olive oil
fresh parsley
mixed dried herbs or thyme 

1. ok so roughly chop all the vege and cut up the sausages into about 1 inch bits. In a nice large deep sauce pan on a medium heat add some oil and add the sausages. Let them brown off on all sides for a few mins then remove from the pan and put to one side.

2. Now add the onions and carrots season with salt and pepper and cook down for about 5 mins, Now with about 2 mins of stirring between adding each ingredient add the peppers, then the courgettes, then the leeks, then the mushrooms and then the garlic.

3. Now add the sausages back to the pan give it a sprinkle with mixed herbs or thyme. Mix well then add a level tablespoon/two teaspoons of flour and mix well. Give this 3 mins of stirring gently then add the stock so you just cover everything. Bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for about 10 mins then add the beans. Stir well and let it bubble for a further 5 mins then add a knob of butter and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and serve with mash potato. I’m sure I dont really need to tell you how to make mash but it’s in my bangers and mash recipe on my featured recipe page

If you’re feeling really fancy then make it like a cottage pie. Stick the bean mixture in an oven proof dish  (a pyrex dish is good for this) and add the mash on top with some cheese and stick it in the oven on 200°C for 20 mins. Well good! Ultimate comfort food I reckons.