Julia would be proud....

Food Network, Food TV, and The Cooking Channel, could there BE anything better to watch? (don't answer that if you disagree with me!) I like them all and my passion started early. Growing up, I remember watching Julia Child's cooking show on PBS and I absolutely adored the whole cooking process and the way recipes came together for a beautiful final product. Now if you've been following this blog, you KNOW the Perry's are a picky bunch so French cuisine is not exactly in our repertouire....and "Oui" I'm feeling rather fancy to even attempt anything of the French persuasion. The word "cassoulet" is a French dish of beans, sausages, and meat that's covered and slowly cooked. This recipe sounded good to me (and plain enough for my family) so I decided to give it a try....which is why I hope Julia would be proud. It's one small step for this cook, one giant LEAP for the persnickety Perrys.

The only real substitution I made was to use 1 tsp of Italian seasoning instead of the 1 1/2 tsp of dried thyme it originally called for. I'll admit, I'm not a huge thyme fan so thought that might be a little overpowering. The verdict: Overall I liked this dish, although I will definitely do something different with the seasoning. It just tasted out of place. I'm thinking a more garlicky approach next time. My family did not like it at all and informed me once again, they DO NOT like casseroles to which I explained, that's fine cause this ISN'T a casserole, it's a CASSOULET ! (they still weren't impressed) Sorry Julia...I gave it a shot.

Sausage and Chicken Cassoulet

1 16 oz pkg smoked sausage, sliced
1 lb uncooked chicken breast strips, chopped
1 15 oz can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1 14 oz can chicken broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning (original recipe called for 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
1 (6 oz) pkg buttermilk cornbread mix
2/3 cup low fat milk

Cook sausage over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Cook chicken in hot drippings until cooked through, drain.

Mix sausage, chicken, beans, tomato, broth, and seasoning all together and bring to a boil. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 casserole dish.

Mix cornbread mix with milk and pour evenly on top of casserole.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
(note: I cooked this in two separate 8 x 8 pans and shared one with my sister)