Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Sausage Casserole

Ok so I am NOT a casserole person.  I mean, I like them, but I don't make them.  My mom always laughed that it was such an Ohio thing.  With three siblings growing up in the bitter cold, they relied on casseroles.  Pretty sure she's casseroled-out.  But I tried this.  And I loved it.  And something tells me that my Dade City family is a fan of casseroles.  My mother-in-"love" is the queen of finding food items and tossing them in to make a good, well-rounded meal.  Well, I gotta say, that is SMART.  And easy.  And eco-friendly.  And hallelujah, every single person in our family ate it.  And loved it.  And that never happens.  Enjoy.

Also - this can all be prepped ahead of time, then placed in the oven 45 minutes before serving.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 Cup quinoa (uncooked - then cook according to package)
3/4 Cup low fat cream cheese
1 Cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 14.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 Cup broccoli florets, chopped and stems removed
1 Cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 Lb mild italian chicken sausage (I purchased from deli, in their casings, then removed casings)
1 Medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Method:

1.  Cook quinoa according to package and set aside.
2.  In a pan, saute chopped onions until almost tender, about 4-5 minutes.  Remove casings from sausage and add sausage to the pan over medium heat, chopping until sausage has a ground texture.  Turn the stove off, and add in the chopped spinach and place a lid on the pan to wilt the spinach.
3.  Steam or boil broccoli until tender crisp - DO NOT OVERCOOK.  (like 2 minutes) Drain and set aside.
4.  In a large bowl, stir chicken soup, cheddar cheese and cream cheese.  Add sausage mixture, broccoli, and quinoa and stir completely.  Add salt and pepper to your liking.
5.  Pour into a casserole dish.  When ready, bake covered at 350 for 40 minutes.  Then broil uncovered for 5 to get brown and bubbly.