Cheesy Kielbasa and Rice Skillet

This was a gem my mom uncovered a long, long time ago. This recipe apparently won a contest, and we can see why; we love it in my family!

Ingredient list:

1 can of cream of celery soup; I like the lower sodium kind, since it balances out well with the saltiness of the kielbasa
1 rope of kielbasa, cut into half moon shapes. I find it easiest to cut the rope into several segments, cutting those in half, and then cutting my pieces down. I use Hillshire Farms Lite Polska Kielbasa
1 cup of dried rice
1 to 1 1/2 cups of frozen sweet peas; if you love peas, more is better in this recipe!
1/2 to 1 cup cheddar cheese; I recommend 2% Sargento shredded cheddar. It melts and tastes like the full fat version, and allows you to be a bit more generous with the amount of cheese you can use for lower calories.


Instructions:

- In a large skillet (one with high walls, a regular pan won't work for this), empty out the cream of celery soup, and add around 2 full cans of water to the pan. Save the can, since you may need to add in additional water later.
- Add in the rice, and bring all three to a simmer. Cover, and allow the rice to cook for about 15-20 minutes, checking and stirring frequently.
- Check on your rice at this point. Cooking up nicely? Awesome! If you notice your rice has absorbed a lot of the liquid and is still hard, add in an extra can of water.
- Once your rice is mostly cooked, add in your cut kielbasa. Cover again, and allow it to simmer together, and the rice to cook more. Keep an eye on it, and cook until the rice is completely done.
- When the rice is soft and done, add in your frozen peas and cover again.
- Once the peas are heated through, as well as your kielbasa and rice, take the pan off of the heat. Add in your shredded cheese, and cover again.
- After a few minuntes, stir everything together, and serve.

With the ingredients I used, my entire recipe came out to 1,950 calories. Since I plan on dividing mine up into 5 separate containers, each serving came out to 397 calories, 17g fat, 22g of protein, and 38g of carbs. I love this recipe since it easily fits into your macros (as long as you aren't low fat or low carb). And, it's great at keeping me filled up, and satisfies my cravings for something hearty, especially during cold winter months.

Here's a stock photo I found online of this recipe, because it never lasts long enough for me to take a photo (plus, the stock photo is prettier than mine! Lol)

Enjoy!