Sausage, Rice & Noodle Casserole

It has been quite a while since I made this casserole, which used to be a staple of our newly-wed days. I don't know why it's taken me so long, because after making it again I remembered how yummy it is. It's easy and the sausage makes it a little different from your average casserole. My kids loved it, even my 1 year old, so I'm sure I'll start making it more regularly. It's such a homey tasting dinner.

Sausage, Rice, and Noodle Casserole

1 lb bulk pork sausage (I used 12 oz Jimmy Dean reduced fat sausage)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 cups water
2 envelopes dry Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup mix

Brown sausage with onion in a large skillet. Add rice and slivered almonds and cook until almonds just start to brown; spread into a 9x13 baking dish.

Meanwhile, boil 4 cups of water and add Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup Mixes to it. Stir well. Pour this over the sausage/rice mixture in the baking dish, stir around to distribute ingredients evenly. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Take foil off and bake another 10 minutes or until rice is cooked through.