Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice with Sausage and Peppers

2 tsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
12 oz. (4 links) turkey Italian Sausage (I used 5th Street Grill Italian Turkey Sausages from Costco, but you can use any turkey Italian Sausage.)
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock (I used a can of chicken broth and added water to make 2 cups.)
1 cup Uncle Ben's Brown Rice (You can use other long-grain brown rice, but cooking time might vary.)
1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (or other all-purpose seasoning blend)
1/2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (I used 1/2 teaspoon, but my sister would have preferred it a little less spicy so adjust to your heat tolerance.)
chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional) -

Cut the sausage lengthwise into four strips and then slice into small pieces. (If you're not using pre-cooked sausage, you'll need to brown it before you cut it.) Heat the 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a frying pan and brown the sausage well, stirring until it's brown on all sides. Put sausage into slow cooker.
While sausage browns, finely chop the green bell pepper and onion. After you remove the sausage, add the last teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and saute the pepper and onion 2-3 minutes; then add to the slow cooker. Add the chicken stock, rice, Spike Seasoning, salt, and Cayenne pepper and stir to combine. Cook on high for 2 hours, or until rice is tender.
Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley to garnish if desired. This freezes well, so if you have a large slow cooker you might want to double the recipe.


Serving Size: 4

Number of Servings: 4

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LAB1973.