Cheesy Sausage Potato Bake

Good Monday to all.  Welcome to my new followers and thanks to everyone who takes time from their busy lives to read this blog.  I hope that you find some useful information here.  Have a great first week in April.

Recently I need to use up a roll of Jimmy Dean Sausage that I had in my refrigerator and wanted to use it to make something for dinner.  After wandering the internet to get some ideas; as usual, I pretty much came up with my own thing.

I combined the sausage with some diced potatoes, added a cheese sauce, and topped the whole thing with French fried onions.  I could have added peas, peas and carrots or other veggie to make this a one-dish meal.   Of course, I added some diced red pepper.  You could use green pepper if that is more your thing.

Hubby liked this one.  It is the kind of thing that is easy for him to reheat to eat on the nights that I work.

 Cheesy Sausage Potato Bake
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks (enough to cover the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish in a single layer)
1/2 c. diced red pepper
1 lb. ground sausage
1/2 c.  flour
3 c. milk
1 to 2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 can (6 oz.) French fried onions

Place potato chunks in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes.  Add diced red pepper and boil 5 minute more.  Remove from heat and drain off water.  Meanwhile, brown sausage in a large skillet.  Place potato/red pepper mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.  Remove sausage from skillet with a slotted spoon and spread over potato/red pepper mixture in a single layer.  Add flour to skillet and stir well to mix with sausage drippings.  Gradually add the milk, stirring and bringing to a boil.  Boil 1 minute or until thickened to medium/thick sauce consistency.  Stir in cheese and cook until cheese is melted stirring to blend.  Pour cheese sauce over sausage and potatoes in baking dish.  Spread French fried onions evenly over the top.  Bake at 350 degrees until browned and bubbly.  Serves 6 to 8.