This recipe lends itself to improvisation—you can use different sausages as well as different flavored rice products. Just be sure to keep the weights and measures the same when making substitutions.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Baking Time: 25 minutes
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

6.75-ounce package Spanish rice pilaf
2 cups hot tap water
8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables (preferably green beans, wax beans and
carrots
12-ounce package cooked chicken sausage, preferably Cajun style
2/3 cup pecan halves

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Combine pilaf mixture and water; microwave, covered, 8 minutes. Meanwhile put vegetables in warm water to thaw slightly.
2. Cut sausage crosswise diagonally into 3/4-inch chunks. Combine pilaf mixture (including liquid), the drained vegetables, sausage and pecans in baking dish. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Fluff before serving.

Nutrition information per serving: calories: 467; protein: 24g; carbs: 38g; saturated fat: 5g; monounsaturated fat: 13g; polyunsaturated fat: 7g; cholesterol: 68mg; fiber: 5g; sodium: 892mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission