"Did you make this on purpose?"

When you have a very picky eater, as child #4 is, it is not very often that you get a thumbs-up on a meal you've prepared. Do you feel my pain?
I'm used to it...I don't like it when I've spent time, effort, & resources to present a perfectly good dinner only to have one "no thank you bite" taken...but I'm used to it. (Children 1 through 3 have had their picky moments too!) After 18 years, she is getting more brave and trying a few more foods. But she's a little iffy about things mixed together, as in casseroles or crockpot stuff. And veggies may never be her thing--at least not while she's living under my roof. Glad she's made friends with green salad, even though lettuce and carrots are the extent of her bravery in the produce section.
Which brings me to last night's dinner: Potato & Sausage Au Gratin cooked all day long in my crock pot. Smelled and looked delicious to me...but I was ready for her oft-used "no thank you bite".  I was surprised to see her serving herself a good-sized portion of the creamy stuff. After one bite she asked,
"Did you make this on purpose?"
Really? It was a compliment! She liked it! Her only comment was that she would have liked to have corn as a side dish to add to her bowl. Corn? (Hey, that's kind of a vegetable.) And you want to mix it in? You betcha I'll have corn next time!

Red Potato & Apple Sausage Au Gratin
2 c. sliced sausages (I used Al Fresco Brand "Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage")
4 c. quartered raw red potatoes
1 c. chopped onion
3/4 c. shredded cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. yellow mustard

Parboil potatoes 10 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, brown onions and sausage together in a skillet.
Spray crock pot with non-stick spray. Combine drained potatoes with sausage and onions. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. In a small bowl, combine soup, spices and mustard. Stir soup mixture into potato mixture. Mix well. Place in crock pot. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.