Potato & Sweet Chicken Sausage Chowder

Meghan Williams's Note:

This was a random creation one night and has since become a hands-down favorite. I LOVE it! A delightful blend of flavors - great for cold days :) Please note the nutrition facts are based on "sausage" rather than "chicken sausage" - so it throws it off.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 30 ounces shredded hash browns (I use a bag of Oreda's frozen ones)
• 32 ounces diced hash browns (I use a bag of Oreda's frozen cubed hash browns)
• 32 ounces rice milk (one regular sized container, you can swap it our for milk if you want)
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 5 chicken apple sausages (I use Trader Joe's)
• 2 large onions
• 2 -3 tablespoons butter

Seasonings which can be modified to taste

• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1 teaspoon salt (I use Celtic Sea Salt)
• 1 teaspoon season salt (I use Lawry's)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

1. Put the milk and frozen shredded hash browns in a pot over high heat. Cover.
2. Cut the sausages into bite-sized pieces (personally I do the coin-sized ones cut in half).
3. Brown the sausages in a skillet using a little butter.
4. While sausage is browning, the hash browns should soften as the milk begins to simmer.
5. Once the hash browns are soft, pour the milk/hash brown combo into a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth (gives a nice thick, creamy base).
6. Put the creamed potatoes back in the pot over medium heat and add the cubed hash browns and seasonings.
7. When the sausage bites are nicely browned, add them to the pot as well - stir periodically.
8. Chop your onions and saute them in the skillet with the remaining butter.
9. Once onions are softened, clear, and a golden color, add them to the pot and lower the heat. Continuing to keep covered.
10. Turn heat off once the cubed potatoes are soft.
11. Allow flavors to sit and mingle in pot.
12. Serve and enjoy!