Place a rack in the center of the oven then preheat to 350 degrees. Spray a 2 qt casserole dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Please note that this recipe requires 3 cups of cooked rice. If you do not have any left over rice in the refrigerator, now is the time to start cooking it—1 cup uncooked rice will yield approximately 3 cups cooked rice.

Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the sliced sausage and cook for about 5 minutes until it has browned slightly.

Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper and celery to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Next, sprinkle the creole seasoning and flour over the sausage and vegetables then stir to combine. Once the flour has completely coated the mixture and no dry flour remains, pour in the chicken broth and stir until a smooth sauce forms. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and add the cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted and completely incorporated in the sauce. Add the cooked white rice and stir to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared 2 qt casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil then bake for 25-30 minutes. While the casserole bakes, season the shrimp with the additional 1 tsp of creole seasoning and set aside.

After the casserole has baked for 25-30 minutes, remove the foil and stir in the seasoned shrimp. Return the casserole to the oven for an additional 5−10 minutes, just until the shrimp is cooked through and casserole is hot in the center. Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and sliced green onion then serve it with lemon wedges for a little more zip! Enjoy!