The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sausage and rice casserole a comfort-food staple
Originally fromColumbia Tennessee, hospitality professional PamArmstrongmoved toAtlanta in 1989, and currently is a senior sales manager with Marriott MidAtlantic.
Armstrong had been working reduced hours during much of the pandemic, but she’sbeenback to full time for over a month, and said business has been picking up, especially for 2021 bookings and beyond.
“Iwork remotely, because I sell all of our hotels all over,” she said.
“Duringthepandemic, I’vebeen cooking a lot. I’ve been making soupsandfreezingthem. I’vebeen making casseroles. Because I’m divorced, and I don’t have kids, when I cook, I love sharing food withfamily, friendsandneighbors."
Besides cooking, two of Armstrong’s biggest passions are collecting cookbooks and “beautiful flatware and china that is different and vintage.”
“My favorite cookbooks are by Ina Garten,” she said.
“I love her show. I’m addictedto HGTV, and all the cooking shows. Any time anyone is atmy house, I set the table with beautiful plates, andwine glasses and champagne glasses, and all of that. I just think presentation is the way. That’s frommy hospitality days, andfine dining.”
Armstrong learned to cook by watching her mothermakemeals for the family, and she often goes back to her mother’s recipes for tried-and-true potluck dishes and desserts.
Five-flavorpoundcakeandchocolateCocafavorites. But, since her mother’s passing inAugust, JoAnn’s Sausage andRiceCasserolehasbecomeher comfort-food staple.
“Shemadeitforyearsandyears,” Armstrong said.
“I’m from a small town, and whenever we’d have dinners at the church, people always asked her to please make the sausage and rice casserole. Our neighbors, and her friends and coworkers, loved, loved it. It was the go-to for our family.”