July 29th, 2019

Cabbage and Celery Casserole, Recipes Begged Borrowed & Stolen, Meatless Monday, Easy, The Art of Wining and Dining, Southern Delaware, Delaware Beaches

It was early evening and once in a while I get on the band wagon of writing about Meatless Monday. It is a global organization trying to get peopple to eat a little healthier even if it is one day per week.

Sadie, my Rescue, was sitting outside guarding. I had the ingredients to make Cabbage and Celery Casserole. I was not doing a thing. It is Monday, what can I say.

I have put this recipe in the past on my website http://www.aboutmybeaches.com.

But a few times I make it my own recipe, adding a little bit or this or a little bit of that. The recipe really belonged to my late mother in law, Louise Merryman. She was a fabulous cook. Years ago she made a recipe book for the girls in the family called Recipes Begged, Borrowed and Stolen. And, every Christmas she gave us inserts.

This recipe is an old one she had for many years and even though she said it fed 6 to 8 people, if my late husband, John, was around that was not the case. John loved it.

Tonight I fixed the recipe just like she gave it to me. If you have a gluten allergy it would be very easy to convert.

I hope you like it. Here it goes:

2 cups sliced celery

6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage

4 tblsps. butter

In a large frying pan, melt butter and saute celery over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then, add cabbage and saute for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a fairly shallow bakig dish or casserole.

The baking dish I used was a Pyrex 9 x 13 inch one. You don’t want a deep dish.

Make the Cream Sauce:

4 tblsps. butter

3 tblsps. flour ( If you want to make it gluten free used a different flour)

2 cups milk ( I had non fat milk)

1/2 tsp salt

Dash of red pepper

1 small jar of chopped pimento

Dry Bread Crumbs are optional. I did use them. Again, if you want to make the dish gluten free you will have to adjust that.

Melt the butter in a pan, add flour and stir constantly for a minute or two over low heat to blend ingredients and take away the floury taste. You are, actually, making a roux. Then, gradually add milk, stirring and cook until mixture thickens but not too heavily thickened. Add salt, pepper, and pimento, including the liquid in the jar. Mix well and pour over the vegetable mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle with dry bread crumbs and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. If you want it a little more brown on top then just broil it for a bit. But, watch it.

The exact proportions of celery and cabbage is not important. Use what you have or prefer.

I decided I needed some color on my plate. So, local tomatoes and grilled asparus was another easy thing to add.

All I had to do is serve wine and sit outside.

Deliciously good and so satisfying.

I love the following saying: “Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” How true.

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Summer 2019 is flying by!!