October 27th, 2013
Casseroles are a favorite this time of the year. The weather is cooler; they are such comfort foods. Casseroles can be assembled and even cooked ahead of time. Otherwise, just place in the oven before guests come for a simple dinner that can be a main meal or a side dish.
This Baked Cheesy Pasta with Veggies is very easy to make and it only takes from start to finish about 45 minutes. Hope you like it.
12 ounce bowtie pasta
1 bag (12 ounces) broccoli florets (I buy the smallest ones I can find.)
1 tablespoon butter, plus a bit more to grease the dish
2 chopped shallots
1 package (8 ounces) sliced mushrooms
4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bag (5 ounces) baby spinach
5 ounces fontina cheese, grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/3 cup plus about 2 extra tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a shallow 3 quart baking dish.
Cook the pasta per package directions. Add broccoli during the last few minutes of cooking. Drain and return, both, the broccoli and pasta to the pot.
Melt butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms. Saute until tender; about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, flour, salt and pepper. Pour into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer, stirring, until it thickens. Stir in spinach. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of the fontina cheese and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Pour the sauce over into the pot with pasta and broccoli, making sure you toss and coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining fontina and Parmesan cheeses.
Baked until the cheese melts and it starts to brown…depending how you oven is, it might take about 15 minutes.
For the most part I think people do love casseroles. Share them with family and friends!! Enjoy!
January 29th, 2012
A Greek Moussaka is similar to an Italian lasagna. There are different variations of moussaka. Mine is from a recipe I got in 2004. No potatoes are used in this recipe. You can use beef or lamb. I wanted lamb but, of course, could not find it at my Giant; ground beef was then used.
I also decided not to peel the eggplants. I picked eggplants that were medium size. The flour I used was rice flour because I needed to make this recipe gluten free.
My Greek Moussaka is comfort food and great for Sunday meals.
Greek Moussaka
3 eggplants
3 cups milk
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour (rice flour if making it gluten free)
3 eggs
a few dashes of Tabasco
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons of Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, diced
2 lbs. of either ground beef or ground lamb
8 ounces Tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon oregano
3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped (More if you love mint.)
2 cups shredded mozzarella (I shredded my own to make sure it was gluten free.)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (Again, I shredded my own.)
1 cup bread crumbs (I bought gluten free ones.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Slice eggplants 2/3 inch thick and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
White Sauce:
Heat milk in a separate saucepan. Melt butter and mix in flour, whisk and cook for 2-3 minutes to release flour taste. Add to heated milk, stir. Set aside.
Beat eggs until frothy and add to the warm milk, stir. Heat again, but do not boil. Whisk in nutmeg and Tabasco. Remove from heat.
Red Sauce:
In a frying pan add Olive oil, garlic and onion. Saute until tender, then, add beef or lamb and cook breaking into small pieces until meat is done. Add tomato juice, cinnamon, oregano and mint. Set aside.
Dredge eggplants in flour and sear on each side in olive oil.
In a casserole dish layer eggplant slices, then meat mixture, white sauce, cheese, and bread crumbs. Repeat until dish is filled. The last layer being the eggplant topped with white sauce, cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes. I decided to use my convection oven and it took about the same time. You want it to have a nice crusty top.
Slice, enjoy, add a salad or vegetable, and remember to make it your own.
Have a good one!!
April 16th, 2011
I don’t know what happened to our spring weather. It seems, no sooner do I put my fleece in the closet, I have to take it out again. Damp, chilly, soon to be a rainy day. I tried this recipe, changed it and added a few things. You know, made it my own. Hope you like it.
Pork ‘N Cabbage Casserole
6 slices bacon
6 country-style pork ribs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bag of coleslaw mix (14 or 16 ounce bag)
1 large onion
1 cup sauerkraut, drained
1 apple, chopped (I chose a Gala because I am hooked on those apples)
1 cup julienne carrots (easier from a 10-oz bag than doing it yourself)
3/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used Splenda blend)
1/4 to 1/3 cup of Apple Cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsps. caraway seed
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a deep 13 x 9 baking dish.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from skillet, place on paper towels and then crumble and place in a small bowl. Wait, don’t throw the grease out.
Sprinkle the ribs liberally with pepper. You do not need salt; there is enough in the bacon.
Then, in the bacon grease, sear them over medium high heat 3 to 4 minutes. You might need to do them in 2 batches. I know, bacon grease, is not good but everything in moderation right? You would not eat this every day. So splurge a little.
Cook the ribs on the skillet turning them just once. Take out and put it the baking dish. Continue with the next batch, if you need to.
Don’t throw the drippings out, you still need them.
In that same skillet, cook coleslaw mix and onion over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until softened and wilted. Remove from heat.
Add to the cabbage mixture, bacon, sauerkraut, apple, carrots, cider, brown sugar, vinegar, and caraway seeds. Mix well and adjust seasonings. You might want more vinegar, brown sugar or caraway seeds. If you do, then you know what to do.
Then, spoon that mixture on top of ribs.
Cover, bake for 45 minutes. I baked mine about 1 hour, though.
I did not serve anything else with this dish. If I had served it for guests I would have added a salad or a green vegetable but it was substantial and enough for my family.
Make sure you spoon some of the juices on top. They are so good; a little tangy.
Note: This recipe is gluten free. Make sure you read the sauerkraut and bacon labels.
Enjoy!!! Talk to you later…..
February 22nd, 2010
Bored and don’t know what to make this week for dinner? Sometimes it is such a chore. Believe me, I like to cook but plenty of times I really don’t make up my mind until the last minute. Some people don’t give it another thought; they figure it is just another meal. But to me it is the experience of making something from scratch; not opening another package loaded with salt, fat and “seasonings”. I like to see what I am chopping. I like to smell my food cooking and the combinations of foods on my plate.
Keeping it simple is the best way to go about it. So, the following recipes are easy and I think you might like them.
Baked Chicken Breasts With Parmesan Garlic Crust
1 cup breadcrums, fresh are the best
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (grate it yourself, it is better)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6-7 oz. each
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 mayonnaise
lemon wedges for serving
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl and spread evenly over chicken.
Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over mayonnaise, pressing lightly.
Bake for about 1/2 hour until the crust gets a nice brown color. Since you are cooking on a higher heat, please make sure you check them so they don’t burn.
Serve it with a nice salad. This recipe is good at any time of the year.
Shrimp and Tomato Chowder
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 13.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
8 ouces medium and peeled, cooked shrimp
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup water
ground pepper
slivered fresh basil
In a large saucepan, cook celery and onion in hot oil until just tender.
Stir in tomatoes; heat through.
Add shrimp, cream and water. Cook over medium heat until hot.
Season to taste with pepper.
Ladle chowder into bowls; garnish with basil.
Makes 2 to 4 four servings depending how hungry you are or if you are serving as a main meal. You can easily double this recipe.
Note: If you can get foccacia wedges from the grocery store or an Italian market, it would really complement the chowder.
Smithfield Ham and Potato Casserole
8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8″ thick
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups diced Smithfield ham
1 small onion, minced
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cook the potatoes in slightly salted (optional) water until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
Place in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Watch closely so the cheese does not burn. You may choose to cover the dish for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Makies 8 to 10 servings.
Again, this is one of those dishes you might want to adjust to your tasting. You may even substitute the Smithfield ham but that its up to you.
You can use this dish as a side dish or for breakfast with fresh fruit. It could be served at dinner time with fresh asparagus and a salad.
Make it your own and enjoy….See you soon…
December 31st, 2009
Never know who is staying over for New Year’s? Waking up tomorrow morning to face hungry guests could be easier than you think with the perfect morning casseroles. They are easy to make; anyone can cook them.
But, what is a casserole? It is from the French for “saucepan”. The casseroles today used are a modern invention. In the 18th century they consisted of rice that was pounded, pressed, and filled with a flavorful mixture of meats like chicken or sweetbreads. After the 1870s casseroles changed to what we make today.
Common in most nations, they became more popular in America around the 1950s. New lightweight metal containers appeared on the market; the earthware containers then became a thing of the past. And, really, by the 1970s casseroles took on a less-than sophisticated image.
Nevertheless, casseroles are the perfect dish when serving a hungry crowd.
The following 2 recipes are usually served for breakfast or brunch and definitely great for busy holiday mornings!!
Sausage & Egg Casserole
1 lb. sausage
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 slices cubed bread
1 cup grated cheese
Crumble sausage, fry and then drain off fat.
Mix remaining ingredients and add sausage. Pour in greased casserole, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes until brown.
It serves 4 and can be doubled.
Egg Casserole
1 lb. sausage
1 block shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices buttered bread
5 eggs
2 cups Half & Half (you can use milk too)
1 tsp. dry mustard
Fry sausage and drain off fat.
Mix all ingredients except bread.
Place egg slices in a casserole dish
Pour mixed ingredients over the bread.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40 to 60 minutes.
Note: It can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Make it your own and enjoy it!!!
See you…
September 23rd, 2009
Southwestern Chicken Lasagna
2 cups shredded deli-roasted chicken
1 tblsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tblsp. vegetable oil
1 (16 ounce) can jar salsa
1 (15 ounce) can chili with beans
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles
9 (6 inch) flour tortillas
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Mexican four-cheese blend
Combine the first 5 ingredients; let stand 5 mintues. Set aside.
Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 mintues or until tender. Add salsa, chili, and green chiles; reduce heat, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
Line bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with 3 tortillas; layer with one-half chili mixture, one-half chicken mixture and one-third cheese. Repeat layers; top with remaining tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand a few minutes before serving. A garden salad would go well with this dish.
Note: For this recipe, the trick is using roasted chicken from the deli department at your grocery store.
For the next one, before you decide not to do it, please try it. It is good.
Chicken or Pork Chops with Coke and Ketchup
6 chicken breasts or pork chops
4 Chorizos (Spanish Sausage) readily available at all groceries stores in the meat dept., chopped
1/2 cup of Ketchup
1 can of Coke (you can use diet Coke if you prefer)
Marinate the chicken or pork chops in your favorite marinade for about 20 minutes.
In a frying pan saute the chorizo for a few minutes. Add your chicken or pork chops and cook them until liquids run clear. Combine Coke and Ketchup and add it to the pan. Cover and cook it for 20 minutes.
You want to get a good sauce going. The Coke has sugar and so does the Ketchup so as they start cooking you will see that it will be thickening up. Don’t let it burn.
Serve it over white rice and your favorite vegetable or salad or both. Make it your own.
Note: This dish can easily be doubled. I like it better with chicken. A lot of times after I saute the chicken, then I put it in a casserole pan with the Ketchup and Coke and in the oven on 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Note: The Southwestern Chicken Recipe Lasagna was in a Southern Living Magazine years ago. I made it my own by changing it a bit.
You are ready. No stress now.
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