Category Archives: CASSEROLE RECIPES

EASY HAM AND CHEESE QUICHE

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Our good friend Jim sent me this recipe the other day and I fixed it for dinner a couple of nights ago. It was crazy easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious! As it happens, I didn’t have enough Gruyère cheese on hand, (and was too lazy to go to the store), so along with a couple of other bits and pieces of cheese that I thought might go well together in this dish, I proceeded according to the directions. (I used about a half cup of grated Gruyère, a half cup of grated aged gouda, and a cup of grated manchego.) It tasted great, so basically I think you could use just about any combination of cheeses and come out with a wonderful product.

Now I must admit that I have tried so called “impossible” or “crust-less” quiche recipes before and have never been impressed. But this recipe from Cook’s Country is an exception. It’s very easy to cut into wedges, and very easy to take out of the pie plate. And oh so yummy! I served it with a Greek salad for a quick and easy dinner, and we both were thoroughly happy campers.

So if you too love quiche, but find regular quiche either intimidating to prepare, or too time consuming, give this recipe a try. Just don’t be afraid to change it up a bit. I see no reason why fried bacon or crumbled sausage could not be substituted for the ham. Or lightly sautéed mushrooms added for a delectable taste treat. Or chives used in place of green onions. This is a “use your imagination” recipe if I ever met one. It’s also a perfect dish to serve for either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (And how many recipes can lay claim to that honor?)

So have fun and mix up one of these quick and easy quiches at your earliest convenience. You will be delighted by the results and your family and friends will think you amazing. (Which of course you are, but it’s always nice to be reminded of the fact!)

  • 1 T. unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 T. melted butter cooled to room temperature
  • 3 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 8 oz. Gruyère cheese, shredded (2 cups) or cheese(s) of choice
  • 4 oz. thickly sliced deli ham, diced
  • 4 green onions, minced
  • ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp. baking powder
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. half-and-half
  • 4 lg. eggs
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Grease a 9-inch pie or quiche dish with the 1 tablespoon softened butter, then evenly sprinkle pan with Parmesan cheese. Combine the Gruyere cheese, ham, and scallions in a bowl. Sprinkle mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared dish. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in the now empty bowl. Add the half-and-half, eggs, melted butter, mustard, and nutmeg to the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

Slowly pour the batter over the cheese and ham mixture. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the quiche is a light golden brown and the filling is set. (It’s set when it doesn’t jiggle when you gently shake the pan.) Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm.

 

LAMB BOBOTIE WITH YELLOW RICE (SOUTH AFRICAN)

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Well I guess the first thing to do is apologize for not posting any new recipes for the last few weeks. But I have a very good excuse. (Don’t I always!) I was in SOUTH AFRICA! Yep – you read it right – South Africa. And I have to say, my time there was one of the best travel experiences of my life. We only visited the Eastern side of the country as far up as Richards Bay and environs – Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve for wild animals and St. Lucia for an afternoon boat ride spent cruising the river estuary amid the local hippo and crocodile population. (BTW – if you are interested in how you pronounce Hluhluwe, I will give you the same advice I was given by a nice older couple from Johannesburg. “Pretend you have had too much to drink, and then slur your words. If it sounds like schlu-shlouwee, you’ve got it right!”) Let’s see, where was I? Oh yes.

We only drove from Cape Town as far up as Richards Bay, touring mostly along the coast. On the way back to Cape Town, we stuck close to the Indian Ocean again for about half the distance, then turned inland to drive through glorious mountain passes and wine country. During the 24 days that we had our rental car, we drove a total of 7,016 kilometers or 4,360 miles. And even if the amount of kilometers we travelled seems like a lot, we actually only visited a very small part of this glorious country.

And of course along the way, we had many opportunities to enjoy South African cuisine. Along our route one day, we stopped for lunch at a quiet little café. Basically it was a place to buy gourmet condiments, fresh bread, and take-away food. But we were tired, so we asked the kind server if she would heat something up for us. She said, “pleasure” and we settled ourselves in their small outside dining area to await our meal.

I truly don’t recollect what Mr. C. ordered, but I decided to try a South African comfort food  called Bobotie. Bobotie is basically a savory meat loaf flavored with curry and other aromatic spices and topped with a simple egg custard. Well from bite one I was hooked. So I decided there and then that Bobotie had to be the first South African recipe to get posted when I returned.

So for the next few weeks, my cooking time is going to be mainly spent trying to duplicate some of the amazing dishes we experienced on our trip. And because I know you all love new and different recipes to fix for your family and friends, I have faith that as you try some of these amazing dishes, you will forgive me for being away from my blog for so long.

So give this recipe a try. It’s easy to prepare and just delicious. Comfort food, Cape Town style.

  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 lb. ground lamb or beef
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1 tsp. curry powder
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lg. carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 thick slice or 2 thin slices of white bread soaked in ¼ cup milk
  • 1/3 c. slivered or sliced almonds
  • 1/3 c. golden raisins
  • 1 c. buttermilk or plain milk (or combination)
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 bay leaves
  • chutney, opt.

Heat the oil in a large fry pan. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the ground lamb and cook until just cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks. (You don’t want any large lumps of meat.) Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the coriander, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, turmeric, sugar, salt, pepper, grated carrot, and lemon juice. Remove from heat and add the soaked white bread, making sure you have mixed the milk and bread thoroughly. (You shouldn’t be able to see big chunks of bread). Add the almonds and golden raisins and mix through. Spoon the mixture into a lightly buttered casserole dish, press down and level the top.

Whisk together the buttermilk and eggs and pour over the meat mixture. Gently lay the bay leaves over the egg mixture for decoration.

Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes. (The egg custard should be firm and set and the top a nice golden brown in color.)

Serve hot with Yellow Rice (see recipe below), Greek salad, and chutney.

YELLOW RICE

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  • 1½ c. long grain white rice
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (just a bit)
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ c. golden raisins
  • 1 T. butter
  • 2½ c. chicken broth

Place all the ingredients in a rice cooker and set it on “go”. Serve with Bobotie or any other South African dish.

 

PASTA WITH TUNA, CHEDDAR CHEESE, AND GREEN OLIVES

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For this blog, I like to title dishes so that people performing an internet search have a reasonably good chance of locating one of my recipes by listing desired ingredients in their search criteria. I also hope researchers can simply search on the standard name for a dish, like Spaghetti and Meatballs, and find my blog. So basically, none of this “Uncle Dan’s Favorite Cookies” or Jim’s Dad’s Special Cookies” is ever going to become an official title for one of my recipes. (I mean really, who in the world would start a search using Uncle Dan or Jim as one of their criteria anyway? No offense guys!) So Pasta with Tuna, Cheddar Cheese, and Green Olives says most of what you need to know about this recipe. But, if I were to name this dish as it is lovingly referred to in the Carr household, it would be entitled “Tuna Glop”! That’s right, Tuna Glop! (I mean really, who would go any further if that name was staring them in the face?) But by whatever name you choose to call it, this dish is my take on the almost forgotten, never revered Tuna Noodle Casserole. But in my version of this classic, there’s a lot of cheddar cheese action going on, green olive action happening, no oven time required, not a casserole dish to be seen, and never before tasted at the likes of a Lutheran potluck supper. (I’m Lutheran, so I know of what I speak! Green Jello with Marshmallows anyone?) But I digress…

Now knowing full well that no one in their right mind would search for “Tuna Glop” or even for a Tuna Noodle Casserole recipe, I changed the name simply to trick everyone into thinking they were about to discover a new and amazing way to use either fresh or good old fashioned canned tuna. (Albacore tuna, of course!) But wait, let me explain. I actually have your best interests at heart.

Each of us who spend any time at all in the kitchen, have days when we would rather chew off an arm than prepare a complicated dish for dinner. So this pasta, with its refrigerator and pantry ingredients, ease of preparation, and comfort food qualities could just possibly save you a long and arduous hospital recovery. (Plus you might actually find that you like it enough to want to prepare it even if you and your kitchen are on fabulous speaking terms.) It is truly comfort food to the max. And on any day, be it a good or a bad day, the whole dish comes together in about 20 minutes. And it tastes like a decadent indulgence. (And don’t we all need that every once in awhile?)

So basically what I am saying is – try it you’ll like it. And yes, among your own family you may call it Tuna Glop. Just don’t call it that until your whole family has already asked you to fix it again. Only then should you reveal the “true” name of this dish. And never, under any circumstance call it Tuna Noodle Casserole. Even children who have never been exposed to “the real thing” might object, just because of the name alone. Just sayin’!!

  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup (And no, I don’t use canned soup very often, but there are times when it comes in mighty handy!)
  • 2 tsp. dried parsley
  • 2 tsp. dehydrated onion
  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cans water packed Albacore tuna, drained
  • ½ c. sliced pimento stuffed green olives
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • 1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 c. dry penne pasta, cooked al dente (you can use rigatoni or any other pasta shape you like)

In a medium large saucepan, combine the soup, parsley, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and add the tuna, green olives, and sour cream. Bring just to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in the cheddar cheese and cooked pasta. Serve immediately.

(And yes, for anyone who wants to know, Mr. C. loves this dish. Actually he is the one who first called it “glop”. The man has such a way with words! Ahhhh)

 

VEGETARIAN BAKED BEANS

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So, I have to tell you, starting a pot of baked beans without first frying up about a half pound of bacon just felt sick and wrong. I mean really, how could baked beans taste right without this quintessential ingredient? But I wanted a vegetarian side dish that could, if need be, stand in as the compulsory protein if one of my guests didn’t eat meat. So I took my standard recipe and simply left out the first ingredient.  

So if you too would like to step over to the dark side, I suggest you give this recipe a try as written. It produces absolutely lovely baked beans and I promise you will not miss the bacon in the slightest. Even Mr. C, whose middle name actually should have been “bacon” loved the beans and didn’t miss it in the least.

So next time you invite the gang over for a backyard BBQ, include these beans in your menu planning. They are perfectly delicious and the best part – they are truly at their finest when they have had a day or two to mellow out in the refrigerator. So, for you, that means one less dish to prepare on the day of the event. (As you know, I am just crazy about dishes that can and really should be prepared ahead of time.)

For additional recipes that are fun to serve at a picnic/BBQ, search under the heading BBQ & PICNIC RECIPES. Cheers to the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!

And for a sad story about baked beans, see my story below. Sigh…… 

  • 1 lb. small navy beans
  • water
  • ¼ c. maple syrup (the real stuff!)
  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • ½ c. molasses, or more to taste (regular or part black strap)
  • 1 small can tomato paste
  • 1 24-oz. bottle of ketchup
  • ¼ c. yellow mustard
  • ¼ c. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 T. kosher salt, or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped

Carefully wash the beans removing any matter that doesn’t look like a healthy, fat dried bean. Place in a large bowl and cover with water by about 3 inches.  Place in refrigerator overnight. Next day, rinse and drain the beans.

Place in a covered pot with enough water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until the beans are tender, about 40-45 minutes. (Do not worry that the beans will become mush while they are spending their time in a low oven. They will be just fine!)

Drain the cooked beans and place in a Dutch oven. (The main thing here is that the beans must be covered as they bake. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can bake them in any kind of pan, as long as the pan is covered, even if it’s covered with aluminum foil. However, it may take a longer baking time if you use aluminum foil rather than a tight cover. Sad story to follow.)

In a medium sized bowl whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, tomato paste, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the mixture to the beans along with the chopped onion. (I usually rinse out the ketchup bottle with a little water and then throw the liquid in with the other ingredients.)

Bring to a boil, cover, and bake in a pre-heated 225 degree oven for 3-4 hours. (Check the beans periodically to make certain they are not getting too dry. While you have the lid off, give them a little stir. Add water as needed.) Uncover the beans the last hour to brown them up a bit. Best made the day ahead and either re-warmed or served at room temperature.

Sad story:

So here it is, 3 days before I plan to serve baked beans to our home concert (JazzVox) guests, and I place 4 pounds of beans to soak. (quadruple recipe) Next day I cook the beans in water for a short time, but not long enough. Then I throw the rest of the recipe together in a large pan and cover the whole mess with aluminum foil. Seven (7) flippin’ hours later the beans are still in the oven and they are still crunchy! There is obviously no hope for these beans. So I did what any self-respecting cook would do. I tossed the whole shebang into the yard waste barrel, sent a little invocation to the Gods of yard waste asking for their help with the next batch, and started all over again. Sad, right?

And just to prove that this girl obviously can’t learn from her mistakes or that the Gods were watching the World Cup while I was requesting assistance, the second batch of beans still didn’t have that wonderful creamy mouth feel that should be the hallmark of really good baked beans. Once again, I simply didn’t cook the beans long enough on the stove top before adding the other ingredients. So once again, the beans were in the oven about 7 hours. OK, this time they weren’t crunchy. They tasted fine, but I knew they could be better.

So the moral of my sad story is to cook your beans until they are tender. Not over cooked, but perfect. And when you figure out how to do that, would you please let me know!

 

 

 

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE PASTA IN A RICH PESTO SAUCE

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We recently had lunch at our good friends home here on Camano Island. Both Gene and Jane are excellent cooks so of course the lunch was wonderful. Gene made his favorite pasta dish and I just could not get enough. (I can’t remember now whether I went back for thirds, but I definitely went back for seconds!) Anyway, Gene and Jane invented this dish based on a sandwich. (I love it when people think outside the box.) So after lunch (or at least I think I waited till after lunch) I asked Gene, because he had made the pasta that day, if he would share his recipe. Later that afternoon I received the recipe via email. Now of course I had to do some messing with the recipe to fit my own cooking style. (I like to make my own sauces where Gene and Jane use a jarred sauce.) But the “bones” of the recipe are strictly Gene and Jane’s.

The pasta was so delicious, that I decided to serve it the very next Sunday for one of our JazzVox pre-concert meals. It was an instant success. Not only does this dish have a wonderful creamy tooth feel, the flavor is amazing. It is also just lovely to look at. All the colors of the veggies, and of course the trio of colors in the rotini, make for a fabulous presentation.

So if you want to find a way to get more veggies into your family without the able assistance of the jolly green giant, (an option I strongly considered when my own children were very young), I suggest you at least try this pasta first. (Having your children voluntarily eat their veggies is ever so much easier than hiring the giant to force feed veggies to your darling offspring. And then of course there’s always the worry that if the “giant” bumps his head on your kitchen ceiling, a lawsuit could ensue.)

Thanks again Gene and Jane for the lovely lunch and this wonderful recipe.

  • 4 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 medium carrots, cut into thin rounds
  • 1 large head broccoli, cut into bite sized chucks
  • ½ head cauliflower, cut into bite sized chucks
  • 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite sized chucks
  • 8 oz. thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 4 T. butter
  • ¼ c. flour
  • 2 c. half & half
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 T. no-salt Mrs. Dash seasoning
  • 1-3 T. pesto (recipe below)
  • 1 c. grated Parmesan cheese, (or more to taste) plus Parmesan for passing at the table
  • 8 oz. tri-color rotini pasta*, cooked al dente and drained (reserve about a cup of pasta water before draining)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a very large sauté pan. Add the carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onion and a small amount of salt and pepper. Cook the veggies until they are crisp tender. Add the red pepper, mushrooms, and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove the veggies to a bowl and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and sauté the chicken just until done. Remove the chicken to the bowl with the veggies.

In the same pan, melt the butter and cook until it is light brown. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the half & half, heavy cream, about a half teaspoon of salt, some pepper, and the Mrs. Dash seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and add pesto to taste. Add the cooked veggies and chicken. Remove from heat and add the Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. (If the sauce does not seem creamy enough, add some of the reserved pasta water.) Adjust seasoning. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese. Or, the pasta can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated until needed. If you make this dish ahead, make certain all parts of the dish are cool before mixing them together and pouring them into a lightly buttered baking pan. This includes draining the pasta when it is al dente, and rinsing it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then a couple hours before you want to serve the pasta, take it out of the refrigerator. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or only until it is hot. Do not over-bake.

*Remember: don’t cook your pasta until it is called for in the recipe. Do not cook it ahead and add to the other ingredients after it’s been sitting around for awhile. Not good form.

PESTO

  • 4 oz. (2 c. mashed down) fresh basil
  • ¾ c. (4-6 oz.) finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Whirl until well blended. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

 

ROASTED POTATO, HAM, AND SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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Most breakfast casseroles start with cubed bread. And 2 of the casseroles I served on New Year’s Day did indeed contain bread cubes. But for my third offering I wanted to feature the ever popular breakfast staple – the potato. But I didn’t want to start with hash browns or tater tots or any of the other potato based preparations I read about on line. So I decided to cook the potatoes for this casserole the way I prefer to eat them. Oven roasted. Then I simply substituted the potatoes for the more traditional bread cubes. And since potatoes don’t absorb liquid like bread cubes, the overall appearance and taste of the casserole was much more like an omelet. Delicious, if I do say so myself!

Now, another lovely thing about this casserole, besides the taste of course, is that the type of meat and cheese can be varied according to your preference or what you happen to have on hand. In fact you could actually make this meatless and still have a very tasty breakfast dish to serve to your family and friends. And of course, this can be made the day before and baked at your leisure. (I love that about breakfast casseroles.) Also you could add about a cup of fresh spinach and up your daily vitamin consumption. (I only thought about adding spinach after the casserole was already in the refrigerator. Next time, you can bet your collection of Popeye comic books that spinach will be included!)

  • 2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and small diced
  • 2 T. butter, divided
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 9 eggs
  • ¾ c. whole milk
  • ¼ tsp. dry mustard
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4-6 thinly sliced green onions
  • 1 lb. diced ham
  • 8-10 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated, divided
  • paprika

Place the cubed potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Using your fingers and 1 tablespoon of the butter, coat the potatoes with butter. Season lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small fry pan. Add the onion and fry until translucent. Allow to cool. Meanwhile whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Add green onions, ham, and all but 1 cup of the cheese. When the potato cubes and onion are room temperature, add them to the egg mixture.

Lightly butter a 10×16 inch pan or casserole. (I use a Pyrex pan.) Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining cheese and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Return to oven for 8-10 minutes or until the egg portion is set, the cheese is melted, and the casserole is starting to brown. Allow casserole to rest for 15-20 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PANCETTA AND GRUYÈRE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

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(The casserole is on the top right next to the dinner plates. Not much to see from this photo, but frankly I was too busy to take individual photos. My bad!)

Mr. C and I hosted our first ever New Years Day brunch this year. I asked people to come at the civilized hour of 1:00pm and to come hungry and as casually dressed as was befitting sophisticated people on the day after the night before. In other words, come as you are. Well we had a lovely time. We ate too much, drank moderately, and enjoyed each others’ company as we listening to the many musicians who shared their enormous talent with the group.

This recipe is one of the breakfast casseroles I made to serve the starving masses. Now I must admit. I never got to taste this dish because it was gone before I had the opportunity. But judging from the almost licked clean casserole dish, along with a few positive comments from our guests, it was terribly well received.

So, next time you get a wild hair to throw a brunch for your family and friends, I would suggest giving this recipe a try. It is stinkin’ easy to prepare, and tastes (so I’m told!) like a million dollars.

  • 2 T. olive oil, divided
  • 1 med. onion, chopped
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. sugar
  • ½ lb. pancetta (thick sliced), diced
  • 6 eggs, room temp.
  • 1½ c. whole milk
  • ½ tsp. dry mustard
  • 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, plus more to sprinkle on the casserole before baking
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 c. (loosely packed) day-old egg bread, cut into ¾ inch cubes
  • 1 c. grated Gruyère cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt, a generous amount of pepper, and sugar. Sauté until the onions are lightly caramelized (a medium golden brown color), about 25 minutes. (Do not let them get too dark.)

Meanwhile, in another heavy skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and sauté the pancetta until the fat is almost all rendered and it begins to get crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pancetta from pan and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard, nutmeg, thyme, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. When ready to assemble the dish, butter an 8-inch square baking dish (preferably glass) or a 2-quart casserole dish. Place the bread cubes in the bottom. Next layer on the diced pancetta followed by the onions. Sprinkle with the grated Gruyère and finish by pouring the egg mixture over the entire thing.   Press down on the top gently, so that all of the bread cubes get soaked with the egg mixture. Sprinkle lightly with ground nutmeg, cover and refrigerate overnight.

About an hour before you plan to serve the casserole, take it out of the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 325 degrees (for glass pan) or 350 degrees for a metal pan. Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 50 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the top begins to brown. Check to see if the egg mixture is set by sticking a table knife into the interior. If it comes out clean the bread custard is baked through. (Cover with foil near the end of the baking time if the top is already browned.)

Remove from oven and allow to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Or allow the casserole to cool and serve at room temperature.

EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI, AND TOMATO CASSEROLE (RATATOUILLE) – PROVENÇAL STYLE

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Since this is the time of year when zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes are in every farmer’s market or home garden in America, I decided to post an absolutely delicious way to serve these delightful vegetables. (And I know what you are thinking. Not another zucchini recipe. But if I may speak frankly, this is not just another zucchini recipe. This is a killer way to use zucchini if I say so myself!)

This dish came about because I started re-reading (for the third time, I think) Peter Mayle’s wonderful tale about the joys of living in Provence entitled “A Year in Provence”. For a foodie like myself, half the reading pleasure in this book is in the telling of the food they eat. So that got me researching recipes from the south of France. When I saw a variation of this dish using zucchini (I had 2 large zucchini in my refrigerator) and tomatoes (I had lots of cherry tomatoes from our garden), I decided I just had to work up a recipe that incorporated these two ingredients. And this recipe is the result.

This dish can be served as a meatless main course or as a side dish that compliments just about any meat you feel like serving. And it is easy to prepare. It takes a little time to cut up the veggies, but once you have the knife work done, the assembly goes rather quickly. I served it last evening with just a salad and it made for a perfect meal.

So if you too are looking for a way to say yes to your neighbor who keeps offering you zucchini, or if you yourself have zucchini threatening to take over your yard, give this recipe a try. Believe it or not, your love for this ever so easy to grow and abundant veggie will be restored with just one bite! In fact, you may never again have to turn down a free zucchini when a neighbor makes you an offer. And won’t that feel good. It’s the neighborly thing to do after all.

  • 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried marjoram
  • ½ c. dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick (combination is nice)
  • 1 medium sized eggplant, partially peeled and sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick
  • 1 basket of cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 2 T. chopped parsley
  • 3/4 c. finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (combination is wonderful)

Heat the oil in a skillet to medium-high. Add the onion and sauté until transparent. Stir in the garlic and marjoram and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.

Oil a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Arrange half of the zucchini on the bottom of the dish (single layer if possible but a little overlap is fine), drizzle with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Scatter half of the onion mixture on top, followed by half of the eggplant. Drizzle the eggplant with oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and sprinkle with half of the parsley. Arrange half of the tomatoes cut side down over the zucchini. Repeat the layering finishing with a drizzle of oil and a light seasoning of salt and pepper.

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Bake the vegetables uncovered in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 70-75 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the edges are browned, the vegetables are very tender, and the cheese is melting and starting to brown, about 10 minutes more. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

BAKED CHICKEN FAJITAS

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So once again I am going to prove to you how lazy I am. (I know confession is good for the soul, and I obviously have more to confess than most, but I seem to always be telling you of my deepest and darkest personal deficiencies.) And although laziness might not be up there on the list of the 10 most abhorrent habits known to mankind, it’s right up there on my own “must work on” list, second only to patience. But enough about my faults and on to Baked Chicken Fajitas!

As I wrote in my post entitled Chicken Fajitas, I love fajitas. And for my birthday party this year, I decided to follow my good friend Jim’s advice and serve taco/burritos with three types of meat filling. So I put my good friends Paul and Jim to work on the beef and pork (the two best meat cooks I know) while I concentrated on the chicken. I decided my chicken fajita recipe would taste great all wrapped up in a flour tortilla and slathered with all kinds of yummy condiments. But (and here comes the lazy part), I didn’t want to fry all the chicken and veggies necessary to feed 80 guests. (That’s a lot of chicken and veggies to fry, my friends. And although I might be lazy, I’m not crazy!) So I thought maybe there was a way to bake the chicken and veggies and still retain that lovely mixture of tender chicken and semi-crunchy veggies. So taking some good advice from several cooking sites I visited, while at the same time retaining the essence of my original recipe, I came up with this baked version.

Now I know it is in very poor taste to brag about oneself, but in this case I simply must! Not only did I turn my laziness into an inspiration, my inspiration resulted in nothing less than a fabulous new way to prepare one of my all time favorite dishes. The chicken remained tender and succulent and the veggies had that lovely semi-crunchy “roasted veggie” taste. Amazing! So in retrospect, maybe laziness (in certain circumstances) isn’t such a bad thing after all. I can live with that!

I hope you enjoy this new version of an all-American Mexican classic.

  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. granulated garlic
  • ¼ tsp. smoked paprika
  • scant 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast meat, cut into 1/3-inch strips
  • 2 green peppers, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 lg. yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 T. fresh lime juice
  • warm flour tortillas
  • shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, salsa, thin avocado slices, and sour cream (preferably Mexican) for serving

Combine the cornstarch, chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, granulated garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken, peppers, and onion in a 10×16-inch pan. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the meat and vegetables. Drizzle the meat and veggies with the olive oil, and using your hands, toss the ingredients until everything is well coated in oil and seasoning. Bake the mixture in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or just until the chicken is done. Stir once half way through the cooking process. Remove from oven and squeeze lime juice over all. Serve in warmed tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, avocado slices, and sour cream or whatever your heart desires.

 

 

VEGETABLE LASAGNA

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OK, so if you’re striving to be good like Mr. C. and I are; trying to cut down on the amount of meat in your diet, and increase the number of veggies, this is the dish for you. There is simply no way you, your family or your friends will feel even the least bit cheated when you dive into a big old portion of my dear friend Sandy’s lasagna. (Some people still have the mistaken belief that if an entrée doesn’t contain meat, it isn’t going to satisfy their appetite. “What fools those mortals be!” (Sorry William for misquoting you, but it was necessary to get my point across!)

This lasagna is so full of flavor and that lovely “pasta dressed in yummy” feel, that no one will even notice that it is “meatless”. (And no, you don’t have to announce that there is no meat in this lasagna. Let it just be your little secret.) Serve it with a lovely salad and hot, crusty bread, and although the earth probably won’t stop spinning, your world might take on a new dimension of happiness.

It’s confession time. When Sandy served this to us one evening after one of their in-home concerts*, I made a complete fool of myself. I simply could not get enough of this lasagna. But Sandy and her husband Alan are good friends, so I’m counting on the fact that by now they have forgiven me for making such a piglet of myself. I just really did not want to stop eating. But thank heaven, they live in Chimacum, and the ferry from Port Townsend that we were scheduled to be on, was fast approaching the dock. So in order not to spend the rest of the night in our car on the ferry waiting line, I had to say goodbye to the lasagna before I literally dove head first into the pan. But Sandy, being the doll that she is, sent me the recipe. She even gave me permission to share it with you. (How cool is that?)

So dear friends, enjoy this amazing recipe. It is just plain over the top delicious! And Sandy, once again, thank you for this marvelous recipe.

*For information about in-home classical concerts in the Port Townsend vicinity visit www.rawsonduo.com.

  • 2-4 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large eggplant, partially peeled, sliced 1/4-inch
  • 1 red pepper, rough chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, rough chopped
  • 10-12 good sized mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, sliced
  • 1 lg. onion, chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 T. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh basil
  • ¼ c. dry white wine
  • 9-oz. oven-ready lasagna noodles (I like Culinary Circle Authentic Bronze-cut Oven-Ready Lasagna noodles
  • 4-oz. goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1 c. combination of grated Parmesan, cheddar, Mozzarella – whatever is on hand

Sauté eggplant, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, onion and garlic in olive oil until soft – each type of vegetable separately – adding salt and pepper to each new veggie.  As each veggie finishes cooking, remove to a bowl and start the next veggie. Then, in the same pan, after all the veggies have been sautéed, add the crushed tomato, tomato paste, oregano, basil, and wine.  Add the reserved veggies. Mix all together, layer with no-boil lasagna noodles, with a layer of goat cheese in between, and top with whatever cheese is in the fridge. Sandy lets the olive oil and veggies speak for themselves.

Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the lasagna is bubbly and the top is a nice golden brown. Allow to sit a few minutes before serving.