Shepherds Pie

With mother's day around the corner, I am extra inspired to make dishes that remind me of my mother's cooking.  This is the epitome - shepherds pie made lighter, healthier, and more delicious than you've ever had before.  Most people think of shepherds pie as beef stew topped with mashed potatoes, or something along those lines.  Well it's about to get much more interesting.

This recipe is an adaptation of my mother's.  She always makes it with turkey instead of beef, and adds loads of flavor from a couple of secret ingredients (which, of course, will not be secret for long).  The base is almost like a bolognese with an extra hit of seasoning that you don't quite expect.  The topping is glorious mashed potatoes with the skins left on, and the finishing touch is just a delicate sprinkling of cheese to add that something special.

The primary secret ingredient in this shepherds pie is somewhat controversial.  It's Marmite.  If you're not familiar with Marmite, it is a much-loved and yet much-hated ingredient for the children of British families.  I happen to fall in the love camp, but if you fall into the less-enlightened (in my opinion) hate camp, or you simply don't want to try it, you can use a bit of Worcestershire sauce, or just increase the tomato paste.  Marmite is a vegetarian yeast-based spread, but it lends a beefiness to this shepherds pie that would definitely be missed if you skip it.  You can also use Vegemite, which is the Australian equivalent. 

Shepherds pie, in my family anyway, is the ultimate comfort food.  And it only seems to get better the next day, so definitely make enough to have leftovers.

Shepherds Pie

serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. baby Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved

salt

2/3 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

pinch of red pepper flakes

1 lb. ground white meat turkey

2 teaspoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons Marmite or Vegemite

1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, mostly drained

2 tablespoons grated mozzarella or white cheddar

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Place the potatoes in a pot and fill with cold water to about one inch above the potatoes.  Salt it.  Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.  Drain, return to the pot, and add the milk and butter.  Mash the potatoes until smooth.  Salt to taste.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high.  Add the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and red pepper flakes. 

3.  Add the turkey to the pot and break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  Cook, stirring often, until the turkey is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and Marmite and stir to distribute fairly evenly.  Add the diced tomatoes and a little bit of their juices and stir everything together.  Let cook about 5 more minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.

4.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Transfer the turkey mixture to a 8 x 8 baking dish and top with the mashed potatoes.  Smooth them out to create an even layer.  Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 15  minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get crusty and golden on top.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Fun idea for using up leftover roast chicken #1:  chicken enchiladas!  We love enchiladas.  Seriously.  Love.  It seemed only natural to take some of the leftovers from yesterday's perfect roast chicken and turn them into a delicious platter of saucy, cheesy tortillas filled with goodness. 


I will admit, without (too much) shame, that this is barely a homemade recipe.  Enchilada sauce from a jar?  Come on!  Well, if you have the time and the will to make your own, please do.   It's easy enough.  But today I came home from work wanting enchiladas, and wanting them fast.  I had a jar of Trader Joe's enchilada sauce in the cupboard.  It was meant to be.

I experimented with a healthier preparation technique gleaned from the fabulous Simply Recipes blog - rather than frying each tortilla in oil, you stretch a small amount of oil among many tortillas just to soften and warm them.

These came out delicious.  Make sure you use a good enchilada sauce, because it will make a difference - buy one you trust, or go ahead and make your own.  You can, of course, make any kind of enchiladas following this method - double the cheese to make cheese enchiladas, or substitute a different type of meat or vegetable for the chicken.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces of red enchilada sauce, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded leftover roast chicken, white and/or brown meat

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided

2 teaspoons canola oil (more if necessary)

10 white corn tortillas

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce with the chicken and half the cheddar cheese.  Stir to combine.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm up 1 teaspoon of canola oil.  When it's hot, add the first tortilla.  Move it around to spread the oil, then flip with tongs after about 5 seconds.  Immediately stack another tortilla on top of the oily side of the first.  This will absorb some of the oil into the second tortilla.  Flip over both tortillas after about 5 seconds.  Repeat this process, gradually adding each tortilla to the oily side of the previous tortilla.  Add additional oil to the pan as oil is absorbed.  When all the tortillas are warmed, transfer them to a plate.

3.  Put a 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a small baking dish and spread.  Build the enchiladas one at a time - take a tortilla and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a line across the middle.  Roll the tortilla around the chicken mixture and place seam-side down in the baking sheet, on top of the sauce.  Repeat with all 10 tortillas, tucking them in to fill up the baking dish.

4.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas in the baking dish, trying to distribute it evenly.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until sauce is starting to bubble.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Enjoy!

Asparagus Breakfast Casserole

The best way I can think to describe this dish is as a savory French toast.  It has a deep, buttery and delicious flavor that highlights the freshness of just-in-season asparagus spears and creamy havarti cheese.  I served this for brunch this morning along with a lovely coffee cake (to be posted another day) and it was definitely a success.

You can substitute any combination of cheese and vegetable here - the recipe that inspired me featured broccoli and cheddar, which is of course a classic combination.  I wanted to go with something spring-y, since we're just starting to get gorgeous spring produce at the farmers market.  Enter crisp and beautiful thin asparagus spears.  I thought havarti would suit asparagus a bit better than cheddar would, but gruyere would also be excellent for a nuttier flavor.  The point is there's a world of variety here.  This comes together very easily and it tastes fantastic.

Asparagus Breakfast Casserole

adapted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices whole wheat bread, cut into bite-size cubes

3 large eggs

1/4 cup skim milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup grated havarti cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 small bunch thin asparagus spears, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and butter an 8 x 8 baking dish.  Cover the bottom of the dish generously with the bread cubes.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter, cheese, salt and sugar.  Mix until combined.  Stir in the asparagus, and pour the mixture over the bread.

3.  Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes until golden brown on top.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

PW Macaroni & Cheese

This is my absolute favorite recipe for macaroni and cheese.  It seems like a fairly traditional recipe for mac & cheese, but there are a few sneaky secret ingredients (dry mustard, seasoned salt, and an egg, in fact) that make it absolutely spectacular.  It comes from everyone's favorite blogger, the Pioneer Woman (if you haven't heard of her, you seriously have some catching up to do - she's amazing).   And it is, in a word, amazing.

This is a cheesy, creamy, fantastic dish of deliciousness.  You might want to whip up a little salad to go alongside to alleviate the guilt a bit.  I've tried to make it a little healthier by using whole wheat pasta and skim milk - have to do my part for mankind, and all that.

Use whatever cheeses you like - I've made it with all sharp cheddar before, and it was fantastic.  This time I made it with a combination of medium cheddar and mozzarella, which was also great.

PW Macaroni & Cheese

adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray

salt

2 cups dry whole wheat elbow pasta

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose (preferably whole wheat) flour

1 1/4 cups skim milk

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 cups grated cheese (cheddar is pretty much a must)

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 and coat a medium-sized baking dish with cooking spray.

2.  Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it.   Cook the pasta until just barely al dente - it should be a bit too tough to eat - and drain; return to the pot.

3.  While water is coming to a boil, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk constantly for about 5 minutes to cook out the floury taste.  Be careful not to burn.  Add milk and mustard, and whisk until smooth.  Cook for another 5 minutes or until very thick, whisking almost constantly.  Reduce heat to low.

4.  Temper the egg - beat it first in a small bowl, then add about 1/4 cup of the sauce from step three, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the egg.  Add the mixture to the rest of the sauce and whisk until smooth.

5.  Stir in all but 1/2 cup of the cheese(s) to the sauce until melted.  Add seasoned salt and pepper - increase to taste as you see fit.

6.  Pour the sauce into the pot with the drained macaroni and stir to combine.  Top with reserved cheese.  Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden on top.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Baked Shells with Winter Squash

Today I am continuing my growing trend of making casseroles.  This one serves a purpose, however, as my mother hurt her foot and is recovering at the moment.  Time to swoop in with my one and only superpower:  the casserole!

This recipe is yet another variation on the theme featured here and here; namely the pasta with winter squash theme.  Yet it brings another flavor to the table.  This time instead of a creamy, fall-inspired dish, it's more of a comforting winter dish.  It features the woodsy flavor of rosemary, and a gorgeous crumbly topping.  It uses frozen squash puree, which is usually made up of butternut or similar squash, instead of canned pumpkin.

The only thing here that requires much patience is the caramelization of the onions, which does take some time.  Everything else about it is insanely easy.  If you like to make life difficult for yourself, you can break down a whole squash, cook it, and puree it yourself, but I find that the frozen winter squash puree in the supermarket is surprisingly high quality.

This meal is easy, hearty, and delicious.  There's not much to complain about there.

Baked Shells with Winter Squash

adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

serves 5-6

INGREDIENTS:

cooking spray

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 pound medium whole wheat pasta shells

1 package (12 to 14 oz.) frozen winter squash puree, thawed

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2 cups of 1/4-inch bread cubes from wheat baguette

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400. (You might actually want to wait to turn on the oven until a little later to save energy, but I wanted to give you the heads' up of the temperature).  Spray a 9 x 13 or similar casserole dish with cooking spray.

2.  Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onion slices, season with salt and pepper, and cover.  Let cook until the onion softens and releases its moisture, about 15 minutes.  Remove cover.  Raise heat to medium and cook the onions, stirring often, until browned and caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of rosemary.

3.  Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the pasta until just barely al dente, about 2 minutes short of the time on the box instructions.  Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain.  

4.  Add the pureed squash and the pasta cooking water to the onions and stir.  Bring to a simmer, then toss the pasta and about 1/4 cup of the parmesan with the squash mixture.

5.  In a small bowl, combine the bread cubes with remaining teaspoon of rosemary, remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan, and remaining 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, and toss.  

6.  Pour the pasta and sauce into the prepared casserole dish.  Top with the crumb topping.  Bake in the 400 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Italian Chicken Pie

Once in a while, we come upon a recipe that we want to mentally bookmark, dogear, put a gold star on, or somehow put a permanent reminder to come back to it.  Again, and again, and again.  This is one of those recipes.  It is easy, delicious, and would please just about anyone.  This is one that I want to remember to make for my kids some day.  It's going to be one of those go-to Friday night family dinner recipes. 

Okay, have I sold it enough?  My husband described this as a cross between chicken parmigiana and deep dish pizza.  Only guess what?  It's not nearly as unhealthy as either of those things.  It has all the yummy flavors you associate with Italian food - tomato, garlic, oregano, basil - plus cheese and chicken, and a tender crust.  Yum!

I reduced the recipe, as I often do, but if you double it for a larger group, make it in a 9-inch pie dish and get the whole pie experience. 

Italian Chicken Pie

adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 cup diced cooked chicken breast

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 cup of canned diced tomatoes with their juice

1/4 cup whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup nonfat milk

1 large egg

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Coat a small baking dish (size isn't that important - go with a fairly shallow rectangular one if you have it, or divide among ramekins) with cooking spray.  Sprinkle the parmesan cheese in the bottom of the dish.

2.  Scatter chicken over the parmesan.  Top with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella, the oregano, and basil.  Mix garlic with diced tomatoes and juice, and spread evenly over all. 

3.  Make the topping: in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add oil, milk, and egg, and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth like pancake batter.  Pour over the chicken mixture in the pan.

4.  Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, until set and golden brown.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!

Winter Squash Cassoulet

I'm giving you another hearty, warm and comforting fall dish today, people.  And again, miraculously, it's vegetarian.

I think if you've browsed this blog at all you have gathered by now that I am not a vegetarian.  Still, I try to eat a well-balanced and wholesome assortment of food, and the goal is to not eat too much meat.  Both for environmental and for health reasons.  This meal is a great example of how you can have a complex and filling dinner and not even notice the lack of meat.

Use whatever winter squash you like in this recipe - I used buttercup squash, but butternut, acorn, or pumpkin would be fabulous too.  The squash, beans, roasted garlic and caramelized onions all have a lovely melty texture that goes wonderfully with the crisp bread crumb topping.

Winter Squash Cassoulet

adapted from Williams-Sonoma's Eat Well

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 head of garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 14.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 small winter squash, 1-2 lbs, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 slice whole wheat bread, processed into crumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat toaster oven (or oven, if you must) to 375.  Cut garlic head in half crosswise and wrap the two halves together in foil.  Bake until soft, about 30 minutes.  Cool, then squeeze cloves from cut halves into a bowl, discarding papery skins.  Set aside.

2.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute, stirring often, until they soften.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Turn off the heat and preheat the oven to 375 (if you didn't already use the full sized oven in step 1).

3.  Stir beans, squash, broth, thyme, salt, pepper, and reserved garlic in with the onions.  Cover and bake until squash is tender, about 40 minutes.  Mix bread crumbs with parmesan and remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and sprinkle evenly over the top.  Return cassoulet to oven (uncovered) and bake until bread crumbs are browned, about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives

Paella is one of those fabulous meals that is a little bit different every time you have it, but always comforting and hearty.  This variation includes no seafood whatsoever, so I was excited to try it for my husband's sake.  It comes from the brand spanking new Ellie Krieger cookbook, So Easy.  And it really is.

This meal is genuinely fun to make.  It's one of those science-experiment-in-the-kitchen recipes, only it requires little effort.  It just comes together as a fantastically spicy and rich, yet nutritious and easy on the waistline, one pot meal.  The warm spices are perfect for this cool fall evening.  I always thought of paella as a labor of love, but this one can easily be served as a weeknight meal.

Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3 oz. chorizo sausage, casing removed, chopped

1 lb.  skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice

1 large ripe tomato, chopped

1/4 cup chopped green olives

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of ground turmeric

small pinch of saffron threads

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or a medium-large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes.  Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides (not necessarily cooked through), about 4 minutes.  Transfer chicken and chorizo to a plate.

2.  Add remaining oil to pan.  Add leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, about one minute.  Return chicken and chorizo to the pot and add broth, peas, rice, tomato, olives, salt, pepper, turmeric, and saffron.  Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven. 

3.  Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Orzo Casserole

I think I've found my culinary calling, and its name is the casserole.   Something about the cooler (relatively speaking) fall weather makes it so enticing.  This casserole comes from the current issue of Everyday Food, publication of the matriarch Ms. Stewart, and constant source of easy and delicious recipes.  Case in point:  a smooth, creamy casserole without any cream, featuring a medley of Greek flavors.

You may think you don't like feta cheese, but if you buy the fresh stuff in a block from your grocery store and make this casserole, you will grow to appreciate just what it can do.  It marries with dill and lemon so well, it's like they were born to be together forever.  They envelop tender, delicate little orzo pasta pieces and the whole thing just melts in your mouth.  Delicious.

You know a recipe is great when you're already looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Chicken Orzo Casserole

adapted from Everyday Food

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup orzo

2 oz. feta, roughly chopped (or crumbled)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

juice of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the broth, 1/4 cup water, butter, salt and pepper to a boil.

2.  Meanwhile, combine chicken, orzo, feta, dill, lemon zest and juice in a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Pour the hot broth mixture over it and stir once, gently, to incorporate.

3.  Bake until bubbling and starting to brown, and the cooking liquid is creamy, about 30 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Cornbread Crusted Pie

I don't often cook for a large number of people, so when I do, I am all about the casseroles. When we decided to have a family birthday party for my husband at our place, I turned, appropriately, to The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever for ideas. This one practically jumped off the page. I changed a few things, most importantly the use of ground turkey instead of beef, and fresh corn instead of frozen (after all, I just got two beautiful ears in my CSA bag this week). The result is this tasty, shepherd's pie-esque casserole that everyone seemed very happy with.

The cornbread crust is fantastic. It's crisp on top and soft inside, and has a great balance of sweet and savory - everything that good cornbread should be. The meat filling is lovely, filled with spices and fresh vegetables that all marry together to form a united front. We had it with guacamole and chips, as well as a yellow bean salad my sister made. A very tasty lunch!

Cornbread Crusted Pie
adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever
serves 10

INGREDIENTS:

the filling:
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
kernels from 2 ears of sweet corn
2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, with juice

cornbread topping:
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup nonfat milk
1/4 cup canola oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to soften. Add turkey and break it up as it cooks with a spatula or wooden spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until turkey is browned and mostly cooked through.

3. Add garlic, spices, salt, flour, and corn, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for a couple of minutes to allow a cohesive sauce to form. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to the baking dish.

4. Make the topping: In a large bowl, stir the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk the egg, milk, and oil together in a medium bowl and then add to the dry ingredients, mixing until well blended. Pour the batter over the filling in the baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula or spoon.

5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Serve.

Enjoy!

Corn Pudding

I don't know if this has just been a particularly good summer for corn, or if I've just been missing out on the good stuff available directly from the farmers all these years. Since I've been getting corn from a CSA, it's like a whole new awakening. I've always loved corn, but usually couldn't be bothered with coming up with things to do with it. Now that I have this seemingly endless supply, I'm actually having fun coming up with ideas.

Today I made corn pudding, which is a lovely corn casserole filled with gorgeous flavors. Simple seasonings, a bit of milk, some sharp cheese, corn and onion join together with some assistance from an egg and form a beautiful side or main dish. We had ours for dinner along with a side salad, but of course this dish is traditionally seen as a side dish backing up some kind of protein. Really, though, this deserves to be the main attraction.

Make sure you have some really good, sweet corn (preferably white, but let's not be corn-racist) and you can whip this up for a pot luck, for a holiday spread, or simply for dinner.

Corn Pudding
adapted from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors
serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
3 large ears sweet corn, shucked
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar (or cheese of your choice)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
paprika

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a shallow 3-cup baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, just until it's soft and lightly colored, about 10 minutes. (If you want a deeper onion flavor, go ahead and let it get a bit browned. I think it would be yummy.)

3. While onion is cooking, cut the kernels from the corn into a large bowl. Scrape the cob with the flat side of your knife to get out the corn "milk" as well.

4. Stir the egg, milk, cheese, parsley, marjoram, and salt and pepper to taste into the same bowl as the corn. Stir in the cooked onion. Make sure everything is relatively evenly distributed. Pour into the baking dish, and sprinkle with a few dashes of paprika on top. Bake in center of oven until puffed and golden, about 45-50 minutes. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Veggie Mac

I don't often discuss the true stars of this blog, the cookbooks. I recently spotted this cookbook in a Barnes & Noble and just knew I had to have it. Well, to be fair, I feel that way about most cookbooks. But this one really spoke to me. I've been wanting to expose myself to the wonderful world of casseroles - partially because a friend of mine just had a baby, and that seems like the perfect opportunity to flex my casserole muscle.

The cookbook is called The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever, and it's by Beatrice Ojakangas. This is the first recipe I've made from it, and it is appropriately simple and crowd-pleasing. I intend to get into the more complex ones in the near future.

This recipe is really a basic pasta and sauteed veggie dish, but there is something extra homey about it. Maybe because it's baked after cooking, or because it does have a roux-based sauce. Whatever the reason, with my tweaks, I can definitely report that it was tasty and a good go-to meal that doesn't take a whole lot of time or effort.

Veggie Mac
adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray
1/3 pound whole wheat elbow macaroni
1/2 tablespoon EVOO
3 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch ground cumin
1 bunch thin asparagus, cut into 2-inch lengths
1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon whole wheat flour
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan
freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a small-ish casserole dish (about 2 quarts) with cooking spray.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions, until just al dente. Drain and transfer to the casserole.

3. Return the saucepan to the stove and heat EVOO over medium-high heat. Add chopped scallions, garlic, and bell pepper, and cook until soft but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley, oregano, cumin, asparagus, and tomato. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until asparagus is just tender. Mix cooked veggies in with the pasta.

4. Return the saucepan to the stove again and melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually add the milk and cook, whisking until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the parmesan and pepper to taste. Stir the sauce into the pasta and veggies.

5. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is lightly browned and sauce is sizzling.

This is not a crazy cheesy macaroni dish; the sauce is delicate and the veggies play a major role. Enjoy!

Turkey and Bean Casserole with Sage

In movies and TV shows, when someone moves to a new neighborhood, or a family member passes away, or a baby is born, or pretty much any other event occurs, all the neighbors bring over casseroles. It's considered the thoughtful thing to do, as the casserole recipient may not have the time or energy to cook for a while, and casseroles keep in the fridge or freezer for an as-yet-undetermined amount of time.

Well, I've found my casserole. Pretending that I lived in a sitcom reality for a minute, or a neighborhood where people actually know their neighbors' names, I now know what I'll make for these fictional neighbors when someone has a baby, or dies, or relocates. And they won't even really need it to keep for a while because they'll want to eat it all in one sitting.

This casserole is fantastic. I was actually really pleasantly surprised at how much I loved it. It takes many of the flavors traditionally associated with cassoulet and tosses them into a mixture that takes a mere fraction of the cooking time. I tweaked the original recipe considerably, and I have to say it came out as a really amazing dish.

Turkey and Bean Casserole with Sage
adapted from Everyday Food Magazine
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

Generous handful of leftover crusty bread
2 tablespoons EVOO
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
handful sage leaves (about 8-10 leaves)
1 large shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 pound lean ground turkey with Italian seasonings*
1/4 cup white wine
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, pulse the bread until very coarse crumbs form. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO, pulse briefly to distribute. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan or Dutch oven, heat remaining tablespoon EVOO over medium-high. Add the sage, and cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to fish out the leaves and place them on a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving remaining oil in the pan. Set aside the sage leaves.

3. Add shallot and garlic to the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is getting tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add meat, wine, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Stir in the beans and cook until beans are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Don't overdo it on the salt, as the turkey already has some salt in it).

5. Transfer meat-and-bean mixture to a 2 quart casserole. Scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until topping is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve topped with the fried sage leaves.

* If you can't find ground turkey with Italian seasonings, use Italian sausage with casings removed, and omit the red pepper flakes.

This is one of those recipes I want to remember to make again. I get so caught up with trying new recipes that I don't often return to the good ones. This one gets a gold star. Enjoy!