Cheesy Beef & Zucchini Casserole

I have no idea why I made a casserole when it was 100°F in Los Angeles yesterday! Anyway, it was really good and easy to make.

Cheesy Beef & Zucchini Casserole

Serves 6-8

4 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 can (15 oz) Italian tomato sauce

Place zucchini in strainer; sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10
minutes. Squeeze out moisture.

Combine zucchini with the eggs, Parmesan and half of the mozzarella
and cheddar cheeses. Press into greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add tomato sauce; spoon over zucchini mixture.

Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake 20 minutes longer or until heated through.

Sausage, Kale & White Bean Casserole

Last night, I made this really simple one pot dinner. The original recipe called for chard, but I changed it to kale, since it’s such a super food. Don’t get me wrong, chard is good too. I will definitely be making it again.

Sausage, Kale & White Bean Casserole

Serves 4

1 Tbs plus 1 tsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
2 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch Kale, leaves cut into 2-inch strips
2 15.5 oz cans cannellini beans, rinsed
kosher salt and black pepper
2 Tbs bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400º F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the sausage and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the carrots and garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add the kale and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the beans, ½ cup water, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Nestle the sausages in the beans.

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the remaining teaspoon of oil. Sprinkle over the sausage mixture. Transfer the skillet to oven; bake until golden, about 25 minutes.

Lemon & Thyme Potato Gratin

Several weeks ago, I delivered a meal to a client. I made this Lemon Thyme Potato Gratin (which I will have to admit, I had never made before!). She called me a week later and said it was the best potato gratin they had ever had, and can I make it again for a party using her pan. It’s based on a Martha Stewart recipe. I used cream instead of milk – maybe that’s why it was so good! Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of the final product because I delivered it par baked…

Lemon & Thyme Potato Gratin

Serves 4

2 Tbs unsalted butter
2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream or milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees with rack in center. Place a baking sheet on rack below to catch any drips from gratin. Grease a 10-by-5 1/2-inch gratin dish with butter.

Cover bottom of gratin dish with one-third of potato slices in an even layer. Sprinkle potatoes with one-third each of thyme, nutmeg, and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Dot with butter. Add a second layer, and season. Top with a third layer of neatly arranged potato slices. Pour cream over potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining third thyme, nutmeg, and lemon zest, and dot with butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil, and continue to bake 10 to 20 minutes, until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. If the top of the gratin is not golden brown but potatoes are tender, heat the broiler. Place gratin under the broiler for just a few seconds to brown nicely. Serve gratin hot, spooned out into individual servings. Potato gratin will hold well in a low oven (about 200 degrees, covered with aluminum foil for up to 1 hour).

Tamale Pie

It’s me today. No guest bloggers. Last week, I went to Trader Joe’s and went straight to the “tasting station”, where they hand out samples for you to try. I almost always buy whatever they are demoing. It was this tamale pie. I am not a big fan of polenta (unless it’s crispy), but I have to say I really liked this dish. It’s something you could have in your pantry. It takes less then 5 minutes to throw it in a casserole dish. You could even make it vegetarian by using vegetarian chili instead of chicken or turkey. The original recipe calls for a jar of their Cowboy Caviar, but I actually used the corn salsa instead.

Tamale Pie

Serves 4 – 6

1 jar TJ’s Corn and Chile Tomato-Less Salsa
1 can TJ’s Chicken or Turkey Chili
1 can Black Beans
1/4 tsp TJ’s Cayenne Pepper
TJ’s Olive Oil Cooking Spray
1 package TJ’s Fully Cooked Polenta
1 bag TJ’s Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
TJ’s Fresh Green Onions, TJ’s Fresh Cilantro, TJ’s Sour Cream, for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the corn salsa, chili, black beans, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside. Grease an 8″ x 8″ casserole dish with olive oil spray. Set aside. Cut the polenta into 1/4-inch slices. Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of polenta rounds. Pour chili mixture over the polenta and top with half of the cheese. Top the chili & cheese with the remaining polenta slices. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over the top and place in oven to bake for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Serve and garnish with chopped onions, cilantro and/or sour cream, if desired.

Spinach Noodle Kugel for Passover

Guest blogger Jessica (Denver, CO) from Beauty Marks.

Passover and Easter usually fall around the same time of year, and dishes that look spring-esque are always welcome at these holiday meals. Kugel is a traditional Jewish dish that basically includes baked starch in some form – whether matzo, noodles, potatoes, or flour-based. This recipe works great with Passover noodles because they’re gluten free and we have Passover guests who have celiac disease and cannot eat gluten. Because matzo is made with flour, matzo-based dishes are off-limits to the gluten-free eaters. This is a great recipe that is bright and festive, easy to make in advance, AND can be made either for Passover, with kosher-for-Passover noodles, or for the rest of the year, using regular noodles. And, in the immortal words of the old comedy album and rye bread ad, you don’t HAVE to be Jewish to enjoy kugel.

Spinach Noodle Kugel for Passover

16 oz noodles
16 oz fresh spinach
2 Tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Rinse with cold water (to stop cooking) and drain. Place in a large bowl.

While noodles are cooking, wash spinach leaves and remove stems. Place about a quarter cup of water in a 4-quart saucepan. Add spinach. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Drain well. Chop spinach and add to the cooked and drained noodles.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Sauté onions until golden. Add to the noodles and spinach.

Add eggs, 1/2 cup oil and salt. Mix well.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the top of the noodle has started to brown.

I cut the recipe in half, hence the square pan in the photo.

Baked Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage & Kale

Kale is a nutritional superfood. It should have it’s own cape! It has
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer nutrients to name a few. On the downside, it has a large concentration of Vitamin K, which can be a problem for people taking blood thinners because it promotes clotting; the green also contains oxalates, which in lab tests have been associated with kidney stones and some gallstones. Eat raw kale is not a good idea, it will result in digestive issues.

This recipe is a great way to introduce some kale into your family’s diet. Everyone loved it.

Baked Pasta with Sweet Italian Sausage & Kale

Serves 6

1 lb penne or other short pasta
1 medium (about 1 lb) bunch kale, stems discarded and leaves cut into 2-inch pieces
3 Tbs olive oil
1 package (20 oz) turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbs flour
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta according to package directions, adding the kale during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and kale and return it to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until beginning to brown, 5 to 6 minutes; transfer to a bowl.

Add the onion and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stirring constantly, gradually add the milk. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes; stir in the crushed red pepper.

Add the sauce to the pasta and kale and toss to coat. Add the sausage, tomatoes, ricotta and mozzarella and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to a 3-quart or 9- by 13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake until heated through and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Party Potatoes

Fasten your seat belts! This is a recipe from Uncle Todd’s family. You really shouldn’t eat this more than once a year due to the high cholesterol / fat content. Party potatoes are also called Funeral Potatoes. Funeral potatoes are a traditional Mormon potato hotdish, or casserole, that originated in the U.S. state of Utah. Funeral potatoes get their name from commonly being served as a side dish during traditional after-funeral dinners. During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, one of the souvenir “food pins” featured a depiction of funeral potatoes!

The dish usually consists of hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheese (cheddar or Parmesan), onions, cream soup (chicken, mushroom, or celery) or a cream sauce, sour cream, and is topped with butter and corn flakes or crushed potato chips. Reminiscent of my mid-west upbringing, where every side dish had a crunchy topping. However, this recipe is minus the crunch!

Party Potatoes

Serves 10

2 lbs bag frozen diced potatoes
1 onion-medium
16 oz sour cream
1 can of cream of chicken (or mushroom)
1 stick of butter
8 oz sharp cheddar shredded

Combine soup butter sour cream in sauce pan. Heat through to melt butter and then pour mixture over potatoes and diced onion and 1/2 of cheese. Mix to combine and then top with the remainder of cheese and bake at 370 for 1-1/2 hours.

Chicken & Mushroom Casserole with Crunchy Stuffing Topping

Last night I concocted this chicken casserole. To me, texture is key. I love things that are crunchy! I happened to have a half a box of leftover stuffing mix and decided to use it up. You could make this ahead and bake it later. Love that!

Chicken & Mushroom Casserole with Crunchy Stuffing Topping

Serves 6

3 cups water
½ cup dry white wine
10½ oz can low-sodium chicken broth
4 chicken breast, boneless, skinless
4 Tbs butter, divided
1½ tsp fresh sage, chopped
1½ tsp fresh thyme
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Topping
2 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix
3 Tbs butter, melted
Chicken stock to moisten the stuffing – as needed

Combine the water, wine and chicken broth in a large pot; bring to a boil. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon; bring broth mixture to a boil. Cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 30 minutes). Pour reduced broth mixture into a 2-cup glass measure.

Shred the chicken with 2 forks. Place chicken in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Melt 2 Tbs of butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, sage and thyme and sauté 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Place flour in skillet; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add 2 cups broth mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in mushrooms, salt, and pepper; pour over chicken.  Stir everything together.

Combine the stuffing mix and butter in a bowl, then add some of the chicken stock to moisten and sprinkle over the mushroom mixture. Cover and bake casserole at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook casserole 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Artichoke Spinach Pasta Casserole

Last night, I tried this new version of artichoke spinach pasta. If it contains artichokes and lemon, then I make it.

Artichoke Spinach Pasta Casserole

Serves 8

12 oz short pasta
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 cups lowfat sour cream
4 oz lowfat cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cups grated Parmesan (2 oz)
2 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbs lemon juice
10 oz frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained
13.5 oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 cup mozzarella, shredded

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Heat broiler. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon zest and lemon juice; stir in the onion mixture.

Add the pasta to the bowl and toss to coat. Stir in the spinach, artichokes and 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid (adding more liquid if the pasta seems dry). Fold in 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Transfer the pasta mixture to a broiler-proof 2 1/2- to 3-qt casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and broil until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Make it ahead: Line the casserole dish with foil, leaving a 3-in. overhang on two sides. Fill the dish with the prepared pasta mixture and freeze until just firm, about 20 minutes. Using the overhangs, lift the pasta out of the dish in one piece. Wrap in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months.

To serve: Let thaw in the refrigerator, remove the foil and plastic, and transfer the pasta to a broiler-proof casserole dish. Reheat, covered, in a 375°F oven, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella and broil as directed.

Sweet Potato Casserole

It’s now time to start thinking about those Thanksgiving side dishes.  This recipe is Ruth’s Chris special sweet potato casserole is an all-year-round hit with patrons, and it’s especially popular at Thanksgiving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Serves 12

Crust
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans preferred)
1/3 stick butter, melted

Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Set aside.

Sweet Potato Mixture
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.

Pour mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. (At this point, dish can be covered and refrigerated.)

Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture and return to oven for 10 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

The brown sugar and pecan crust should be slightly browned and crunchy.