Moussaka
Ingredients
- 2 lb potatoes cut in small cubes
- 1 lb ground meat
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 eggs [I usually decrease the eggs a bit
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt [I don’t usually use all of this – salt is always easy to add at the table to taste]
- 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper
- 1/2 cup oil [I end up using less than this]
Instructions
- Cook the onion in 1/4 cup oil [or less] in a pan until golden brown. Add the meat, half of the salt, the pepper and the paprika. Fry until meat gets brown. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the potatoes, add the other half of the salt and mix well. In casserole pan put the rest of the oil [or less] and add the mixture. Cook about 40 minutes on 425 F. Mix the eggs and the milk separately and pour on top. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the top turns brownish.
Notes
One of the several Bulgarian foods confused in the West for being Greek. Moussaka is made with potatoes, ground meat, and tomatoes then it is topped with a white sauce and baked. Throw in some bay leaves too and you will not want to leave the table until you have finished up the entire baking pan. Eat this with some yoghurt on top.
Creamy Squash Casserole
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 small onions chopped
- 1 (2 1/2 pound) butternut squash – peeled seeded, and cubed
- 6 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water or as needed, optional
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 (8 ounce) package coarsely shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C). Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions in the hot oil until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in squash and garlic; season with salt. Cook squash mixture, stirring occasionally, until squash is slightly tender, about 10 minutes. Add water if mixture gets too dry. Transfer squash mixture to the prepared casserole dish.
- Lightly whisk eggs in a bowl; stir in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, basil, and black pepper. Pour egg mixture over squash mixture; top with mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until squash is tender and mozzarella cheese is bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Notes
October 2014
Creamy No-Roux Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta any shape
- 1 1/2 cups whole or 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese like cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
- Optional extras: Ham cook before adding, bacon, onions, peas, mushrooms, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat in the pasta pot. Add the pasta and a tablespoon of salt. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Warm the Milk: When the pasta has finished cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. Begin warming 1 cup of the milk in the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the flour until there are no lumps. When you just start to see tendrils of steam rising from the warming milk, whisk in the milk-and-flour mixture. Continue whisking gently until the milk thickens slightly to the consistency of heavy cream, 3-4 minutes.
- Make the Cheese Sauce: Turn the heat to low and begin mixing handfuls of cheese into the milk. Stir in the salt and mustard. Stir until all the cheese has melted and the sauce is creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Remove the sauce from heat.
- Combine the Pasta and Cheese Sauce: In a large serving bowl, combine the pasta and 1/2 of the cheese sauce. Stir to coat the pasta evenly. Add the second half of the sauce and any extra add-ins.
- Serving and Storing Leftovers: Serve the mac and cheese immediately while still warm. Leftovers will keep for up to a week and can be reheated in the microwave. If the sauce is a little dry after re-heating, mix in a splash of milk to make it creamy again.
Notes
Baked Mac and Cheese: If you have a little extra time, you can bake the macaroni and cheese to give it a golden crust. Pour the prepared mac and cheese into a casserole dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake at 350° F for 1/2 hour. Remove the covering, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and a few pats of butter, and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until the top is golden and the interior is bubbly.
Potato Bacon Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes thawed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 8 bacon strips cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup (4 ounce) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 can (12 ounceevaporated milk
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
Instructions
- In a greased 8-in. square baking dish, layer half of the potatoes, onion, bacon and cheese. Repeat layers.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk and seasoned salt; pour over potato mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Notes
August/September 2009
Pepper Casserole
Ingredients
Saute
- red and yellow peppers
- zucchini
- onions
- in a little chicken broth with a little Schmand*
Add
- skinned brats broken and fried/cooked
Instructions
- Serve over rice. Salsa would be good with it, too.
Notes
*Smooth 16 oz Cottage Cheese in blender then add 8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese and blend well. Or thin sour cream with a little buttermilk.
February 2009
Hash Brown Pie
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes grated
- ½ t salt
- 2 T butter separated
- 1 C grated Swiss cheese or Cheddar
- 1 med onion diced
- 2 eggs
- 1 C milk
- 2 T parsley
- ½ t salt or less
- ½ t pepper
- 1 t paprika
- ½ t dry mustard
Instructions
- Using 1 T butter, grease bottom and sides of 9” pie pan.
- Press in prepared potatoes to form crust
- Sprinkle with cheese,
- Saute onion in remaining 1 T butter and spread over cheese.
- Beat the rest of the ingredients together then carefully pour over crust.
- Bake 375° for 45 minutes until golden brown and a knife inserted in pie comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes for easier serving.
Notes
October 2013
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
Ingredients
- 2 lb potatoes about 6 med.
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup
- 1/4 c finely chopped onion
- 1 1/4 c milk
- 1 1/2 c cubed ham
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees (crock pot can be used). Peel potatoes and slice thin to measure about 4 cups. Melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk and soup. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
- In greased 2 quart casserole, arrange spuds in 2 layers, topping each with 1/2 onion and 1/2 of white sauce, 1/2 ham. Top with remaining spuds and sauce and ham. Dot with butter. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake 60-70 minutes longer or until spuds are tender. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. 6 servings.
- To make in crock pot. Layer all ingredients into pot. Cook on high 2 hours. Turn to low until spuds are tender, 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally.
Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
Ingredients
- 2 c ham leftover pieces
- 4 c sliced potatoes
- 2/3 c chopped onion
- 1 1/2 c milk
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- Paprika
- Pimiento
Instructions
- Put milk in a 2 cup measuring cup.
- Add flour, salt and pepper.
- Put layer of ham on bottom of 2 or 3 quart casserole.
- Add layer of sliced potatoes and chopped onion.
- Add some flour, milk mixture.
- Dot with butter.
- Add another layer of ham, potatoes and onions.
- Pour rest of flour and milk.
- Sprinkle with paprika.
- Cover and cook 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Uncover and cook again for 10 or 15 minutes.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand 2 minutes before serving.
- Serve with peas, biscuits.
Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb ham cooked & cubed
- 6-8 medium potatoes raw & peeled, if desired
- 1 C onion divided, chopped
- 6-8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 C chicken broth
- 1/2 C milk
- 2 T cornstarch
- 1 C shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Begin by washing, and/or peeling your potatoes. Then, using a mandolin slicer, thinly slice the potatoes into discs.
- Meanwhile, slice up the mushrooms, and place them in a large skillet. Saute with 1/2 C diced onion, until much of the liquids evaporate.
- Combine 1 T corn starch with 1/2 C chicken broth and stir until well combined. Add to the mushrooms and stir constantly as the mixture thickens. Then, add in the milk and continue stirring. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Lightly spray the inside of the crockpot with olive oil. Then, arrange 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot.
- Lightly spray the inside of the crockpot with olive oil. Then, arrange 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot.
- Then, sprinkle over 1/6 of each of the cheeses.
- Repeat the layers until ingredients run out; reserving the last layers of cheese.
- Pour the mushroom soup goodness over the top of the layers in the crockpot.
- Then, sprinkle on the cheese
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
Summer Vegetable Gratin
The success of this recipe depends on good-quality produce. Buy zucchini and summer squash of roughly the same diameter. While we like the visual contrast zucchini and summer squash bring to the dish, you can also use just one or the other. A similarly sized broiler-safe gratin dish can be substituted for the 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Serve the gratin alongside grilled fish or meat and accompanied by bread to soak up any flavorful juices.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound zucchini , ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 1 pound summer squash (yellow), ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 2 medium onions , halved lengthwise and sliced thin pole to pole (about 3 cups)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 large slice white sandwich bread , torn into quarters
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese , grated (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium shallots , minced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.
- Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander set over bowl. Let stand until zucchini and squash
- release at least 3 tablespoons of liquid, about 45 minutes. Arrange slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels.
- Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.
- Place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and dark golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Set onions aside.
- Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and thyme in small bowl. In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish. Arrange caramelized onions in even layer over squash. Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of onions. Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes. Bake until vegetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, process bread in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. (You should have about 1 cup crumbs.) Combine bread crumbs, remaining tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and shallots in medium bowl. Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.