Category: Casseroles and Pan Dishes

Eggplant or Zucchini Rolls

zucch-rollBefore we begin…

  • When you buy your eggplant, don’t get one that is too big – it will be tough. It is better to have smaller rollups.
  • Zucchini is the same way – bigger is not necessarily better
  • Jarred capers are fine. I prefer the little ones, although the big ones work too.
  • Buy block cheese and grate it yourself as needed. It will keep longer.
  • Use a grill pan for nice markings on the outside of your rollups

Ingredients to feed 4 people

  • 2 eggplants or zucchini
  • gorgonzola or mozzarella
  • parmesan cheese
  • provolone cheese
  • cheddar cheese
  • capers
  • lemon
  • 1 C flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 3 eggs

1/2 LB ground pork (cooked)
or thinly sliced smoked salmon
or thinly sliced Proscuitto

Step by Step

  1. Slice eggplant or zucchini into long planks as thin as possible
  2. Whisk eggs
  3. Prepare flour with salt and pepper
  4. Flour planks
  5. Dip in egg wash – hold up to mostly drain
  6. Put into hot oiled grill pan until browned – doesn’t take long – about 4 minutes per side
  7. Place onto baking sheet to drain after cooking
  8. Salt them as they come out, while they are still sizzling
    – Just like this, you can also use them for great sandwiches
  9. Smear a thin cream cheese strip across the plant
  10. Put capers across the cheese, roll them up.
    Put in an optional protein
  11. You can add longer pieces of carrot, basil, cilantro, etc to make it especially pretty.
  12. Place them in an appetizer serving dish
  13. Poke with toothpicks if you wish
  14. Top with finely grated cheddar
  15. Plate with slices of lemon

If you want to take this to the next level, and serve as a family dinner, put into a greased baking dish rather than an appetizer serving dish. Then, jumping from Step 10 above to Step 11 below…

  1. Mix 1/2 C gorgonzola or mozzerella with
    – 1/4 C Shredded cheddar
    – 2 TBL Parmesan cheese
  2. Sprinkle cheese over top of rollup layer
  3. Spread cooked ground browned pork on the next layer
  4. Spread with a little red sauce
  5. Top with provalone
  6. Bake at 450º for 10 minutes
This is a recipe that has been created or modified by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews.
CLICK HERE for a free sample copies of Grandpa's Cookbooks. © 2016, 2017, 2018.

Baked Zucchini

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Zucchini
  • 2 pieces of broken bread
    or 3/4 C soda crackers or pretzels
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 2 eggs
  • salt & pepper
  • 2 oz jar diced pimento (or chopped red bell pepper)
  • 1/4 C sharp chedder cheese – grated

STEP BY STEP

  1. Boil zucchini just until tender (about 10 min)
  2. Drain and toss with broken bread.
  3. Mix w/ garlic, salt, pepper, and egg – mix well.
  4. Pour mixture into greased ramekins
  5. Cover w/ grated cheese
  6. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Pun’kin Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

3 TBL butter
3 TBL flour
4 oz chicken stock or broth
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
4 oz Cheddar Cheese
4 oz Mozarella Cheese
4 oz Fontina Cheese
4 oz Gruyere or similar cured cheese

Instructions

PREPARATION
1. Cut top off pumpkin, as you might for a jack-o-lantern.
2. Clean seeds and pump out. Seeds taste great baked.
3. Cut cheese into very small pieces or grate
4. Cut apples and bread into bite-sized pieces
COOKING
1. Melt butter over low heat in large sauce pan
2. Stir in flour and continue to stir until it starts to darken
3. When darkened, add broth and stir until smooth
4. Add mustard and Worchestershire
5. Add cheeses and stir until smooth
6. At this point, microwave pumpkin bowl for 5 minutes
7. Pour melted cheese into hot pumpkin bowl.
8. Serve with forks

Special Steps

Variations
Any type of squash will work, as it is mainly simply a container.
Rather than preparing on the stovetop, if you have an oven melt the cheese in the pumpkin bowl at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Proper Cobbler

cobblerBEFORE WE BEGIN

  • Use fruit at the peak of ripeness
  • Peel and slice fruit
  • Measure out ingredients and set aside

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 4 TBL Butter
    .
  • 3 1/2 pounds Gala apples (7 to 8)
    Alternately, use Nectarines, Peaches or Plums
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter
    .
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 1 TBL cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
    .
  • 1/4 C heavy cream
  • 1/2 C whole milk
  • 1 egg
  • Juice and zest from two lemons
  • .
  • 2 TBL Turbinado sugar for garnish

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 475º
  2. Simmer raisins and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 4 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and set aside to macerate, covered, 30 minutes.
  4. While raisins macerate, peel and core apples, then cut into 1-inch pieces or thin slices
  5. Toss apples with lemon juice.
  6. Spread softened butter in cast iron skillet and sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over it. Put excess into your mixing bowl
  7. Cook apples over medium-high heat, without stirring, until juices are deep golden and bubbling, 18 to 23 minutes (don’t worry if juices color unevenly).
  8. Combine apples and raisins and butter (skillet will be full).
    SEE BELOW FOR AN ALTERNATE BISQUICK CRUST
  9. Stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, corn starch, baking powder, and salt
  10. Add cream, egg, milk, and lemon – stir just until a dough forms.
  11. Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface.
  12. Gently knead 6 times, then pat dough into an 8-inch round.
  13. Cut out as many rounds as possible with lightly floured cutter.
  14. Gather scraps and pat out, then cut out more rounds. (You will have about 12)
  15. Don’t re-press more than once because dough will begin to get tough
  16. Arrange biscuits on apples about 1/2 inch apart and brush tops with remaining tablespoon cream
  17. Sprinkle with Turbinado sugar
  18. Bake at 375° for about 35 minutes until biscuits are puffed and golden, about 18-20 minutes

OH, ONE MORE THING . . .

  • The cobbler takes its name from the biscuit dough crust on top – it is rough looking or ‘cobbled.’ It originated in the U.S. sometime in the early to mid 19th century.
  • For best results, use a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet; and a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter
  • Accompaniment: heavy cream or ice cream

VARIATIONS

  • Like a classic tarte Tatin, this cobbler begins with apples being caramelized in a rich mix of butter and sugar, but we’ve upped the ante by adding raisins.
  • Tender biscuit rounds take the place of traditional pastry to create a true home-style dessert.
  • Cooks’ notes: Cobbler is best when freshly made but can be baked 3 hours ahead and reheated in a 350°F oven.
  • Add egg, sugar, and flour mixed together into your blueberries to create kind of a custard
  • ALTERNATE CRUST: Create a thick batter using the drop biscuit recipe from the Bisquick box, but add an extra 2 TBL of sugar to the box recipe.  Drizzle over top in place of circle toppings.  Then jump to Step 17.

 

 

Shortcut Stroganoff

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS Vegetable oil
  • 1 LB boneless beef sirloin steak (cut into strips)
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
  • 1 can Condensed Beef Broth
  • 1 C water
  • 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 C UNCOOKED egg noodle pasta
  • ½ CU sour cream (use low fat, you can’t tell the difference)

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in skillet
  2. Add beef and cook until browned and juices evaporate (stirring)
  3. Add soup, broth, water, Worcestershire and bring to a boil
  4. Add pasta and simmer for 15 minutes
  5. Stir in sour cream and serve

 

Tortilla Española

AKA Spanish Tortilla

In Spain, the tortillas are not the thin things that we are used to in Phoenix, but rather thick potato quiches.
In Spain, tortillas are not the thin things that we use here in Phoenix, but rather thick potato quiches.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-1/4 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 8 extra-large eggs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional:  Cheese mix: See notes at bottom of this page.

STEP BY STEP

  1. Heat half of your oil in a large skillet till hot, but not smoking.
  2. Add the onion and stir occasionally.  Onion should sweat and soften, but not caramelize.
  3. Gently toss the potatoes in with the onion, seasoning with salt and pepper along the way.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium, and cover.
  5. Simmer – stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat if necessary so that the vegetables do not brown, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a parking knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl.
  7. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high until very hot but not smoking.
  8. Gently temper the potatoes and onion into the eggs
  9. Pour the entire thing into the skillet, spreading the potatoes evenly in the pan.
  10. Cook for about 1 minute, just to set the bottom of the egg mixture.
  11. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, or until almost set through.
  12. Carefully flip the tortilla over (invert it onto a plate if you must, then slide it back into the pan, bottom side up) and cook for 5 minutes longer, until set.
  13. Flip out onto a clean plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  14. Serve warm or at room temperature.

NOTE

  • After reducing the heat to medium-low in Step 11, start checking for doneness after about 15 minutes. It may not take the 20 minutes mentioned depending on the pan you use. You don’t want to overcook the eggs or they’ll toughen and become dry.
  • You could, of course, Americanize this just a bit with cheese.  Option 1 is to use a Monterey Jack and cheddar mix.  Option 2 is to grate a nutty Gruyere, Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss into the egg and potato mixture. It isn’t traditional but it adds another layer of flavor.
  • Use organic eggs if possible. There is a difference, especially in dishes like this one where eggs are the focal point.
  • Tortilla Española is essentially the national dish of Spain. You can eat it as a tapa, for breakfast, in a bocadillo (sandwich), or for dinner with salad and a bit of jamon. Basically anytime, anywhere. We had a great one at Valdubon and I think it’s because they weren’t afraid to use a lot of olive oil. No fear!

Reprinted from Spain: A Culinary Road Trip by Mario Batali with Gwyneth Paltrow, published by Ecco, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2008 with adaptations by Robert (Grandpa) Andrews

 

Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS: FILLING

  • Corn tortillas
  • 8 oz Monterrey jack
  • 6 oz sharp cheddar or Cotijo

STEP BY STEP

  1. Remove stem and seeds – tear apart chili
  2. Toast in dry skillet
  3. Add 1 TBL veg oil – bring to 350º
  4. Add ground spices, salt and pepper
  5. Add flour
  6. Cook until darker
  7. Add chicken broth
  8. Whisk together
  9. Cook until thickened
  10. Add white vinegar
  11. Transfer to measuring cup and let it rest
  12. Spray or brush corn tortillas with oil – Stack together – wrap in damp towel – microwave 60 seconds
  13. Place 1 TBL sauce in bottom of 6 inch ramekins
  14. Lay down tortillas
  15. Cover with some cheese
  16. Add chopped onion
  17. Add more sauce
  18. Add more cheese
  19. Add another tortilla, more cheese and then more sace
  20. Bake at 450º for 10 minutes
  21. Add just a bit more onion
  22. Cook 5 more minutes
  23. Cool 5 minutes, then serve

 

Personal Spinach Souffle

Souffle
This souffle is almost like eating a spinach cloud!

INGREDIENTS
Double for two people

  • 1/2 C * steamed and chopped spinach (squeezed)
  • 1 eggs ** (separate whites from yolks… the yellows)
  • 1/4 CU cottage cheese
  • 1/4 CU shredded Cheddar or Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 TBL flour
  • 1/4 stick butter or 2 OZ low-fat sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
  • dash or two of Grandpa's Thunder Powder or Arghhh Powder
  • dash of nutmeg

STEP BY STEP

  1. Separate egg whites from yolks * See Grandpa’s Tip below
  2. Whisk whites on medium high until it starts to thicken, then add salt and Cream of Tartar
  3. Continue to beat. It will become shiny.  AS SOON as it starts to loose its luster, your whites are ready.
  4. It’s better to under-beat the eggs rather than over-beat them.  If you over-beat them, your souffle will taste grainy.
  5. Mix yolks with spinach, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, flour, butter and spices
  6. When the whites are ready, GENTLY fold in your yolk mixture.
  7. OPTIONAL:  Mix in 1-2 pieces of crisp cooked bacon – Add garlic powder and onion powder – Add caramelized onion and/or mushrooms
  8. Pour into a greased glass baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

If you are lucky, your souffle will have puffed up about an inch or so.  If you are like most of us normal human beings, your souffle may have fallen or collapsed in the middle.  That’s OK.  It will still taste marvelous.

* When separating an egg, bring it up to ROOM TEMPERATURE.  Then crack the egg on a FLAT surface and it will break cleanly.  Over a small bowl, pour the yolk from one shell into the other allowing the white to ooze into the bowl.  Dump the yolk into a SECOND bowl, and then dump the white into a THIRD bowl… a clean glass mixing bowl.  Why?  Because if you make one little mistake and a speck of yolk falls into your whites, you might was well save it for scrambled eggs.  Repeat the process with the second egg.

Enchilada Casserole

This is scaled back for two people. For the full recipe as published, scroll down.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 lb. ground beef
  • 1 can black beans – drained
  • 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbs. flour
  • 4 oz. tomato sauce
  • 3 oz. enchilada sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. diced green chiles
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • (1 cube beef bouillon – optional)
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/4 C. water
  • 4 corn tortillas
  • 4 oz. grated Colby jack cheese
  • 1 Green onion, chopped

STEP BY STEP

  1. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef.
  2. Remove the beef from pan and set aside.
  3. In the pan drippings stir in the oil and flour.
  4. Add the tomato sauce, enchilada sauce and water – a little bit at a time – smoothing out lumps as you go.
  5. The sauce should be fairly thin. Add more water if needed.
  6. Stir in the chilies, garlic, cumin, chili powder and the bouillon cube.
  7. Bring just to a boil and turn on warm to keep heated.
  8. Dip tortillas in and out sauce to soften, then cut them in half, placing the flat edge against the side of a baking dish
  9. Add a layer of ground beef, cheese and onion.
  10. Add a thin layer of beans and top with some more enchilada sauce
  11. Repeat procedure until baking pan is full.
  12. Pour sauce over the to of it all
  13. Sprinkle more cheese and onion on top.
  14. Cover with foil and bake at 350º for 25 to 30 minutes.
  15. Remove foil, then cook for 10-15 minutes more

INGREDIENTS FOR 8-10 PEOPLE

  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 3 Tbs. vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbs. flour
  • 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
  • 1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cube beef bouillon
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 2 C. water
  • 15 corn tortillas
  • 16 oz. grated Colby jack cheese
  • Green onion, chopped

Assembly directions as shown above.

Amounts need to be tested. They were adjusted on the fly and have not been debugged. If you try this, please comment below. Thanks.

  • 1/4 C Paprika
  • 1 TBL Flour
  • 2 C Broth

8 Corn tortillas

  • 1 lb Ground beef
  • 1/2 lb Ground pork or chicken
  • lots of Shredded Cheese
  • Salsa to taste
  • 1 Onion – diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 1/2 C Black beans
  • 1 can Refried beans

Veggie Souffle

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 eggs – separated
  • 1 small onion – diced
  • EVOO
  • 1 CU shredded cheddar/mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tomato (diced) or 1 can San Marzano tomatoes – crushed
  • 1 TBL chives
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp sugar

STEP BY STEP

  1. Saute onions IN EVOO
  2. Beat egg whites to medium peaks
  3. Fold veggies into egg whites
  4. ( Add options below if desired )
  5. Combine everything ( except cheese ) in casserole dish with all other ingredients
  6. Top with shredded cheese
  7. Bake @ 350º for 40 minutes
  8. Let cool 5 minutes before serving

OPTIONS:  Add mushrooms, black olives, or artichokes

 

Veggie Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 C thinly sliced zucchini (mandolin)
  • 1 C thinly sliced eggplant (mandolin)
  • 6-9 lasagna noodles or very thin white or sweet potato slices *
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 stalk celery – cut thinly
  • 1 large carrot – peel or julienne strips
  • 1 small can corn
  • 1 handful basil – chiffonade
  • 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 4 TBL butter
  • 1/4 C AP flour
  • 3 C low-fat milk
  • 1/2 C low-fat cottage cheese
  • 1/2 C Parmesan cheese – grated
  • 1/2 C Ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella or provalone cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Heat EVOO in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat
  3. Add celery, onion, and carrot
  4. Sauté 8-10 minutes or until browned
  5. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, corn, basil, salt and pepper
  6. Set aside vegetable mixture
  1. Melt butter in a saute pan
  2. Slowly spoon in flour stirring to incorporate
  3. When the flour has browned, gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk
  4. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and starts to thicken
  5. Remove from heat and stir in cottage cheese, Ricotta cheese, and Parmesan cheese
  6. Set aside sauce
  1. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large glass greased baking dish
  2. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce – or substitute hard slices of potato
  3. Top with half the vegetables
  4. Add one-third of the white sauce
  5. Top with 3 noodles
  6. Add remaining vegetables
  7. Add half the remaining sauce
  8. Add 3 more noodles
  9. Add the last of the white sauce
  10. Cover with foil and bake at 350º F for 60 minutes
  11. Uncover, sprinkle with mozzarella
  12. Bake an additional 25 minutes or until golden brown
  13. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting

ROOT VEGETABLE LASAGNA

  • Slice root vegetables, lightly toasted in EVOO and sprinkle with salt
  • Bake mandolin-thin hard veggies at 400º for 20 minutes
  • Slice softer veggies into thin slices or strips
  • Sautee and reduce slivered onion, spinach, garlic and salt
  • In casserole dish, layer:  Béchamel or veg puree, veggies, spinach, spag squash, Béchamel, veggies, spag, veggies, spinach, Béchamel, and cheese
  • Bake 15 minutes

Béchamel is 3 T flour, 1 C cream, 1 C whole milk, 1/4 C butter, 1 shallot (or a slice of onion) 1/2 tsp salt, and spices to taste (eg) nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne, paprika

 

Veal Breast Lasagna

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 – 3/4 LB  Veal Breast
  • 1/2 C Madera wine
  • 1 C veal or beef stock
  • 3 Shallots
  • 4-6Mushrooms
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 1/4 C Heavy cream
  • 1/2 C Parmesan cheese
  • Pasta sheets or lasagna noodles as needed
  • 1/2 C Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 2 Chives

STEP BY STEP

  1. Marinate breast in red wine overnight
  2. Put veal and wine into a sauce pan
  3. Add shallots and 1 C veal stock
  4. Simmer for two hours
  5. Remove veal to cool, then cut into 1/4 inch pieces
  6. Discard all but about 2 TBL of your stock
  7. In the remaining stock, saute mushrooms and onion
  8. In 5-8 minutes, combine with veal breast
  9. Add heavy cream and half your Parmesan cheese and mix, then set aside
  10. Lay down a layer of the cream mixture in the bottom of the pan
  11. Add a layer of pasta, and then half the veal mixture
  12. Lay down another layer of pasta, and then the rest of the veal mixture
  13. Scrape any remaining sauce over top of the veal mixture
  14. Top with a your Panko bread crumbs
  15. Sprinkle w/ the remaining Parmesan
  16. Bake at 350º for 20-30 minutes
  17. Top with chopped chives

Spanish European Frittata

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 medium to large red-skin potato, sliced thin
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into thin rings
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago, or Fontinella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Muenster or Monterey Jack cheese
  • Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon mild paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

STEP BY STEP

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Oil 10-inch skillet (with an ovenproof handle) lightly
  • Heat over medium-high heat.
  • Add the potatoes, onions, and a little salt and pepper.
  • Sauté until the potatoes are tender.
  • Remove skillet from the heat.
  • Stir in the garlic
  • Sprinkle the potatoes with the paprika.
  • In a bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper
  • Add 2/3 cup of each of the cheeses.
  • Pour the mixture over the sauteed potatoes.
  • Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses
  • Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes
  • Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out fairly clean
  • Let omelet stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it into wedges.
  • Serve warm

If possible, use organic eggs. There really is a difference in flavor.

 

Moussaka

mousakaMoussaka is kind of a lasagna casserole very popular in the Egyptian, Arabic, Greek and Turkish cultures.

INGREDIENTS

For the Meat layer

  • 1 LB ground lamb
  • 1/2 LB ground beef
  • 1 tsp EVOO
  • 1 TBL butter
  • 1 medium sweet onion – chopped fine or minced
  • 2 cloves garlic – finely chopped or grated
  • 1 carrot – grated
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp coriander
  • red pepper flakes
  • 1 TBL tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 C TBL red wine
  • 1/4 C beef stock
  • 1 TBL crushed oregano
  • 1 (16 oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes – crushed
  • Kosher salt and ground black or white pepper to taste

Other Elements

  • 1 large eggplant – peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick slabs
  • 2 TBL grated Parmesan cheese – for bottom of pan

For the Bechamel Cheese Sauce

  • 4 TBL butter
  • 4 TBL (1/4 C) flour
  • 1 1/2  C milk
  • 1/2 C plain yogurt
  • 1/2 C grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese
  • 1/4 C grated Provolone cheese or 2 oz goat cheese
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
    • Stir just to dissolve/melt

STEP BY STEP

This has a lot of steps, but is very straight-forward.  Don’t be put off by the complexity.  It is not.

  1. Preheat oven to 375º
  2. Brush your eggplant with EVOO, then put into your oven for 15 minutes to soften – DO NOT UNDERCOOK
    You can let this cook as your oven comes up to heat.  No need to preheat.
  3. Butter your baking dish and sprinkle 2 TBL of your Parmesan cheese on the bottom
  4. Add half your chopped onion on top of that.
  5. Brown your ground lamb and beef while the eggplant is cooking
  6. When browned, add the rest of your onion and carrot in with the meat
  7. In about 4 minutes, add your garlic in with the onion and cook another two minutes
  8. Add the rest of your spices, and then deglaze with red wine and beef stock
  9. Let it reduce for a few minutes, then add your crushed tomatoes and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
  10. While this is simmering, layer your eggplant over top of the onion in your baking dish
  11. Start your Bechamel in a small sauce pan by melting the butter over medium heat
  12. Add flour and cook till the flour starts to clump and brown
  13. Add milk slowly, whisking constantly until most of the clumps have been absorbed.
  14. Add the remainder of your cheese to the sauce and cook until it starts to bubble, then remove from heat
  15. Whisk together your yogurt and egg yolks, then temper your milk into your yogurt.
  16. Spread your cooked meat over the eggplant
  17. Pour the cheese sauce over the meat.
  18. You can even do this in two layers if you wish
  19. Bake at 375º until the cheese sauce begins to bubble and brown a little bit ( 40-45  minutes )
  20. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

NOTE:  Using Gruyere cheese gives this a very nice depth of flavor

Spinach Breakfast Quiche

Spinach Breakfast Quiche
Spinach Breakfast Quiche

INGREDIENTS

Start with Grandpa’s recipe for BASIC CUSTARD, which is a standard recipe that everyone should try.  The recipe for BASIC CUSTARD is repeated within this recipe for your convenience.

You can make this with or without a crust, but if you make one with a crust, PRE-BAKE the crust at 425 for about 10 minutes.
Use commercial pie crust in place of Step 5 of the Basic Custard recipe, or MAKE YOUR OWN

  • 4 Eggs and 4 TBL Sugar creamed together
  • Dash Vanilla
  • Cinnamon
  • Grated nutmeg
  • Merest dash of salt
  • Zest and juice from one orange or lime
  • 1/2 C whole or lowfat milk – NOT skim, because you need the fats to gel properly
  • 1/2 C Cream (Traditionally you should use just cream * I substitute 2/3 more milk instead of cream to keep it healthier)
  • 1/2 CU frozen spinach (thawed)
  • 1/4 onion – chopped small, minced or grated
  • 2 cloves garlic – minced
  • 1/2 C cheddar cheese – shredded
  • 1/4 C grated Parmesan

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cream together eggs and sugar
  2. Mix in vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and orange
  3. Mix with milk and cream
  4. Wash spinach in standing water to remove all grit
  5. Remove stems
  6. Steam leaves until soft ( or use frozen – this is what I do – SEE NOTE BELOW )
  7. Chop into small pieces and S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E the water from them
  8. Chop squeezed pieces again to make sure they are really small
  9. Add all other ingredients to the minced greens
  10. Mix gently
  11. Put loosely into your greased ramekins, and drizzle the custard into the mix
  12. Bake at 350º for 35-45 minutes
  13. Let it sit for about five minutes before serving

Using frozen spinach is much easier and gives you more consistent results.  Just make sure that when you thaw it, you squeeze all of the extra water from it between two paper towels.

Published in Grandpa’s Corner – IRC Volume 1, Issue ###
For details, visit http://socialeconomyaz.org/gila-river-coop

Grandpa’s Healthy Lasagna

Healthy Lasagna
Healthy Lasagna

Why the word LASAGNA?!? There are several theories, but they all boil down to one central idea. A lasagna is kind of like a casserole in that it is a general description, rather than a specific dish. A lasagna is made up of layers of ingredients, the most common being pasta. Here is Grandpa’s take on a healthy lasagna using the cruciferous greens that we get in our weekly allocation from the Gila Farm Cooperative.

INGREDIENTS

  • Eggplant (peeled and sliced extremely thin)
  • Lasagna pasta noodles (cooked for about 15 minutes)
  • Spaghetti Sauce
  • 1/4 CU cottage cheese
  • 1/4 CU Shredded Provolone cheese
  • 1/4 CU Shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 CU Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Mustard greens – Boiled, chopped and squeezed dry
  • Spinach – Boiled, chopped and squeezed dry
  • Kale – Boiled, chopped and squeezed dry
  • 1/2 LB cooked hamburger
  • 1/4 LB cooked chorizo or spicy sausage
  • 1/2 CU cottage cheese
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Grandpa’s Thunder Powder 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Grease the SIDES of a lasagna pan
  2. Put two TBL sauce in the bottom of your pan
  3. Put one layer of pasta noodles in next
  4. Layer all other ingredients (alternating) until all are used up
    Don’t put ingredients in too thickly, repeat if necessary
    At this point, you can refrigerate for up to a few days
  5. Let warm on counter 1 hour (if refrigerated) before step #5
  6. Put into a hot oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees
  7. Let cool 8-10 minutes before cutting

Published in Grandpa’s Corner – IRC Volume 1, Issue X

Lunch or Dinner Quiche

INGREDIENTS

Start with Grandpa’s recipe for BASIC CUSTARD

  • 1/4 CU each Grated Swiss & Gruyere
  • 1/2 CU chopped hamburger (cooked) or ham (cooked)
  • 1/4 CU frozen spinach (thawed)
  • 1 tsp oregano

STEP BY STEP

You can make this with or without a crust, but if you make one with a crust, PRE-BAKE the crust at 425 for about 10 minutes.
Use commercial pie crust in place of Step 5 of the Basic Custard recipe, or MAKE YOUR OWN

  1. Prepare custard as shown in other recipe
  2. Place the above filling into a pie crust or four small well-greased ramikins without any crust.  DO NOT pack the fillings down.
  3. Slowly drizzle custard over top of filling until it “starts to show” This will be about 1/2 inch below the top of the shell or bowl
  4. Top with a sprinkling of parsley.
  5. Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
  6. Allow to rest 10-15 minutes before cutting

This recipe is for 2-4 people. To increase to eight people (or two pie crusts) use 1 CU each of Swiss and Gruyere, 2 CU chopped meat, and 1 CU spinach.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL FILLINGS

  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Cooked chicken
  • Brocolli florets
  • Chopped olives
  • Finely shredded cabbage
  • Diced onion
  • Bell pepper
  • Jalapeno pepper
  • Minced garlic
  • Crab

TOPPING OPTION

  • Grated Parmesan cheese and butter, then cook 5 minutes more.

 

Asparagus Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 egg
  • Zest and juice from two lemons
  • 2 TBL EVOO
  • 1 tomato (pieces)
  • 1 CU cut asparagus
  • 2 green onions (chopped)
  • 1/2 CU cheddar cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • scant paprika
  • 1 TBL cilantro (chopped)
  • 1/4 CU Monterey jack cheese
  • 1/4 CU Parmesan cheese

STEP BY STEP

  1. Whisk together egg, chredded cheddar, milk and EVOO
  2. Combine everything else except the Monterey and Parmesan cheeses
  3. Put in baking dish
  4. Top with Monterey and Parmesan
  5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
  6. Add bread covered with garlic butter in oven
  7. Cook 10 minutes more

Kale and Mustard Green Quiche

This week my favorite dish from this week’s distribution of greens from the International Rescue Committee’s Gila Farm Project.

Kale and Mustard Green Quiche
Kale and Mustard Green Quiche
  • Use commercial pie crust or MAKE YOUR OWN
  • You can make this with or without a crust, but if you make one with a crust, PRE-BAKE the crust at 425 for about 10 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Mustard Green leaves
  • 12 Kale Leaves (destemmed and thoroughly massaged)
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/4 CU milk
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 TBL All Purpose flour
  • 1/2 onion chopped small
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped small
  • 1/2 CU shredded cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

STEP BY STEP

  1. Wash three mustard green leaves and about a dozen kale leaves
  2. Remove stems and steam leaves until soft
  3. Chop into small pieces and S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E the water from them
  4. Chop squeezed pieces again to make sure they are really small
  5. Add above ingredients to the minced greens
  6. Grandma likes a vegetable quiche, but I like my meat, so I put chopped up pieces of salami for my half of the quiche, and marked my half with small strips of salami ( see photo )
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
  8. Test for doneness by sticking a knife or toothpick into the center of the quiche.
  9. It should be “clean” when you remove it… that is, no liquid stuck to it.
    If there is debris stuck to the toothpick, let it cook another 8-10 minutes
  10. Let it sit for about five minutes before you try to cut it into wedges so that the pieces have a chance to set.

This recipe was published in Grandpa’s Corner – International Rescue Committee Gila Farm Initiative newsletter:  Volume 1, Issue 6

Pot Pies – Using Puff Pastry

2016-04-06 14.05.16INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 C chopped onion
  • 1/2 C chopped celery
  • 1/2 C chopped carrot
  • 1 TBL canola oil
  • 1/2 stick melted butter
  • 1/2 C frozen tiny English peas
  • 1 TBL flour
  • 1 TBL corn starch or potato starch
  • 1 C chicken broth
  • 1/2 C half & half
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • scant black pepper
  • 2 C diced cooked chicken
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 TBL half & half
  • Optional: Parsnips or Potatoes

STEP BY STEP

    1. Saute onion, celery and carrot in canola oil for 10 minutes
    2. Add melted butter
    3. Stir in peas, corn starch and flour, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly
    4. Gradually add broth and 1/2 cup half & half; whisk until lumps disappear
    5. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened
    6. Stir in salt and pepper. Add chicken, stirring well
    7. Ladle chicken mixture into oven-proof ramekins, filling to within 3/4 inch of rim – set aside
    8. Roll pastry sheets to 1/8 inch thickness
    9. Combine egg yolk, 1 TBL water and 1 tablespoon half & half
    10. Brush (what will be) the bottom with egg wash
    11. Cut pastry 1/2 inch larger than ramekins
    12. Place on top with about 1/4 inch overlap
      – DO NOT press down on the filling
      – air space is needed for both sides to become crisp
    13. Seal on the edges though
    14. Use a knife tip to ETCH a design spiral in the top similar to that shown at the left.
    15. Brush top with remaining egg mixture
    16. Poke three knife slits in the top from which steam will escape
    17. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes until top is puffed and browned.
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