Zucchini Casserole

My Aunt Mary made this at her Thanksgiving dinner 2010 - I am making it at every special meal from here on out! I'm typing it up as the recipe was given to me as of today, I'll edit it once I figure it out...

Zucchini Casserole

4 small zucchinis, grated (approximately 4 cups) (Recipe actually says "4 cups small diced zucchini", my aunt said she added more, and she grated it, which we liked, so I'm guessing here)

1 cup Bisquick

1 medium onion, diced

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon of garlic salt

1.8 oz. package of mozzarella cheese (recipe doesn't say, but I'm assuming shredded? And, do they sell 1.8 packages of cheese?)

3 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix zucchini through mozzarella cheese and place in an appropriately sized casserole dish (13 x9, definitely a medium sized one).

3. Beat the eggs and add the oil. Pour over the zucchini and cheese mixture.

4. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove and let stand 5 minutes.

Spinach Soup with Gruyere and Bacon

I made this recipe for the first course of Christmas Dinner 2010 based on The Pioneer Woman's Recipe. I made a couple changes, which I note below. Otherwise, its a keeper.

Spinach Soup with Gruyere and Bacon

Olive Oil to coat the pan
4 slices of bacon
2 packages of spinach (about 20 ounces worth)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
A half stick of butter
1/2 an onion, chopped

1/4 cup flour
4 Cups Whole milk
Sea Salt
Cayenne Pepper
Ground Black Pepper
Gruyere Cheese, Grated

1. Cook bacon. Break into pieces, set aside.

2. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add spinach and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Add spinach to food processor and pour a 1/4 cup hot water into the cup. Pule until pureed.

3. In a large soup pot, cook onion in butter over medium heat until onions begin to soften. Stir in flour slowly. Cook for a few minuts then pour in milk. Continue stirring. Add salt, pepper, cayenne. Continue cooking stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Pour in spinach and continue cooking until thickened.

4. Serve in bowl with shredded Gruyere and chopped bacon.

Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

I made this for breakfast today... oh so filling... oh so fattening... but oh so yummy. A Christmas Day treat...

Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

Three links of Andouille Sausage
1/2 of a Sweet Onion
2 Cups of 1% milk
12 eggs
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 thick slices of fresh Italian bread
1 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 Cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1. While whole, grill in a grill pan the Andouille sausage. Once cooked, chop into small pieces.

2. In 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, soften the chopped onion. Throw that into a bowl with the cooked sausage.

3. Mix milk through red pepper flakes in a large bowl stirring with a whisk.

4. Trim crusts from bread and cut into pieces. Add bread cubes, sausage, onion, and cheeses to egg mixture. Pour into a 13-9 inch baking casserol dish coated with cooking spray. Let sit for at last 30 minutes, but up to 8 hours.

5. If letting sit in refrigerator, remove and bring to room temperature. Otherwise, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Christmas Day Food...I'm Full

Breakfast
Pan de Chocolat (Chocolate Bread from the bakery) ... OMG so good... and I can't replicate it
Egg and Andouille Sausage Casserole

Dinner
Spinach and Bacon Soup
Italian Crusty Bread
Pork Tenderloin with Applesauce
Mashed Potatoes

Dessert
Brusters Chocolate Cake with White Truffle Ice Cream and Peppermint Chips

Creamy Two Cheese Potato Gratin

Made these potatoes tonight for Tom E and E. E made his famous ribs with this sauce. It was fab.

BBQ Sauce

E's Bar-B-Q Sauce

1/2 cup light molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 whole clove
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Serrano pepper, chopped (or habenero) with seeds removed
juice of 1/2 an orange
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Canola oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard
Salt & Pepper
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 Tablespoon butter

Combine and cook for 15 minutes.

Company Pot Roast

The meat needs to be marinated for 8 hours - I always forget that! Now that the kids and I are back in the north, this one will be made regularly. Adapted from Cooking Light: Essential Slow Cooker, p. 20.

Company Pot Roast
1 (2 lb) boneless chuck roast, cut in half
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth
1 small package of shiitake mushrooms
Ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 medium onions, quartered
1 16-oz package of carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
16 small red potatoes, halved
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 Tablespoons water

1. Combine roast, soy sauce, and garlic in a large ziploc bag and marinate in refrigerator at least hours, turning bag occassionally.

2. Bring beef broth to a boil in a small saucepan, add mushrooms. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 20 minuts. Drain mushrooms over a bowl, reserving broth mixture.

3. Remove roast from bag, reserving marinade. Sprinkle roast with pepper, gently pressing pepper into roast. Combine reserved marinade, mushroom broth mixture and tomato paste, stir well, and set aside.

4. Place mushrooms, onion, carrot, and potato in slow cookr.

5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add roast, browning well on all sides. Place roast over vegetables in cooker. Pour tomato past mixture into pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Pour tomato paste mixture over roast and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours or until roast is tender. Place roast and vegetables on a serving platter, keep warm. Reserve cooking liquid in cooker, increase heat to HIGH.

6. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add flour mixture to cooking liquid in cooker. Cook, uncovered, 15 minuts or until slightly thick stirring frequently. Serve gravy with roast and vegetables.