Zucchini and Egg Casserole

(based on a recipe in Nourishing Traditions)

3 medium zucchini, cut into matchstick pieces (or shredded) (1 to 1-1/2 lb)

1 T salt (for draining)

2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 12 ounces)

4 T olive oil

6 eggs

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

Juice of 1 lemon (2 T)

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

Mix zucchini with 1 T salt and leave in a colander to drain for 30 minutes.  Rinse and squeeze dry in a paper towel.  Saute about 1 minute in the olive oil.  Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and mash up with a potato masher. 

Saute the onions until golden and add to the zucchini.

Beat eggs with salt, pepper, lemon juice and saffron.  Stir in the zucchini and onions.  Pour into a well-oiled 9x13 Pyrex-type pan and bake about 30 minutes at 375 or until top is browned.  

Eggs Baked in Zucchini

(The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas, 1972)

8 c BZM (Basic Zucchini Mixture)

4 oz onion, peeled etc. and finely chopped

3 T butter

3 T olive oil (doesn’t need to be extra virgin)

8 eggs

Salt and pepper

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion for a couple of minutes, then add the zucchini and some pepper, and saute over medium high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring almost constantly.

Butter four small casseroles, about 3 cups each. Divide the zucchini mixture among the casseroles and make two depressions in each casserole, big enough to hold an egg out of the shell. Break the eggs and put an egg in each depression. Sprinkle with a bit a salt and pepper and bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes, or until eggs are done to your liking.

Remove from the oven and place on individual serving plates. Spoon Hollandaise Sauce over each egg and serve immediately. Four servings.

Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce

(Betty Crocker’s International Cookbook, 1980)

1 medium onion, sliced

1/4 c olive oil

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2” slices (about 1-1/2 lb)

1 c plain yogurt

3 T snipped fresh mint or 1-1/2 t crushed dried mint

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 t salt

Dash of pepper

Paprika

Saute onion in oil in a large skillet until tender. Remove onion and set aside. Cook the eggplant in a single layer in the same oil over medium-high heat until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side until it is golden brown and the eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes total. You’ll have to do this in batches, depending on how big your skillet is. Add more oil if needed. Arrange the onion and eggplant slices in an ungreased baking dish about 11x7. The eggplant should fit in two rows of overlapping slices. Mix the yogurt, mint, garlic, salt and pepper and pour over the eggplant. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Eggplant and Ground Beef Casserole

(based on a recipe at cooks.com)

1 big eggplant, diced
1 lg. onion, coarsely chopped
butter
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
2/3 c. tomato paste
2 c. water
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste

Saute chopped onion in butter until golden. Add ground beef and cook, stirring constantly, until it is crumbled and browned. Combine tomato paste with water, add salt and pepper and pour mixture over meat. Add diced eggplant, bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Put the beef and eggplant mixture in a baking dish and bake, uncovered in a 350 degree oven until eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes.

Zucchini Parmesan

The flavor of the marinara sauce is critical to this recipe, so either use a good (and therefore more expensive) sauce or doctor up a cheap sauce with an onion and garlic sautéed in oil and added to the sauce. You might need to add some herbs, too - basil, oregano, parsley, or an Italian herb blend.

(adapted from a recipe and reviews at food.com)

2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb total)

2 eggs, beaten

Olive oil

2 c dry Italian seasoned BREADCRUMBS

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese (about 2 oz)

3 – 4 cups marinara sauce 

Preheat oven to 425. Grease cookie sheet lightly with olive oil. Dip zucchini slices in the egg, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Put in a single layer on the cookie sheet (it may take more than one) and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Flip, then continue baking until second side is also golden brown. Reduce heat to 375.

Spread a thin layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Add a single layer of the zucchini, more sauce, and then some of each of the cheeses. Repeat with the remaining zucchini, sauce and cheeses, making as many layers as the ingredients permit. Finish with sauce and then cheese on top.

Cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the top layer of cheese is melted.

Veggie Manicotte with Tofu Ricotta

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. firm tofu
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• pinch of black pepper, pinch of salt
• Italian seasoning to taste (either dried, or fresh basil, rosemary, etc.)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• (1/4 cup nutritional yeast, optional)
• 1 box of manicotti
• Veggies of choice (spinach, zucchini, squash, carrots, etc.) cut into thin slices as necessary
• 16 oz. either fresh or prepared marinara (spaghetti) sauce

Making the Tofu Ricotta:
In a large bowl, mash up the tofu, and add the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings. Mush for 2 to 5 minutes until the consistency of ricotta cheese. Add the oil, and mix briefly. Can be refrigerated until needed.

Making the Manicotti:
Cook the manicotti 7 minutes, then drain and rinse in cool water and set aside. Saute the veggies of your choice in a small amount of olive oil until lightly cooked (approx. 5 minutes). Season to taste, and mix into the tofu manicotti. Spread about half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a pan that will fit all of your cooked manicotti noodles. Stuff the cooked manicotti with the veggie/tofu ricotta mixture and lay out in the pan. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the manicotti, and cover the pan with tin foil. Bake at 375˚ F for 30 to 35 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking. Continue to bake until the noodles begin to slightly brown and the sauce is bubbling. Take out, allow to cool slightly, and Enjoy!
**Adapted from recipes in Veganomicon by Moskowitz and Romero, from the Hub’s library**

Apple Carrot Casserole

by the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Yield:  6 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 large carrots, sliced
• 4 large apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
• ¼ cup plus 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• ½ cup orange juice
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook carrots in boiling water in large saucepan for 5 minutes; drain. Layer carrots and apples in a large casserole dish.
2.  Combine flour, brown sugar and nutmeg in a small bowl; sprinkle over top. Dot with butter; pour orange juice over flour mixture. Sprinkle with salt, if desired. Bake 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Escalloped Bacon and Eggs

(from a recipe in Paper Plates to Silver Service, Young Attorneys’ Wives of Polk County, 1982)

1/2 c onion, chopped

2 T butter

2 T flour

1-1/2 c milk

10 – 12 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 c shredded sharp processed cheese

6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1-1/2 c potato chips, crushed (or you could use crushed Ritz crackers)

Cook onions in butter until tender; blend in flour. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add cheese, stirring until melted. (You could use cheddar cheese, but the processed cheese melts more easily.) Place a layer of half the egg slices in a 10x6 pan. (An 8 inch square pan will work, too, or a 9” pie pan.) Cover with half the cheese sauce, half the bacon, half the chips. Repeat the layers. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Devonshire Eggs

(from a recipe in Aunt Mary’s Cookbook)

6 hardboiled eggs, peeled and halved

1/4 lb boiled ham

3/4 can Campbell’s tomato soup

Grind ham and egg yolks together.  Mix with enough cream to make a paste and fill the whites like you would deviled eggs.  Place in buttered baking dish.  Thicken the soup with a little flour and water and pour over the eggs.  Cover with cracker crumbs and bake until light brown.

Cabbage Roll Casserole

CABBAGE ROLL CASSEROLE gives you the flavor of traditional cabbage rolls without all the blanching and rolling and filling and so forth. The original recipe calls for some white rice, and some broth to cook the rice. If you want to try it that way, add half a cup of rice and a can (2 cups) of beef or chicken broth when you add the cabbage and tomato sauce.

(based on a recipe at allrecipes.com)

1 lb ground beef

1 c chopped onion

1 clove garlic, chopped

16 oz can tomato sauce (or spaghetti sauce)

2 lbs cabbage, chopped

1/2 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 T Worcestershire sauce

Brown beef, onion, and garlic in a large pot or Dutch oven, seasoning with the salt, pepper and cayenne as you do so. Add the Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bottom of the pot or Dutch oven, spread the cabbage over the beef, and then the tomato sauce over the top of that. Cover tightly and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir well, cover, and cook another 5 minutes or so, or until the cabbage is done to your liking. Some like it really soft, others like it to still have a bit of crunch.

Savory Bread Pudding with Vegetables and Cheese

This version calls for kale and mushrooms, but you might try using spinach, leeks, green beans, corn, carrots, summer squash, or whatever else you have on hand. You could also incorporate chicken, ground beef, sausage, or other meat products—just cook them thoroughly before adding (perhaps by sautéing them with the vegetables in Step 3).
1 bunch kale
½ pound mushrooms
1 tsp fresh thyme, or ½ tsp dried thyme (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced (optional)
Salt and pepper
¾ cup cheese, grated or diced (try Swiss, Cheddar, Jack, Gouda, Mozzarella, or your favorite)
½ pound stale bread, chopped into one-inch cubes
4 eggs
2 cups milk

1. Wash and chop kale and mushrooms (or the vegetables of your choice).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a frying pan over medium heat, sauté vegetables in butter or oil with thyme, garlic, or other herbs and spices until tender but still colorful. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a bowl, whisk together eggs with milk and add ½ tsp. salt.
5. In a large baking dish, combine bread cubes, cooked vegetables, and egg mixture. Stir to mix evenly.
6. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until browned.

Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s recipe for the New York Times (January 31, 2012).

Ham and Spinach Casserole

(based on a recipe from Magic with Leftovers, by Lousene Rousseau Brunner, 1955)

2 c cooked ham, diced small

1 lb frozen chopped spinach

3 T butter

3 T flour

1-1/2 c milk or cream

Salt to taste

1 c grated sharp cheese

2 T buttered bread crumbs

Paprika

Thaw spinach, then drain thoroughly. It’s easiest to do if you put it in three or four layers of paper towel and squeeze it hard. It works better if you use a cloth towel, but it stains the towel.

Meanwhile, make a white sauce with the butter, flour, milk and salt. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and whisk in the flour until it’s smooth. Slowly add the milk, whisking or stirring as you go, so it stays smooth. If it’s lumpy (which does happen, even to people who cook a lot), just dump it in your blender and whirl it around a bit. Put one tablespoon of the grated cheese with the bread crumbs, and add the rest of the cheese to the sauce.

Mix half a cup of the sauce with the spinach. Make a layer of half the ham in the bottom of a casserole, then all of the spinach, then the rest of the ham. Then pour on the rest of the sauce. Finally, top it with the cheese and bread crumb mixture, and sprinkle it with paprika.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400, or until the crumbs are brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Souper-Chicken

(based on a recipe from The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book, by Peg Bracken, 1986)

4 chicken leg quarters, separated into thighs                    1/4 c dried onion flakes

      thighs and drumsticks, backs saved for soup             1/4 t crushed dried thyme

      (or 4 pounds thighs and/or drumsticks)                     1/4 t dried basil

1/2 c non-fat dry milk                                                     dash pepper

3 T cornstarch                                                                2-1/2 c chicken broth (or water)

1 T instant chicken bouillon                                             2/3 c dry white wine (or water)

Put the chicken pieces in a single layer in a large, flat baking dish. Combine everything else except the chicken broth and wine in a saucepan and mix well. Add the chicken broth (if you’re using water, add another tablespoon of instant chicken bouillon) and stir until combined. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add the wine. Spoon this mixture over the chicken pieces. Cover, and bake at 300 for 2-1/2 hours. If you like a thicker sauce, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a little water and stir it into the sauce, giving it a chance to cook for a few minutes and thicken. You could use cream instead of the wine, too. Or, instead of my sauce or the canned soups in the original recipe, use the Campbell’s Soup Casserole Sauce Mix from last week’s column, but add a chopped onion or 3 or 4 tablespoons of dried onion. Or, come to think of it, you could use a cup and a half of milk instead of the dry milk, and reduce the chicken broth (or water) to a cup. Which might be cheaper than buying a whole carton of powdered milk just for this recipe.

Baked Chicken Breasts with Zucchini and Mushrooms

2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/2” slices

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 c onion, chopped

1 c chopped fresh tomato (or 1 cup drained canned diced tomato)

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 drops Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce, or just a pinch of cayenne)

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 lbs total)

2 T olive oil (or other oil)

2 T parsley, minced (for garnish) (or 1 T dried parsley, added with the vegetables)

Preheat oven to 350. Put vegetables and garlic in the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and Tabasco or cayenne. If you are using dried parsley, add it now to the vegetables. Place chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and vegetables and add more salt. Bake for about 45 minutes, basting the chicken with the accumulating juices. Try not to disturb the vegetables. Use a turkey baster to draw up the juices if you have one. If not, tip the baking dish slightly so the juices run down to the lower end, and scoop them up with a spoon. Sprinkle the dish with the parsley before serving, if you are using fresh parsley.

Sausage Squash Casserole

(based on a recipe from sugarfreelowcarbrecipes.com)

1 lb. zucchini or summer squash, coarsely grated
1 lb. sausage

1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp sugar or equivalent sweetener
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cup (6 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350°. Cook the zucchini, sausage and onion in a large skillet or Dutch oven until the meat is browned and the vegetables are done. In a bowl, mix all other ingredients together. Spread mixture into 9×13 casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.