Not Quite the Same

Last week, Hubs and I celebrated out 25th anniversary. (Yes, I was 4 years old when we married. Why do you ask?) 

This week, I stretched way back and blew the dust off of a recipe that I used to make as a newlywed. I seriously don't believe I have prepared it in over 15 years, but a bag of Doritos in somebody else's cart at the grocery store brought it to mind.

The Taco Bake Casserole wasn't quite what I remembered, but then, I am not the same as I was back then, either. Has Pillsbury changed the formula for their crescent rolls? or are the sheets less buttery than the actual triangular-cut rolls I used to use? Doritos seem more salty and less cheesy, but that could just be my own taste buds. Back in the day, I used Ortega taco seasoning, but these days, it was the homemade dry mix I keep on hand. I grated my sharp cheddar cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded, and my tomato sauce and green chiles were from my garden. These minor changes might have made the slight difference when revisiting the casserole, but Taco Bake Casserole was still pure comfort food on a chilly autumn evening. Nothing fancy, just a hearty dinner On My Plate.

Taco Bake Casserole

(adapted from Taste of Home)

1 tube crescent rolls (or 1 tube crescent roll dough sheet)

2 cups crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1/2 cup diced onion

1 pound lean ground beef

1 package taco seasoning

1 small can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles

1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained

3/4 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread the crescent roll dough in the pan and up the sides slightly. If using rolls instead of sheets, press the seams together.

Top with 1 cup crushed Doritos and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Pre-bake 5 minutes while prepping the beef mixture. (Don't fully bake the crust, but allow the top to set slightly.)

Meanwhile, brown the ground beef and crumble. 

Add the onion and cook until tender.

Drain any excess fat from the pan.

Add the taco seasoning, green chiles, and tomato sauce to the beef.

Simmer until most of the liquid had absorbed.

Stir in the black beans and heat through.

Spread this beef and bean mixture over the par-baked crust.

Top with dollups of sour cream and spread to cover.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.

Finish with the remaining crushed Doritos.

Bake 20-30 minutes until cheese is bubbly and crust is browned.

Serve with taco sauce or salsa and additional sour cream, if desired. (Serves 8.)

A tossed salad on the side is our tradition.

We Work Hard For Our Money

Many, many years ago when Hubs and I "bought out" his parents, I officially became a farm wife. At that time, the buyout didn't include what one traditionally thinks of purchasing. The leased farm land couldn't be transferred (other than adding our names to the lease agreement). The house was still my in-law's possession, and remains the family home today. The livestock exchange was also a little questionable, as that particular year, my husband had already purchased and owned most of lambs on the farm. What we accepted with that buyout was debt. A lot of it. There had been many ugly years, and with my in-laws advancing age, the banks weren't looking favorably upon them.

Someone had to step up if the business my husband had returned from college to help with was to have any hope of making it. My mother and father-in-law had sacrificed their lives to hard work, but times weren't always kind to them. I worried that their circumstance would be the future for Hubs and myself.

Thankfully, times have been good to us. Along side his parents, Hubs has worked brutally long hours. We have all saved and scrimped and did without at times, and it has paid off. That initial debt is long gone, and while new operating loans are acquired each year, we are able to make the payments, have made improvements, and live comfortably. Farming isn't glamorous, but we are some of the lucky ones for which working hard for your money does pay the bills.

And, what do I do throughout this process, other than worry we will be the next victim of a poor economy? I cook. I am not a farm wife that spends hours in the corrals with the livestock or days in the hay fields, although I could, if needed. What I do is cook. I make sure that the men (and women) that are breaking their backs 365 days a year, freezing their butts off in the winter, and melting into puddles of soup in the summer have nourishing food to fuel their work. That is my job, and how I work hard to support our business, our livelihood.

I don't think there is a farm wife alive that hasn't made some kind of hash-brown potato casserole. Cheese, frozen hash-browns, cream of something soup. There are as many recipes in church cookbooks, scribbled on the back of envelopes, and on spattered recipe cards as their are fence posts in this state. Everyone has their own method, but they all pretty much taste the same. Cheesy (in a good way). Warm. Comforting. Hearty. Just the kind of thing you want to eat when you work hard for your money.

Cheesy Hash-Brown Casserole

(adapted from the Armour Centennial Cookbook)

1/2 cup butter

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 pint sour cream

1/2 - 1 cup green onions, chopped

9 cups frozen hashbrowns (I like to use a combination of half shredded {Mr. Del's} and half southern-style cubed {Ortega}.)

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup corn flakes, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add 1/2 cup of butter in a 9x13 baking dish and place in the oven to melt.

Meanwhile, combine canned soup, milk, sour cream, and chopped green onions in a medium bowl.

When the butter has melted in the baking dish, remove from oven and swirl pan to coat all sides.

Add half of the hash browns to the pan, top with half of the soup mixture, and then half of the shredded cheese.

Repeat layers in the baking dish with remaining ingredients.

Melt the final 2 tablespoons of butter and add the crushed corn flakes. Toss to coat.

Sprinkle the buttered corn flakes over the top of the final cheese layer.

Bake 45 minutes until potatoes are tender and cheese is melty. (Serves 12)

Lazy?

The other day, someone linked to this:
Is Food Photography in a Rut? 
(go ahead, click it. read it. I will still be here with the rest of what I have to say.)

I have previously written about how my photos are so often rejected by TasteSpotting, foodgawker, and recently, we can add Tasteologie to that list. Sure, I have had a few lucky shots accepted to their photo indexes, but my decline list is still much, much, much longer. As I read that blog post, I found myself nodding a lot in agreement. I scroll through those beautiful food photo sites and see lots and lots of gorgeous photos that are all, regardless of recipe or ingredient, pretty much the same. The photos that I snap of food that I really do eat, in my dark and cozy home, with my point-and-shoot camera can't compare. Still, I submit them...and hold my breath for notification...and kinda wrinkle my nose and cuss a little when I receive yet another rejection.

And, so...even though I have declared this my mantra several times in the past (I guess I never learn, huh?)...I asserted myself free from photo submission for a few posts. Call me lazy, but when it was gray and rainy or late in the evening or the presentation just wasn't that appealing, I snapped a pic anyway. I shared a few anyway. I was free from worrying if the photo was "good enough" (good enough? to be rejected? LOL) and just shared. I have countless "bad" photos filed away on my computer for FABULOUS recipes that I haven't shared. I changed that...a couple of times. I shared bad pics and good food because that is what I do. I am not a photographer held hostage by photo index sites. I am a home cook who shares food that I love with people that appreciate it. 

So, call me lazy as I share another bad photo and a great recipe. Lazy Lasagna is pure comfort food that feeds an army. The original recipe was published in the South Dakota Centennial Cookbook (1889-1989). I received this cookbook as a shower gift as a blushing bride and it was one of the first not-Hamburger Helper recipes that I tried as I taught myself to cook. It is good food that people love.

Lazy Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

16 ounces tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried basil (more if using fresh)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 

8 ounce package dried egg noodles

6 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup sour cream

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350.
Brown hamburger, breaking into small pieces.
Add onion and garlic to the meat.
Season with salt and pepper.
When onion is translucent, add tomato sauce and herbs. (here, you could sub your favorite pasta sauce)
Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes.
In a separate pot, cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Combine sliced green onions, sour cream and cubed cream cheese in a small bowl.
Mix meat mixture, noodles, and sour cream mixture.
Pour into a buttered 9x13 casserole dish.
Top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour. (Serves 8)

I Won't Be Able to Button My Jeans by Spring

After a couple of sunny and relatively warm days, it is once again snowy/icy/freezing rain-y and cold. I guess it is still winter. I guess I still have excuses to make luxurious comfort food. I guess I won't be able to button my jeans by spring. *Oink.*

Oh yes. Oink. The creamy, cheesy pasta dish On My Plate today is oinking with bacon. Cauliflower also swirls around in the garlic sauce, but trust me, telling yourself that the cauliflower cancels out the bacon only works until you try to button your jeans. 

However, PLEASE (pretty please with bacon on top) don't let that stop you from comforting yourself on a cold evening with some Cauliflower Rigatoni. You can forget about the falling snow and icy streets and frigid temperatures when this Alfredo-like pasta dish warms you. It is rich and hearty and the kind of comfort food that you can even share with guests. This is why they make sweat pants, right?

 

Cauliflower Rigatoni

(adapted from Food and Wine)

3 ounces bacon, cut into 1" pieces (or more if you are an oinker like me)

3 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

3/4 pound rigatoni

One 1 3/4-pound head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
In a medium skillet, fry the bacon until crispy.
Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
To the bacon drippings add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until lightly golden.
Add the cream and simmer until thickened slightly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook the until al dente; about 6 minutes before the rigatoni is done, add the cauliflower florets to the pot. (This is a bit of a multi-tasking dish, but nothing is too difficult.)
Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the panko bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
Return the rigatoni and cauliflower to the pot.
Add the garlic cream, the bacon and the reserved pasta water and toss until the pasta is coated.
Pour the pasta into a large shallow baking dish and sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the top.
Broil for about 2 minutes, rotating constantly, until the topping is evenly browned. (Serves 4)

BAM!

Yesterday was gray, rainy, and cool. Spring rains drizzled during the day, and heavy fog settled in for the evening. It was gloomy, and as I attempted a little menu planning for today, the weather seemed perfect for comfort foods. I perused my recipe sources and found a recipe from the King of BAM!, Emeril Lagasse. A kicked up version of macaroni and cheese with sausage stirred in would satisfy that desire for creamy, gooey, comforting goodness while making our taste buds happy with the spicy seasonings that Emeril is known for. The plan was made.

Today, I got up and found it to still be a little cloudy and dreary. However, after a few hours, the sun came out, the temperatures rose to the 70s, and it was an absolutely beautiful, sunny, spring day. Bam! Spring has sprung. Rich and creamy mac and cheese no longer seemed like the perfect menu choice. Who wants to eat a heavy meal when the air is fresh, and the grass is greening, and the world seems to be coming alive? It is time to light the barbecue grill, sit outside on the patio, make plans for the garden and flowers, and, if you live in my house, the new grass in the front yard around last fall's new sidewalk.

However, I didn't give into sensibility. I stuck with my menu plan. I BAMMED the sausage, onions, and peppers as I sauteed. I BAMMED the cheese sauce, and the breadcrumb and cheese topping, and after combining it all, I slid it into a warm oven that forced me to open every window in the house for heat relief. When the Sausage Macaroni and Cheese was bubbly and heated through, we dove into the well-flavored cheesy pasta. I served it with a simple spinach salad to balance the meal, and we were BAMMED. It was rich and heavy, but it was also very good and comforting, even on a warm spring day.

Emeril's Sausage Macaroni and Cheese

9 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound elbow macaroni
1 pound spicy pork sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
1 cup yellow onions, chopped
½ cup green bell peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon Essence of Emeril (I actually used a Cajun-style seasoning, instead)
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
½ teaspoon anise seeds
½ cup butter
½ cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a large casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Add the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
Drain well.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.
Add the onions, bell peppers, and 1 teaspoon of the Essence, and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and anise seeds, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat.
Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.
Add the flour, and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, cook over medium heat until thick, 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the flour brown.
Using a whisk, add the milk in a steady stream and cook, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and 2 cups of the cheese, and stir well.
Add the noodles, cooked sausage and vegetables, and stir well to combine.
Pour into the prepared baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of cheese with the breadcrumbs and remaining 2 teaspoons of Essence.
Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. (Serves 6-8)

Heating Up the Snow-County

The Arctic winds have swooped down on us, and we are cold. Temperatures start at or below zero in the early morning and have risen to the 20s, but the frigid wind chills keep us looking for another layer of clothing for warmth. My fingers itch to adjust the thermostat for our heat pump, but instead I have tossed another log into the fire and searched out foods that can warm me from the inside out.

This quest has led me to low-country food. The spicy, flavorful heat of low-country food can really warm up my snow-country. Last night's dinner (and today's lunch) was a lazy version of Jambalaya made with Zatarain's rice mix. I am certain that my from the box shortcut will make some people cringe, but it was a simple meal for a weeknight that was rich with lively Creole heat. Leftovers didn't rewarm badly for lunch today, either.

Lazy Jambalaya
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
½ - 1 ring smoked sausage (like kielbasa)
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1 box Zatarain’s jambalaya mix
½ - 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup (approximately) beer, if necessary
1-2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce, to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and peppers until tender.
Add the chicken breast and sausage, cooking until browned.
Add the tomatoes and their liquid along with chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Add the rice mix. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for the time specified on the package. May add beer as necessary for additional liquid, if the rice begins to look dry before it is tender.
Add the shrimp, stir, cover, and cook until pink, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the hot pepper sauce before serving.

Napoleon Can Keep His Tots

Hubby and I love Napoleon Dynamite. We think that it is an odd, quirky, and hysterically funny movie. Napoleon is dynamite, and we would absolutely "Vote for Pedro." However, I don't share Napoleon's love of tater tots. There is something about the texture of those little potato nuggets that just doesn't do it for me. Usually when Hubby gets a craving for tater tot casserole, I make it and just count that as a diet night for me as I pick at the meal on my plate. Tonight, I think I found a flippin' sweet solution to my tater tot aversion.

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole starts with the same ground beef and canned soup base as a tater tot casserole, but skips the green beans in favor of a cheesy layer and ends with French Fries on top. It won't win any awards as a culinary work of art, nutritional masterpiece, or gourmet food find, but served with some steamed green beans and a salad, it is a solid meal for a busy week night (and picky people who don't like tots). Gosh!

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
½ (10.5 ounce) can cheddar cheese soup
1 pound frozen French fries

Brown the ground beef with the onion, garlic powder, pepper and salt.
Mix in the cream of mushroom soup.
Place meat mixture in a casserole dish.
Top with half of the can of cheddar cheese soup (may use more, if desired).
Top with French fries.
Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes or until the french fries are golden brown and the casserole is heated through.
Great served with ketchup and mustard drizzled on top. (Serves 6)

Not the Blue Box

Most of us probably have a box or two of Kraft Mac and Cheese hanging out in our pantries. We reach for it when we want something quick and filling. I have mixed mine with tuna, stirred in dill and onion, added sliced hot dogs, and heard of preparations with ground beef, chili, and even using the mix in a salad recipe. The quick and easy options for macaroni and cheese are endless.

Today was snowy, blowy, and cold. All I wanted was comfort food. I achieved this with a grown-up version of macaroni and cheese that was definitely NOT the Blue Box. Although, it was fairly simple, this combination of ingredients was divine, and impressive enough to serve guests. It isn't for those counting calories, but it is an indulgence that will leave you wondering if you really want or need that Blue Box, after all.

Tortellini with Corn and Bacon

12 ounces tortellini
6 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
½ cup thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
2 large shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 ¼ cups whipping cream
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 ½ cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese

Cook tortellini in large pot of boiling water until tender, but still firm to bite.
Preheat oven to 350.
Butter a 13 x 9 casserole dish.
Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.
Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Add mushrooms to the skillet (with bacon drippings).
Sauted until golden, about 6 minutes.
Add shallots and garlic and saute about 5 minutes (until golden).
Add macaroni, cream, and corn and toss until sauce coats macaroni, abut 3 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, and bacon.
Transfer to baking dish.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted and dish is heated through, about 5-10 minutes (don't let burn). (Serves 6)

Serving Breakfast All Day

Just because I am not a morning person doesn't mean that I don't like breakfast. I just don't like getting up in the morning to prepare it. Sometimes, I crave pancakes, waffles, bacon, and eggs. Breakfast for dinner is not only satisfying, but can also be a lifesaver. Dutch Babies and omelets come together quickly after long days, and breakfast casseroles can be prepared one evening to just be slid into the oven on the next.

After another call last evening to sub at the school again today, I decided that a little advanced preparation for dinner would be a great plan. Spinach and Cheese Strata is made up of layers of French bread cubes, a spinach saute, and cheese, and drenched in an eggy custard to bake up puffy and golden. Hubby likes some sausage patties on the side, but I think that it is perfect alone or served with a fruit salad. This layered breakfast casserole is an impressive breakfast for overnight guests, but I won't hesitate to serve it all day long.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed
1 ½ cups onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
8 cups French bread, in 1 inch cubes
2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 ¾ cups milk
9 large eggs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.
Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.
Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture.
Sprinkle with one third of each cheese.
Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).
Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata.
Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
NOTE: Strata can be chilled up to 1 day; Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking. (Serves 6)