Thanksgiving 2012 - Part IV (Green Bean Casserole)

It was never really a common dish at my family Thanksgiving dinners, but I know a LOT of people make green bean casserole only on that day. We did have it once in a while, but most often we substituted candied yams or home made mashed potatoes instead. But, those are other entries. This one is to share the simple recipe and my family recipe for green bean casserole. Simple one first.

Ingredients

• 1 - 10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• Dash ground black pepper
• 3 - 14.5 oz cans French style green beans, drained
• 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese 
• 1 1/3 cups French fried onions

Directions

1. Mix soup, milk, pepper, beans, cheese and half of the onions in a 2 qt casserole dish.
2. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes (when it is bubbling slightly). 
3. Stir and cover with the remaining fried onions.
4. Bake for 5 minutes.

Okay, that is an easy recipe to make that tastes pretty good. But my grandmother made this casserole too, and made me learn it.

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP butter
• 2 TBSP flour
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 cups cooked green beans
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup smashed Ritz crackers
• 1 TBSP melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium, stir in flour, and heat for 1 minute.
3. Mix in the onion, sour cream, green beans, and shredded cheese. Stir to evenly coat.
4. Pour that into a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. 
5. In another small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and remaining butter.
6. Drizzle over the beans.
7. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden.

As you can see, both recipes take about the same amount of time, the first is very simple, but the second adds some additional taste and texture. The green beans in the second one can be the canned and drained ones from the first recipe, but steaming fresh and raw green beans makes them memorable. Either way, enjoy...

Sunday Brunch

Being a Sunday, and not much going on, I decided to make myself a brunch. I found the Sausage Egg Bake recipe from AllRecipes.com to base it on, had the ingredients in the fridge, so I decided to make it. I'm sharing the recipe here on my blog so you don't have to click on yet another link just to get to it. Yes, I took the original recipe and recalculated it so I could make it in the toaster oven. That is what is nice about All Recipes, that you can re-calculate the ingredients to fit the number of people that will be enjoying it. I modified the recipe a little to make it more Italian, and my notes appear in purple.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage (used Bob Evans Original Flavor)
• 1 can condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted (used cream of mushroom)
• 4-1/2 eggs (used 5)
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons milk (used water instead, makes it fluffier)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (used a Mexican/Taco blend)
• Sprinkle of Italian blend herbs
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco

Directions

1. In a (cast iron) skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in soup. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and pepper; stir in sausage mixture.
2. Transfer to a lightly greased 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish (used a 7 x 8.5" dish). Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

 

WTF Casserole

One of the very few recipes that I got from grandma while growing up. The rest of them are still imprinted on my memory. But, as a father, why not share something with the world that the kiddos are likely to eat? A casserole that combines macaroni & cheese with hot dogs. I'm typing online what has only ever been scribbled down on the back of an envelope. Enjoy.

Ingredients

Prior to baking

• 1 to 1.5 cups macaroni pasta, cooked and drained
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 12 oz. condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 2 hot dogs (cut into penny thin slices)

Directions

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 375 F
2. Spread pasta in the oiled/sprayed casserole dish that fits your oven
3. Mix milk and Worcestershire sauce with the soup (a whisk is recommended)
4. Pour that over the pasta and stir together
5. Arrange hot dog slices over the top of the pasta mixture
6. Bake 25 mins or until mixture is hot and bubbly

Serve with a side of veggies and fruit, and a glass of milk... Add spices if you desire a little more flavor, but kids like it bland...

Muggle Eggs

In searching for some quick, easy, and inexpensive yet wholesome recipes, I came across a recipe for making scrambled eggs in a coffee mug by using the microwave. I jotted it down on a piece of paper and can't find the original site it was from, but am going to share what was made this morning in 2 MINUTES.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP milk
• 2 TBSP shredded cheese
• Coffee mug and fork

Directions

• Beat the eggs, milk, and cheese with the fork in the mug
• Microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds, fluff with the fork
• Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds, fluff again
• Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds, fluff

Thoughts

• Microwave ovens vary, so another 30 seconds may be needed to finish the cooking
• Use water instead of milk
• Add a small pinch of salt/pepper, Tabasco, or any other spices you might like. The small packs of salt and pepper most take-out places include are just the right amount, save them instead of throwing them away.
• Mix all ingredients in a small plastic container to take to the office for a late morning snack (there is a microwave oven SOMEWHERE at work, usually in the break room)
• Add some cooked meat (ground sausage, ham cubes, etc.) for a little more flavor

Overall, it is yet another quick, easy meal you can make without causing a lot of utensils, pots, and plates to have to wash. Plus, it can be made portable and satisfy that teen that is always hungry. Enjoy...

Tortilla Pizzas à la Q

Assembled (pre-cooking) view of Tortilla Pizzas à la Q

In trying to share with my recently teen aged son some quick and easy food to make in the kitchen (without burning down the place), I used a dish that Elektra Q-Tion exposed me to. Using basic ingredients in the microwave for an easy and quick meal or even snack. Thank you Q!

Ingredients

• 6" tortillas
• pizza or spaghetti sauce
• shredded cheese
• pepperoni slices/toppings

Directions

• spread 3 TBSP sauce per tortilla (leave 3/8" edge as the "crust" area)
• spread several pinches of cheese (as much as you want)
• place 8 pieces of pepperoni (in 4 stacks of 2 like the image above)
• place on a microwave plate and cook in the microwave (on HIGH) for 30 seconds
• cut with a butter knife or pizza cutter into 4 pieces

Suggestions

• 3/8" edge because the cheese will melt and spread into those areas, keeping it on the tortilla instead of the plate
• Laying the pepperoni that way, makes for easier cutting between them without causing a mess
• 30 seconds to melt the cheese and heat it all up, but the plate isn't too hot for bare hands to handle
• Cut into 4 pieces, fold them over on themselves to use a fork or simply use fingers

Observations

• We all have items in our pantry or fridge that can be thrown on the pie. Modify this by what you have. Use the last few TBSP of salsa, tomato soup, or even ketchup in the fridge, and the last 2 or 3 slices of cheese.
• Quick sauce for 5 or 6 of the pies explained above: 8 ounce can of tomato sauce, Italian mix herbs, simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Make larger pies by using the 10" or 12" tortillas. Add several more seconds to cooking time and enough ingredients to evenly cover the crust.
• Smaller sized tortillas are easier for younger teens to handle. The easier to handle, the less mess made on the counter top.
• Use more toppings (browned ground sausage, cooked ham cubes, hot dogs, crisp bacon, tomatoes, cooked veggies, etc.) but play with the cooking time to determine what works.
• Flour tortillas (white or wheat) but not corn ones because they don't tend to cook "right" for me.
• Use a plate as the only "key" dish so there are less things requiring washing. Teens DON'T wash dishes.

Easy & quick to make, less expensive than getting frozen pizza snacks, and your teen helps you get rid of the food that would get thrown away. Especially during the late night kitchen raids they mysteriously perform.