Squash Plus Casserole

Cooks.com has a real good recipe for a Squash Casserole that can easily be converted to a Lenten dish (Vegetarian) by substituting vegetable broth for the chicken broth.  You could also get it to Vegan with a sour cream substitute but I’m a carnivore and took it the other way.  It is simple, good for using leftovers, and doesn’t take a great deal of time or attention.  Give it a try and feel free to use your imagination.

I had a half bag of frozen squash and another half bag of broccoli.  Just go threw the freezer and see what is sitting around.  If it looks like it would go with the meat you are using, do it.  If it looks like the mixture is too dry, add something like more sour cream, cream, or milk.

Squash Plus Casserole

Ingredients:

·   5 cups           cooked squash

·   1 medium      onion

·   1 stick           butter or margarine at room temperature

·   1 bag            stuffing mix

·   1 can            cream of chicken soup

·   1 can            cream of mushroom soup

·   ½ cup           sliced mushrooms

·   8 oz              sour cream

·   About 3 cups of cubed chicken or ham

·   Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1.      Pre-heat the oven to 350 F

2.      Heat the squash and onions until they are tender.  Don’t overcook though since this will all find itself in the oven

3.      Drain the vegetables

4.      Pour about half the stuffing into a bowl

5.      Combine the vegetables and everything else except the remaining stuffing in the bowl

6.      Mix everything up lightly

7.      Pour the mixture into a casserole dish

8.      Top the meal with the remaining stuffing mix

9.      Bake for 35 to 40 minutes

10.  Test to make sure it is done.  If not, put it back for a few minutes or whatever it takes.

Veggie Casserole From Leftovers

So, you are looking through the fridge and find all these small containers with remnants of former meals.  You are probably in a hurry, that is why you are scavenging.  Some broccoli, a few peas, quarter cup of carrots, and fresh mushrooms that were on sale but you didn’t need them all.  Tonight’s dinner is almost done, you just don’t realize it yet.  It is even closer if you have some rice so look a little harder.  Rice is usually in two or more containers, from the Chinese dinner you brought home and some from the meal you made last Tuesday.

I’m going to give you the recipe as if it was from scratch because I don’t know what you have left over.  Your job is to make the substitutions.  For instance my recipe calls for a bag of frozen vegetables.  See what you already have and make the adjustment.  Since this is a casserole you can often put in some vegetables that you don’t normally like because they will be covered by the rest of the meal or hidden in someone else’s serving.

As for the rice, depending on how you cook it, 1 cup of uncooked rice will produce about 3 cups of cooked rice.  See what you have and cook up the rest.  I like to use a broth instead of water, or maybe half broth to half water for a little different taste.  I tried beer once but it didn’t do any good.

Ingredients:

·   2 cups           Uncooked rice

·   1 can             Cream of Mushroom soup (don’t make the soup, just use the concentrate)

·   1 small jar    Cheese Wiz

·   1 bag            Vegetables like broccoli or mixed

·   Fresh mushrooms (canned if you have to)

·   Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1.            Cook up the rice

2.            About the time the rice is finished preheat the oven to 350

3.            Pour the cooked rice into a casserole

4.            Add the remaining ingredients to the casserole

5.            Stir everything together

6.            Bake for 40 minutes

Nice meal, easy to prepare in a short time, stores well for later, good for Lent.  Cooking is easier than you thought.

Leftover Chicken – Croquettes

Sometimes leftovers are great, just reheat them and serve.  Saves time from cooking and if it was good the first time it will probably be good the next, provided you reheat them correctly.  If it is meatloaf or some casseroles, the leftovers may be even better the second or third time.

Then there are the so-so meals that need help or you just want something different.  I’m going to try to address this and I’ll start with this quick chicken recipe.

Ingredients:

ü      1 ½ cup     cooked and finely chopped chicken

ü      ¾ cup        bread crumbs (flavor them up a bit if they are bland)

ü      1 to 3         eggs, beaten

ü      1 cup         chopped onion

ü      1 ½ tsp      chopped parsley

ü      ½ tsp         salt

ü      ¼ tsp         pepper

ü      Oil for cooking.  Maybe Tbl or 3 depending on how much chicken you have

Directions:

1.      Saute the onion

2.      Put the onion in a bowl and let cool a little

3.      Combine the chicken, bread crumbs, and 2 eggs with the onion and mix.  If this is too dry to form into patties then add another beaten egg.

4.      Add the parsley, salt and pepper.  Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste.

5.      Mix everything pretty well.

6.      Form into small patties.

7.      Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.

8.      Fry the patties in the oil until golden brown.

You can serve them like this but I prefer some type of topping like a Ranch dressing, Dijon mustard, or mayonnaise.  They also taste good on bread or a bun.  Dress them up with lettuce, slice of tomato, sliced onion, or whatever.  Add a vegetable and a starch like rice and VaVaVoom.