|
Zesty Breakfast Casserole
Makes 2 casseroles
What we love about this recipe is how easy it is to make it your own. We like ours to be a bit spicy, which is why we use Andouille chicken sausage. To mellow it a bit, we use some diced red peppers and onions. If you prefer a mild sausage or a different kind of vegetable, you really can't go wrong when you improvise!
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups cubed Italian bread
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced into small pieces
2 ½ cups sliced cooked sausage
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
8 eggs
¾ cups whole milk
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Butter for greasing
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, heat the olive oil for a minute and add the onions. Cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the red peppers and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the sausages and heat. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and milk together with salt in a bowl until well combined.
Butter the bottom of two pie dishes (or one 9 x 12 baking dish) generously. Lay the cubed bread along the bottom of each dish. Split the onion, pepper and sausage mixture among the two dishes and lay evenly on top of the bread. Divide the egg mixture equally and pour evenly in each dish. Press down with a spatula and then sprinkle 4 ounces of cheddar cheese on each. (If you would like the cheese to be mixed into your casserole, rather than on top, simply add to the egg mixture, combine and omit the last step.) Sprinkle one tablespoon of chives on top of each casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until egg mixture has set.
If freezing, cool completely, wrap well in aluminum foil and a layer of plastic wrap and freeze.
|
|
Meaty Ziti Caprese
Makes 2 Casseroles
The freshly sliced mozzarella, tomatoes and basil on top of this classic dish add a flavorful finish and give it an elegant look at a dinner party. Get together with a friend one afternoon and make two casseroles, one for dinner that night and one for the freezer.
1 pound ziti pasta, cooked al dente for 8 minutes
1 onion, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
2 cups Ricotta cheese
2 eggs well beaten
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 cup fresh basil, washed and chopped into strips
4 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
5 cups tomato sauce (see our Tomato Basil Marinara recipe on the web site)
Brown garlic, onion and ground beef in a skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Drain well. Add 4 cups tomato sauce a set aside. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the cooked ziti.
Mix together Ricotta cheese and egg until combined well. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper and chopped fresh parsley. Mix in the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Coat the bottom of a dish (or 2) with a thin layer of tomato sauce.
Add half of the cooked ziti meat mixture and spread Ricotta cheese mixture on top. (If making two dishes, divide the ingredients evenly among the two casseroles.) Add the remaining ziti and meat mixture and then arrange the mozzarella on top, with the thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the mozzarella and a handful of chopped fresh basil. You can either wrap the baking dish well in aluminum foil and freeze, or bake in an oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes. At the very end, place casserole under the broiler for 5 minutes on high for a golden, crispy result. To cook a frozen ziti, cook it frozen, loosely covered for an hour or longer on 350 degrees.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dear Friends,
We hope your fall is off to a good start and that you're finding some time to cook with your friends. We know it can be tough getting dinner on the table each night and are always looking for new, efficient and helpful ideas. In this issue, we celebrate the casserole, a steadfast meal solution, and give it a modern twist. We hope you enjoy!
Alison and Shannon
|
A Brief Bit on the Casserole
It's been around for hundreds of years actually, had a brief heyday in the 1950's and got a bad rap in the 1970's when home cooks began taking short cuts (like using canned creamed soups, Hamburger Helper and dehydrated seasoning mixes), that not only compromised flavor but lessened nutritional benefits. Amazingly, people have been making casseroles since the 18th century.
What is a Casserole?
Usually it is a one pot meal that is made in a deep dish that can go from oven to table, that includes a meat, veggie and flour or pasta. It can be used as a side dish or main dish and is often served at holiday dinners, large group gatherings, and of course, "pot-lucks." There's always a fair amount of liquid added which absorbs the flavors and binds the ingredients together. We've heard they call it a "Bake" In England.
Why we like Casseroles for Cooking With Friends
*It's something that can be assembled together
*Allows home cooks some creativity and improvisation
*Can be made in advance and baked later
*Often times can be frozen
*Lends itself well to making several at the same time
*Fewer dishes to clean up after meal time |
The Modern TwistCasseroles don't have to taste like they did in the 1970's, but it's nice when a bite reminds us of our childhoods. At Cooking With Friends, when we make casseroles, we stay away from processed foods and use fresh ingredients to achieve delicious flavors. We've really come to appreciate the benefits of a one dish dinner. When we first introduced our kids to casseroles, they thought the name was funny and the idea of everything in one pot kind of interesting. 
Bring a Dish Empty, Take it Home Full
Whether you're looking to stock your freezer with meals or simply make dinner for that night, get together with a friend or two and create casseroles together. Bring a bag full of ingredients to a friend's house and then take your casserole home in a baking dish, ready to cook. Here are a few ideas to get you going: The Kid Favorite Casserole
Whether your children like macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs or tacos, use your kid's dinner favorites as inspiration in creating a "Kid's Casserole." Get them involved in the preparation so they see what goes in, and then let them have fun naming the dish. Before you know it, they'll start asking you for it. Sunday Dinner DishWith all the activities happening over the weekend, sometimes a home cooked Sunday dinner is impossible to make. Think of a one dish meal that everyone loves - lasagna, chicken parmesan or (see our recipe to the left) baked ziti (those are casseroles too!) - make a few during the week and tuck them away in the freezer for the finale to a busy weekend. Your family will be grateful for a homemade meal and you will be happy to save some time in the kitchen. The Company Casserole
Everyone loves to get invited over to a friend's house to enjoy some comfort food. Think Shepherd's Pie and find ways to modify the old fashioned version. Garlic mashed potatoes and curried beef are our favorite way to make this dish interesting. Breakfast Casseroles
Whether you decide to invite some friends or not, a breakfast casserole (see recipe left) is a delicious and hearty way to feed the family over the weekend. Serve it on a Sunday morning for brunch and divide the leftovers up into individual portions for weekday breakfasts before work and school. You may even find it works well as a dinner too! |
|
CWFC News -- Announcing our New Shop
Our Cooking With Friends Shop is open! Please visit www.cookingwithfriendsclub.com to buy our favorite products right through our site. These are the gadgets, appliances, and tools that we love and use in our own kitchens.We've partnered with OpenSky, a groundbreaking e-commerce company, to make sure the prices are good and the service is great. To kick things off, we're offering a 10% discount off our five launch specials: The Kuhn Rikon Mandoline, Kitchen Aid Immersion Blender, Ball Home Canning Set, Vita Mix Turbo Blender and Amco Lemon Press. Just enter FRIENDS in the promo code box when you order!
| |
Time Saving Tool: The Kuhn Rikon Mandoline - Product Giveaway
You'll constantly reach for this mandoline to slice cucumbers, potatoes, carrots and more evenly and quickly. At less than $20, it's also a great bargain and easier to use than some of the more complicated mandolines on the market. Visit our store for product information and to watch a video demonstration: www.cookingwithfriendsclub.com.
E-mail us your best cooking together chopping tip, whether it's using a knife, mandoline, or other cutting tool, and you'll have a chance to win this great gadget. E-mail: Info@cookingwithfriendsclub.com |
|
Alison Bermack and Shannon Henry
Visit our web site at www.cookingwithfriendsclub.com.
| |
|
|
