Zucchini Gratin

Yes, I do realize that summer is over and so is zucchini season.  But when I found this recipe I knew I wasn't going to be able to wait until summer.  Besides, everything is always in season at the grocery store!  :)  

I know some of you are going to read this recipe and think "eeww, zucchini and eggs"!  But trust me when I tell you that this is yummy!  The flavors and textures are really great.  I actually make something similar as a breakfast dish, that's part of the reason I knew I'd love this.

Zucchini Gratin
10" dutch oven
 
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 
3 cloves Garlic, Minced 
1 whole Medium Onion, Chopped 
2 whole Roma Tomatoes, Chopped 
3 whole Medium Zucchini, Sliced And Halved 
1 teaspoon Ground Thyme 
1 teaspoon Salt 
2 Tablespoons Flour 
2 whole Eggs 
½ cups Half-and-half 
¼ cups Shredded Cheddar 
¼ cups Grated Parmesan

Over a full spread of coals, saute onion and tomato in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of your dutch oven.  Cook until the onion is tender then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add zucchini, thyme, salt and flour. Stir and cook for a few more minutes until zucchini is tender. Spread evenly on the bottom of the pot.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs with half and half. Stir in cheddar cheese. Pour this egg mixture over veggies. Sprinkle on grated Parmesan. Bake at  350° for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly puffed up and a bit golden on top.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 6-8.


Source:  Tasty Kitchen

Herb Biscuit Loaf

Here is another easy but tasty biscuit recipe.  Biscuits dipped in a buttery herb mixture and baked until golden brown.  It's tailor made for a dutch oven, don't you think?  This one calls for refrigerated biscuits, but feel free to make your own recipe and it turns out great. 

Herb Biscuit Loaf
10" dutch oven
 
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. dried minced onion
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4-1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 (12 oz.) tubes refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

In a shallow bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients.  Dip the biscuits in butter mixture.  Fold in half and place in dutch oven.  Drizzle with remaining butter mixture.  Bake at 350° for 27-30 minutes or until golden brown. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 8-10

Cheesy Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

I'm really trying to get into my creative groove lately.  I'm tired of all the recipes I have (even though I haven't even tried most of them).  So I'm tweaking the ones I've made before.  Some have been epic fails, but this one turned out really well.  I have a recipe for mashed potatoes that is flavored with dry ranch dressing, and I've been on a horseradish kick, so why not flavor potatoes with horseradish.

Baked Risotto

Risotto is one of those things I never make.  Who has 45 minutes to stand around and stir rice?  Not me!  So I was excited to see this baked risotto at Cook's Country.  I was pleasantly surprised by the results and there is a ton of things you could do to make this recipe your own.  Adding sauteed asparagus or cooked broccoli or carrots.  As it was, the Parmesan cheese and parsley were perfect with the Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf I made for dinner.

Some notes about this recipe.  I've made enough recipes from Cook's Country to know that every step has a purpose and will effect the finished dish, so I made this exactly as the recipe said.  At one point you need to cover the rice/broth with foil.  When you do this, don't let the foil hang out of the dutch oven, just roll the foil down so it is all inside your pot. 

This was really good, so give it a try!

Baked Risotto
10" dutch oven

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (Yes, use low sodium or it will be too salty)
1/2 cup water
2 bay leaves
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Arborio rice (Not long grain or instant)
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

In a 10" dutch oven, bring the broth, water and bay leaves to simmer over a full spread of coals.  When almost boiling, put the lid on the pot and remove from the heat.

In another 10" dutch oven, melt the butter over a full spread of coals.  (You can use the same coals you used to heat the broth.)  Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until lightly browned.  Stir in the rice and cook until the edges begin to turn translucent.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add the wine (or broth) and cook until completely absorbed.

Pour the warm broth over the rice.  Cover the dutch oven with a sheet of aluminum foil, making sure it rests on top of the broth.  Cover and bake at 400° until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Discard bay leaves.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product



The Review

This wasn't quite as creamy as other risotto I've had, but it was delish.  I'm going to have to experiment with it a little bit more, but the family thought it was a keeper.  It has nice flavor, but if you don't use low sodium broth it will be too salty by the time you add the Parmesan cheese.  I've made other baked risotto recipes, but this one has turned out the best so far.  I'll be making this again for sure.

Day 337: Tex Mex Rice

My Internet has finally quit throwing a fit and decided to get back to work.  Its one of the problems of living where I do...constant Internet problems.  I only have time for 1 post tonight, but I'll catch up tomorrow.  Thanks for your patience! 

I've been looking for the perfect Mexican rice recipe for a while now.  I think I've tried at least 4 different ones just this year.  But I think my search is over, at least temporarily

Tex Mex Rice
10" dutch oven

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 poblano or aneheim chile , seeded and chopped fine
2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt

Process tomatoes in food processor until smooth; set aside. (I left a few chunk just because I like it that way)Place rice in fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl. Rinse under running water until water runs clear, about 1 minute. Drain rice well.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over a full spread of coals until shimmering. Add onion, poblano, and jalapeños and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir rice, cumin, and oregano into pot and cook, stirring frequently, until rice is deep golden, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add broth, processed tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover and move about 1/4 of the coals from the bottom to the top.  Simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and season with salt. Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

 
 

 
The Review
 
For now, this is my favorite Mexican rice recipe.  It has great flavor and is perfect with any Mexican dish.  I may use the leftovers in burritos.  This isn't bland like so many of the recipes I've tried.  You could skip rinsing the rice, but it does make it fluffier.  This is my new favorite.  Grade A-.

Day 336: Spinach Gratin

 Good morning!  I know I'm late, so this will be a quick post!

 Spinach Gratin
12" dutch oven

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
4 cups minced yellow onions, about 2 large onions
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
3 pounds frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (5 (10-ounce) packages)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1/2 tablespoon table salt)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Gruyere, Swiss or Parmesan cheese

Melt the butter in a 12" dutch oven over a full spread of coals. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 more minutes. Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the cream and milk and cook, stirring often and quickly, until thickened. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Season, to taste, with the salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyere (or Swiss or Parmesan, if using) on top. Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve hot.  Serves 8-10.

The Finished Product

The Review

Normally I really like spinach.  But I have to say that we really didn't like this at all.  I've never made creamed spinach before so I followed the directions exactly, and it just wasn't very good.  I know I've mentioned the one bite rule we have at our house.  Well, it very rarely applies to me, but it did with this.  I wish I'd had my video camera on when I made my kids take their one bite.  There were faces, gags, and even a few dry heaves.  I thought my 14 year old son was literally going to barf.  It was pretty funny.  Now if you're a spinach lover, please try this, you may love it.  I think some of the problem was that there wasn't enough of the cream sauce (or maybe I let it get to thick) and it just tasted like spinach and onions.  I may give this another try to see if the problem was operator error.  For now I give this a D, but I may upgrade it if I try it again with better results.

Day 331: Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes

I've tried a lot of Au Gratin Potato recipes in my day, and I've found some good ones, but I've still been on the hunt for the perfect recipe.  I think I may have finally found it.  This recipe is from Cook's Country.  It is another one of those awesome recipe sites.

Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
12" dutch oven

1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick (To make this recipe turn out right the potatoes MUST be thinly and evenly sliced.  A food processor or mandolin works best.)
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

In a large bowl, toss the cheeses and cornstarch together until evenly coated.  In a dutch oven, neatly layer the potatoes. (This step is important since it helps the keep the potatoes from being a sloppy mess when served.)  Sprinkle the potatoes evenly with 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with the remaining potatoes, layering them neatly and evenly. Sprinkle another 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper evenly over the top.

Combine the cream and the broth in a large measuring cup and pour the mixture over the potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese mixture and bake at 350° for 75-85 minutes or until golden brown and a fork inserted into the center slides in easily with little resistance. Let the potatoes cool for 10 minutes. Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

These are the best au gratin potatoes I've ever had!!!  Seriously, the best.  They are so rich and yummy.  I love the flavor and creaminess the Monterrey jack cheese adds.  These are also easy.  I had them ready to go on the coals in about 10 minutes.  My favorite part is the crunchy edges.  In fact, I may go eat the leftovers right now.  Grade A.

Day 329: Thanksgiving Stuffing

This is my favorite stuffing recipe.  It is really easy to make and has great flavor.  When I make it I use homemade bread, but you could buy the bread too.  Just use a good quality bread, no Wonder bread or it will turn out mushy...yuck!  Or you could use the Stuffing Bread I posted a while back and then leave out the spices.  This makes a ton, but it would be easy to cut the recipe down.

Thanksgiving Stuffing
12" dutch oven

3 onions, chopped
6 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh minced parsley
1 Tbs. rubbed sage
1 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
27 cups day old bread cubed

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals,saute the onions, celery and garlic in butter until tender.  Add the broth and seasonings.  Add the bread cubes and stir carefully until well combined.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned and hot.  Serves 12.

The Finished Product

I'll get the picture up soon!

The Review

This is really good.  Its also easy.  I haven't used Stove Top in years!  This is easy enough to make any time of year, not just at the holidays.  I like that even my stuffing hating kids will eat this.  It has a nice consistency too.  Some stuffing is soggy, but not this one.  We love it!  Grade A.

Day 328: Homemade Cranberry Sauce

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I know we did.  It was so fun to be with family and friends.  Since I wasn't hosting the meal this year I didn't have quite as much work to do, but it was still a busy day.  I cooked rolls, cranberry sauce and stuffing all in my dutch ovens of course!  I've already posted the roll recipe, so I'll share the cranberry sauce recipe today.

Homemade Cranberry sauce
10" dutch oven

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest

Mix all the ingredients in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The berries will burst and the sauce will thicken.  Serve warm.

The Finished

My camera batteries are dead so I'll post the pics this afternoon!


The Review

As a kid I could never understand why anyone would eat berries and meat together.  I'm really glad I've gotten over that because cranberries and turkey are a real treat.  This sauce is fabulous!  You'll get the best flavor out of it if you serve it warm.  It lets the citrus flavor come out, but its delish cold too.  I only make this a couple of times a year, and every time I do I wonder why I don't make it more often.  Grade A.

Day 325: Creamy Hashbrowns

Last nights dinner was cooked in a terrible snow storm.  I forgot how much I hate being cold!  :)  I totally live in the wrong state if I don't like winter.  Thanksgiving morning is supposed to be 6°.  That's just wrong!  Since it was so cold, I made something that didn't require me to spend too much time outside.

Creamy Hash Browns
12" dutch oven

1 (28 oz.) pkg. frozen O'Brien hash browns, thawed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.  Pour into a greased dutch oven.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Serves 8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This wasn't my favorite dish ever.  I didn't expect it to be great, just better than it was.  Its one of those recipes that tastes great in the mountains when your camping, but not so yummy at home.  I probably won't make these again unless we're camping.  Grade C.

Day 320: Parmesan Potato Balls

Good morning everyone!  I have some great news!  Tomorrow I'll start taking orders for the cookbook!  I've been working on getting everything together and there will be around 250 recipes along with everything I've learned about cleaning, seasoning and heat control.  It should be a great resource and I hope you are all as excited as I am!  So come back tomorrow and I'll have all the details for you!

Its really weird that yesterday I may have bought my last 6 bags of charcoal for the year.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about that.  Cooking in my dutch oven has become such a habit that I won't know what to do if I don't have to go out and start coals!  :)  For now I'm just going to enjoy it! 

Parmesan Potato Balls
12" dutch oven

3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. butter, softened
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbs. chopped green onion
2 1/2 Tsp. onion soup mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. hot pepper sauce
dash of pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs

Place the potatoes in a dutch oven and cover with water.  Bring to a boil over a full spread of coals; cover and cook 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Drain.  Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and mash.  Beat in the cream cheese, milk and butter until smooth.  Stir in the Parmesan cheese, onion soup mix, salt, hot pepper sauce and pepper.  Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls (I used a cookie scoop).  Place the egg and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.  Dip the potato balls into the egg, then roll in the crumbs.  Place the balls in a dutch oven (I used the same one I cooked the potatoes in).  Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.  Serves about 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

I was really surprised by these.  They were really good!  I didn't make a ton of them because I wasn't sure how they would be, and when my kids went back for more and the pot was empty their faces fell.  My little 5 year old even cried!  They said I had to double the recipe next time.  I liked the crispy outside and soft inside and the onion soup added a nice flavor to the whole thing.  I'll be making these again!  Grade B+.

Day 306: Creamy Spaghetti Squash

Good morning!  Just a quick post today.  I have a sick little girl on my lap right now.  I just wanted to point out one thing today.  If you look at the bottom of each post you will find a new "print friendly" button.  It will let you edit the post before you print it so you only print what you want!  I hope it helps make using the recipes a lot easier.  So no more excuses!  Get out those black pots and get cookin'!  If I can do it everyday, you can do it once a week, or even once a month! 

I kind of made up today's recipe.  It's loosely based on one I saw on the Internet a while back.

Creamy Spaghetti Squash
12" dutch oven

1 spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup shredded cheese (I used a Parmesan)
pinch of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Slice spaghetti squash in half, and lay face down in a dutch oven with a bit of water. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from pot and keep warm.

In a 10" dutch oven over a full spread of coals, combine butter and flour. Whisk to make a roux, add milk and nutmeg, and stir in cheese. Stir constantly stir until thickened.

Remove seeds from squash (if you didn’t before) and scrape out squash with a fork, making spaghetti strands. Add to the pot with the cheese sauce and combine. Season with salt and pepper.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The first picture I took while it was in the dutch oven looked awful, so I tried again and this looks much better!

The Review

I was a little disappointed in this one.  I was really hoping it would be good, but it was just okay.  Honestly, I like the squash better with butter and salt.  Interestingly enough, my younger kids liked it better with the cream sauce.  Go figure!  We decided this gets a B.

Day 297: Parmesan Baked Artichokes

I love artichokes, much to my children's dismay.  I knew they would hate these, so I made them mostly for myself.  I adapted this from a recipe I found on the Internet.

Parmesan Baked Artichokes
10" dutch oven

1. 1 14oz can artichokes in water, drained
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Layer artichokes in a dutch oven. Drizzle olive oil on top. Season with salt, garlic and Italian seasoning. Add bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan on top. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°.  Use 1 ring on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 4.

The Finished Product

The Review

I didn't like these as much as I'd hoped.  They are good, but they aren't great compared to other side dishes I've made.  I may make these once or twice a year, but its not something I'll make very often.  Grade B-.

Day 294: Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes

I think garlic mashed potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes.  Add bacon and they would be perfect, but that's beside the point.  I've tried a ton of recipes looking for the perfect one.  Since my hubby won't eat potatoes with gravy I've had to get creative with my favorite mashable veggie.  I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes
12" dutch oven

5 pounds russet, red or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces light or regular cream cheese
3-4 green onions, chopped (I didn't have any)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup whipping cream

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt and boil the potatoes over a full spread of coals for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. 

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them a few times and add the rest of the ingredients. Mash and mix well to desired consistency.  Dot with 1-2 tablespoons butter. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned on top and heated through.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serves 6.

The Finished Product

The Review

These were really good, and they didn't last long at my house.  But I have to say that they aren't my favorite garlic mashed potatoes.  I prefer real garlic over garlic powder any day of the week.  My family would never be able to tell the difference, but I could.  Regardless of how good these are, I probably won't make them again.  You can find my favorite recipe here.  Grade B.

Day 287: Noodle Rice Pilaf

I found this recipe in a church cookbook, and it seemed like just what I needed.  We had a pretty flavorful main dish, and I didn't want to overwhelm the meal with a spicy side dish. 

Noodle Rice Pilaf
10" dutch oven

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup long grain rice
1/2 cup uncooked fine egg noodles or vermicelli (break the vermicelli into 1" pieces)
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 Tbs. fresh minced parsley

In a dutch oven over a full spread of coals, melt the butter.  Add the rice and noodles and cook until lightly browned, stirring often.  Stir in broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and  simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Move about 6 coals from the bottom of the pot onto the lid.  Stir in the parsley when cooked.  Serves 4-6.

The Finished Product

Still no camera!  I hope I can get it back soon, but my mom lives kind of far away!

The Review

This was pretty good.  If you are having a more heavily flavored main dish and need something a little more bland to round out the meal, then this is what you want.  We all liked it, but it really isn't anything to write home about.  I'll make it again, but not often.  Grade B-.

Day 283: Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

I thought I'd try something really different for dinner last night.  We had Chorizo with Black Beans and Rice for dinner and I wanted an unusual side dish.  I found this at a food blog called My Favorites and I thought it would be fun to try.

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls
14" dutch oven

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 (4oz) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers (about 24 total)

In a large bowl, combine everything but the egg roll wrappers. Mix well to blend. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place 1/4 cup of the filling in the center. Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water and lightly brush on the edges of the free corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Lightly grease your dutch oven with shortening. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray (I brushed them with olive oil). Bake at 425° for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking. Use 2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Serve warm with salsa.

The Finished Product

The Review

These were awesome!  They were really easy to make too!  I was skeptical about baking them, but they turned out great.  Mine suffered from operator error.  I started baking them at the wrong temperature and then I had to wait for more coals to be ready, so they don't look as good as they should, but they tasted great.  My  kids loved them.  I'll be making these again!  Grade A.

Day 279: Vegetable Noodle Casserole

What a day yesterday was!  My 2 year old daughter, Boey, had a 103° fever all day and my 14 year old son, Wyatt, came home from school with a broken arm!  I swear he'll have broken every bone in his body before he leaves home.  Anyway, by the time dinner rolled around I really didn't care what we ate, as long as it filled the empty spot!  So I opened up a cookbook and made the first thing I found that I had all the ingredients for.  This comes from a taste of home cookbook.  It can be served as a side dish, but I added a little canned chicken and made it a meal.

Vegetable Noodle Casserole
12" dutch oven

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of broccoli soup
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbs. dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz.) pkg. wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrot blend, thawed
2 cups frozen corn, thawed

In a bowl, combine soups, milk 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley,pepper and salt; mix well.  Add the noodles and vegetables and mix until well combined.  Pour into a greased dutch oven and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until heated through. Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom. Serves 12.

The Finished Product

With the days getting shorter, I'm losing what little natural light I have in my kitchen.  This really is better than it looks.  Sorry about the bad pic.

The Review

Okay, so this wont win any awards, but it was all right.  I was so frazzled by dinner last night I really didn't care!  :)  I did add some canned chicken to make it a little more hearty.  It wasn't my favorite meal, but my kids really liked it.  They all had seconds, which surprised me.  I even got a few "thank yous" out of it!  That has to count for something!  We decided this gets a B.

Day 268: Cheesy Skillet Vegetables and Bacon

I'm so sorry about the late post!  I was running behind and almost didn't make it to church, then we had unexpected company.  I finally have a few minutes to sit down and write this post!  But I can't complain, it was a great day!

Cheesy Skillet Vegetables and Bacon
12" dutch oven

1 lb. bacon
2 (16 oz.) pkgs. frozen broccoli and cauliflower blend
1 lb. baby carrots
1 small onion
2 cloves minced garlic
6-8 potatoes
2 cups grated cheese

Brown bacon in a dutch oven over a full spread of coals.  While the bacon is cooking, cut the onions, carrots and potatoes into bite sized pieces.  When the bacon is done, place on a paper towel to cool.  Brown the onion in the bacon grease.  When brown, add the vegetables and garlic.  Cook until tender, about 20 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  While the vegetables are cooking, crumble the bacon.  When the vegetables are cooked, sprinkle with cheese and bacon.  Place a lid on the dutch oven and allow to sit until cheese is melted.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was really good!  Even my picky eaters ate this well.  I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it was.  The bacon really put this over the top.  I'll be making this again.  While mine was cooking, it was taking forever, so I put the lid on and put 8 or 10 coals on top to keep in the heat and help it cook faster.  This was really simple and easy.  Grade B+.

Day 262: Amazing Butternut Squash

I need some input from everyone on whether you would be interested in a cookbook that would have all the best recipes from this year.  I've started sorting through the best recipes and organizing them, but I want to see how much interest there is before I really get started on the project.  And if you are interested, would you like to have it before Christmas so you could give it as gifts?  The down side to that is that none of the December recipes would be included in the book.  The other option is to include the December recipes and have the book available in January.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.  On to the recipe.

I have quite a few butternut squash in my garden, so I've been trying to find new ways to use them.  I did an Internet search and I found a ton of recipes, so I chose the ones that got the best reviews.  I found this one at allrecipes.com. 

Amazing Butternut Squash
10" dutch oven

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/4 cup mayo or plain yogurt
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs  (I used Panko)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
12 Tbs. butter, melted

In your dutch oven over a full spread of coals, boil the squash until it is very tender.  Remove from heat and drain squash.  In the pot, mash the squash.  Add the mayo, onion, egg, brown sugar, salt and pepper.  Mix well and spread in the bottom of the pot.  In a medium bowl, mix together the crackers, Parmesan and butter.  Sprinkle over the squash.  Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until the topping is lightly browned.  Serves 6. 

The Finished Product

The Review

I wouldn't go so far as to call this squash amazing.  I wasn't really impressed.  I mean it was good, but it wasn't anything special.  I have enough recipes for squash that I like better that I probably won't make this again.  Grade C.

Day 243: Baked Rice

Today's recipe is one I made up when I needed an easy, simple side dish.  And this is very simple. Its something I make when I don't have a lot of time or don't have a side dish planned.

Baked Rice
10" dutch oven

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 tsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In an oiled dutch oven, combine the broth, rice, parsley, salt and pepper.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender.  Use 1 ring on the top and bottom.  Sprinkle with cheese and replace lid to let the residual heat melt the cheese.  Serves 4-6.

The Finished Product

The Review

This was good.  It didn't knock my socks off, but it was a nice simple side dish.  When I serve an entree that has a lot of spices, I like to have a simple side.  My family likes it, except the 2 kids that don't like rice.  I don't make this often because there are other sides I like better, but this makes an appearance a couple of times a year.  Grade B.