Creamy Corn Casserole

 

The cheesy corn casserole is something Midwesterners always enjoy, particularly alongside a plate of Kansas City barbecue. It is the ultimate in creamy, cheesy, comfort food. You can serve it as easily at a picnic as you can alongside something a little more high end at dinner, like I did with Pecan Crusted Salmon.  It can be vegetarian if you leave out the bacon, which is perfectly fine. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like this; kids particularly seem to enjoy its creamy, corny goodness.

Creamy Corn Casserole

 1 T. olive oil
1 T. Melissa’s minced garlic
2 14.5-oz. can corn
4 oz. cream cheese
2 T. butter
¾ c. whole milk
¼ t. kosher salt
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
¼ t. smoked paprika
¼ t. Old Bay blackened seasoning
1½ c. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
¼ c. sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and warm the garlic for 30 to 45 seconds.

Stir in the corn, cream cheese, butter, and milk. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the ingredients are melted together, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, blackened seasoning, ¾ of the shredded cheddar, and half of the bacon. Pour into a 1½-quart baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining ¾-cup cheddar and bacon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly.

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Spinach Casserole with Four Cheeses

 

If you’re looking for something different to serve for Thanksgiving, or for a holiday brunch, this easy, make-ahead casserole just might be the answer. It’s certainly more nutritious than popular favorites like green bean casserole or corn pudding, but despite the high nutritional value it’s not lacking in flavor. My guess is that if you make it once, it will soon become a family favorite. If you have a hard time moving away from the French fried onions, those bits of crispy deliciousness found atop green bean casserole, you can sprinkle some on top of this one before baking.Spinach Casserole with Four Cheeses

 3 large eggs, beaten

1 16-oz. container small curd cottage cheese

1 16-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 4-oz. container crumbled feta

½ c. shredded cheddar

½ c. shredded Parmesan

1 Melissa’s shallot, minced

¼ c. melted butter

⅛ tsp. garlic powder

⅛ t. freshly grated nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges, if desired

 Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 1½-qt. casserole dish with PAM; set aside.

Place all ingredients into a large bowl, and mix with a wooden spoon until combined; transfer to prepared baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until the center is nearly set. If desired, sprinkle additional grated cheese on top during the last few minutes of baking, and bake until cheese has melted.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. The freshly squeezed juice really brightens this dish.

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Potato Salad Perfection

 

The late Mr. O-P was a big fan of potato salad. As he did all of the grocery shopping, every week he would invariably come home with a container. He preferred to enjoy potato salad with his sandwich at lunch rather than any type of chip, potato or otherwise, and, after a while, I tended to agree with him.

 Today, because I’m having ribs for dinner, I decided to make a big batch of potato salad to enjoy not just this evening, but for the coming week. I wanted to try something new, so this is a riff on Ina Garten’s potato salad that always gets rave reviews, not only for taste, but for her unique way of cooking the potatoes. I was not able to get fresh dill (it’s obviously being held hostage somewhere, and that place is a place I cannot find), so I had to make do with dried. I also like more crunch in my potato salad, so I doubled up on the vegetables, and threw in some hard boiled eggs. The end result was, in my opinion, potato salad perfection.

Potato Salad Perfection

Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten

 2 1.5-oz. bags Melissa’s baby red potatoes

Kosher salt

1 c. Duke’s mayonnaise

¼ c. buttermilk

  2 T. Dijon mustard

 2 T. whole-grain mustard

1 T. red wine vinegar

2 T. dried dill weed

1 t. kosher salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

1 c. chopped celery

1 c. chopped red onion

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, vinegar, dill, salt, and pepper; set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending upon their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery, red onion, and eggs. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Season to taste, if necessary.*  Serve cold or at room temperature.

 *At this point in her recipe, Ina called for an additional 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. I didn’t think it needed either. Gee, Ina, can you say hypertension?

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German Green Beans

 

Last week I posted a recipe for Kielbasa and Sauerkraut, stating that it goes well with German Green Beans. I honestly thought that I had a recipe for German Green Beans here on the blog, but seeing that I don’t, I thought it would be wise to share it today. These go exceptionally well with sausages, pork chops, or any kind of barbecue, and are always a big hit.

German Green Beans

 4 slices bacon

1 medium onion, quartered and sliced

2 T. flour

4 T. dark brown sugar

1 t. dry mustard

1 t. kosher salt

¼ t. pepper

½ c. cider vinegar 

½ c. water

2 lbs. Melissa’s fresh green beans

Place cleaned and trimmed green beans into a large pot and fill with water. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring a boil, and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until desired tenderness is reached. Drain and set aside.

While the green beans are cooking, fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, drain on paper towels, leaving the fat in the pan. Crumble bacon; set aside.

Add the onion to the hot fat, and cook until light golden and tender. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sugar, dry mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, and water; stir, and bring to a rolling boil. Allow to boil for 1-2 minutes to thicken the sauce. Add half of the crumbled bacon and the green beans, and cook until heated through, 4-5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with remaining crumbled bacon.

Feel free to add more vinegar and/or brown sugar to suit your taste.

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Fettuccine with Asparagus Cream

 

Springtime means fresh asparagus. Don’t you just love those tender, young stalks? If you’re anything like me, you want to make the absolute most of fresh asparagus while the season lasts. This means that you are going to want to incorporate it into your meals from morning to night. You can start your day with asparagus quiche or frittata, enjoy it pickled with a sandwich for lunch, or have it in a salad or soup as a starter for dinner. Failing that, you can try this unique and beautiful pasta dish that works equally well as a side dish or entrée.

 It is quick and easy to make, pretty on the plate, and company worthy.

Fettuccine with Asparagus Cream

 1 bunch asparagus

⅔ c. heavy cream

2 garlic cloves, peeled, but left whole

Copious gratings of fresh nutmeg

1/8 t. white pepper

⅓ c. grated Parmesan

Kosher salt, to taste

8 oz. fettuccine

Snap off woody ends of each asparagus spear and discard. Cut off tips; set aside. Cut remaining stems into thirds. Keep the tips and stalks separate.

In a small saucepan bring the cream and garlic to a boil. Remove from heat, remove the garlic, and stir in nutmeg, white pepper, Parmesan, and salt to taste; set aside.

 Cook the reserved stalks in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes until tender; drain. Add to cream mixture. Blend with an immersion blender, or with a mini food processor, until smooth and creamy.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Two minutes before the end of cooking time add reserved asparagus tips.

Gently reheat the cream, drain pasta and asparagus tips, and toss with cream.

 Divide into two bowls. Top with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

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Not Caesar, But Still a Pleaser Salad Dressing

 

I’m old enough to remember when servers would come to your table, crack an egg into a large wooden bowl, and thus begin their creation of the freshest Caesar salad dressing that you can imagine. This would then be tossed with crisp greens, served on chilled plates, and not a remnant of dressing remained behind in that bowl. I love Caesar dressing, but call me squeamish, I don’t like the idea of raw egg. That’s where this salad dressing comes in very handy. It can be made two ways, with the mayonnaise, or by substituting the mayonnaise with olive oil if you’re not looking for a creamy version. Me? I prefer it with mayonnaise. No, it isn’t Caesar, but it is darned good. Now, dig out that wooden bowl and crisp up some greens.

  Not Caesar, But Still a Pleaser Salad Dressing

½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise
¼ c. grated fresh Parmesan
1 clove garlic
½ t. capers
½ t. anchovy paste
½ t. champagne vinegar
1½ t. Dijon mustard
1½ t. Worcestershire sauce
Juice of half a lemon
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients into the work bowl of a mini food processor, and blend until combined.

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Mushrooms au Gratin

I’ve mentioned before that I watch a lot of Italian television. I also watch a lot of French television. The fact of the matter is, I watch a lot of international television, far preferring it to most of what America has to offer. I do so because I am a subscriber to MHz Choice. I am not affiliated with them in any way, I just absolutely love their programming. The other day I was watching “Les Petits Meurtres d’Agatha Christie (The 70’s)” when I noticed that commissaire Annie Greco (who loves food as much as I do) ordered mushroom au gratin. This is the first time I had ever heard of that dish. Sure, I’ve had potatoes au gratin, but mushrooms? Mushroom lover that I am, this sounded so good, and something that I absolutely had to try. I got to thinking about how I would make this dish, and came up with the following. It is so decadent! It’s good on its own — you only need a small amount because it is rich — it is also excellent as a topper for a baked potato, particularly if you are using a large potato as a meatless main dish. You might also consider spooning it over baked chicken. This is a must try. I’m not kidding you. 

Mushrooms au Gratin

2 T. butter

8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 .5-oz. pkg. Melissa’s dried shiitake mushrooms

1 .5-oz. pkg. Melissa’s dried oyster mushrooms

2 scallions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

½ c. dry white wine

 ½ c. sour cream

¼ t. seasoned salt, more or less to taste

1/8 t. ground black pepper, more or less to taste

2 T. flour

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

½ c. grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400° F. Spray an au gratin dish (or any other shallow baking dish) with PAM; set aside.

Hydrate dried mushrooms according to package directions. Drain, and roughly chop; set aside.

In a medium skillet, sauté fresh mushrooms with butter over medium-high heat. Add scallions and sauté another 1-2 minutes. Add chopped hydrated mushrooms and garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in wine and cook down until half has evaporated.

 In a small bowl, blend together sour cream, salt, pepper, and flour. Stir into mushroom mixture. Heat through, transfer to your prepared baking dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and cheese, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese has melted, and it is bubbly around the edge. 

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Spinach Alfredo Garlic Bread

  

If you made last week's Cajun Shrimp Alfredo then you no doubt have some Alfredo sauce left over. Here is a wonderful way to put that to good use. This bread goes very well with soup or salad; it’s also darned tasty on its own.

Spinach Alfredo Garlic Bread

Adapted from realsimple.com

1 12-oz. loaf French bread, halved lengthwise

¾ c. jarred Alfredo sauce (such as Rao)

 ½ 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

2 cloves garlic

1/3 c. thinly sliced Melissa’s shallot

1 c. shredded Fontina cheese

Garnishes: fresh thyme, fresh parsley,red pepper flakes

 Preheat oven to 350°F with rack about 8 inches from heat. Stir together Alfredo sauce, well-drained, chopped, spinach, and garlic. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place bread halves, cut side up, on baking sheet. Spread sauce over cut sides of bread. Top with sliced shallots and sprinkle with cheese.

 Bake until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to broil. Broil until cheese is golden brown and edges are crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Garnish as you see fit. Cut each half into 4 pieces.

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