(56) Gratin Au Chou

One of my favorite memories from elementary school was taking French classes. We went to a private school and we did French every week. It was mostly puppets and flash cards and LOTS of singing. One of the songs we sang was "Savez-vous planter les chous?" (that means "Do you know how to plant the cabbages?") and was meant to help you learn body parts. The French also refer to chou as sweetheart (Ma petite chou literally means "my little cabbage", but figuratively means "my sweetie"). All that to say, I love chou - it has a special place in my heart!! I love cabbage, but chou is even better :)

I was trying to come up with what to do with my cabbages from the CSA box and since I can't really chew much right now, this was the perfect fit! The original recipe kind of stunk and I ended up having to really improvise as I went along, but I wrote it all down and will hopefully not lead you astray!! The flavor of the sauce is what really wins this dish. Mixing it all up after it goes on your plate = HEAVEN! Oh and the original recipe said serves 6, but I can only assume that's as a main dish. I say 8-10 as a side. Great with roasted chicken!

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Gratin Au Chou

Yield: 8-10 servings (as a side)
Source: Adapted from an online recipe

1 medium Savoy cabbage (or a small Savoy and a small green cabbage is what I did...)
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 cups white rice
1 pound very ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cups water
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk (I used skim, but use whatever pleases you!)
1/2 pound grated cheese (Gruyère or Swiss)
salt and pepper

Cut the cabbage in quarters, wash well, and cut out the hard inner core. Chop the leaves and cook the cabbage for 10 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. You want it to be soft but not dead. Drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook for five minutes. Add the rice and cook for two minutes, stirring. Add the chopped tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Cook for 10 minutes or until the rice is just tender, adding up to 1 cup more water as needed. You want your rice to be soft but not soupy...

Meanwhile make a bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan and stirring in the flour. Cook the roux for two minutes and than slowly whisk in milk. Heat on medium heat until nearly boiling and thickened, then gradually add half of the cheese while stirring. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper (I used 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper). Oh and if you're like me and can't read directions properly and you just added ALL of the cheese, no worries. It will still be yummy!

To construct casserole, butter a large baking dish. Beginning with the cabbage, layer the cabbage and the rice mixture. Aim to get three even layers of each. Pour the bechamel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake at 350° F for 30 minutes. Serve the cabbage casserole hot.

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Another favorite - Chicken Tetrazzini

This recipe is another one that I make all the time. I love it with all my heart and I recommend it to anyone who will listen!! Just like the stuffed shells, it makes 2 dishes. I love that because I can make one for a friend who's been sick or just had a baby and I can keep the other for us to eat! This also freezes beautifully, so you can freeze one and eat the other right away!

PS: I have made just half a recipe before and that worked out fine (but really, you might as well make 2!)
PPS: Amy's opera note - it's named after opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini!

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Chicken Tetrazzini

Yield: 2 casseroles, 6 servings each (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, March 2003

1 tablespoon butter
cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 (8-ounce) packages pre-sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry sherry
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 (14.5 oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 1/4 cups (9 oz) grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup (4 oz) 1/3-less fat cream cheese
7 cups hot cooked vermicelli (about 1 lb uncooked pasta)
4 cups chopped cooked chicken (about 1.5 lbs)
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread (Amy's note: I used canned breadcrumbs, just estimated the amt.)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Melt butter in large stockpot coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute.

3. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Gradually add flour to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick) with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

4. Add 1 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts. Add the pasta and chicken, and stir until blended. Divide the pasta mixture between 2 (8-inch square) baking dishes coated with cooking spray.

5. Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove casserole from oven; let stand 15 minutes.

* To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through step 5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

* To Prepare Frozen Unbaked Casserole: Thaw casserole completely in refrigerator (about 24 hrs). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover casserole with reserved foil; bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 1 hour or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Calories - 380 (29% from fat); fat 12.2 g (sat 6.6, mono 3.4, poly .7); protein 33 g; carb 32.7g; fiber 2g; cholesterol 66 mg; iron 2.8 mg; sodium 964 mg; calcium 319 mg.

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(5) Cranberry-Apple French Toast Casserole

This recipe got mixed reviews on the CL website. Some said it was soggy, others said it was dry (go figure). Ours bordered on the soggy side (in the middle, at least), but the flavor was delish!! It was SWEET and a little gooey. We had bacon along side and the salt helped cut the sweet. This would be nice on a brunch buffet as a little something sweet!

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Cranberry-Apple French Toast Casserole

Yield: 12 servings
Source: Cooking Light, November 2007

This prep-ahead casserole, which turns extra dinner rolls and cranberry sauce into a brunch or dessert treat, is especially welcome if you are entertaining houseguests for the long holiday weekend. While we enjoyed the tartness of the Granny Smith apples, any baking apple will do. Serve with apple wedges.

2 tablespoons butter
2 cups diced Granny Smith apple (about 2 apples)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
1 pound dinner rolls, quartered
Cooking spray
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups apple juice
1 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
3/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 250°.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add apple, cinnamon, and cloves to pan; cook 10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar; cook 2 minutes or until sugar melts. Remove from heat.

Place quartered rolls on a jelly-roll pan; bake at 250° for 15 minutes. Arrange rolls in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cranberries evenly over rolls; top with apple mixture. Combine apple juice and the next 5 ingredients (through eggs) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour egg mixture over roll mixture; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Uncover dish, and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until golden.

CALORIES 270 (28% from fat); FAT 8.5g (sat 2.9g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.2g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 112mg; CALCIUM 103mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41.9g; SODIUM 265mg; PROTEIN 7.7g; FIBER 2.4g

(121) Spinach Gratin

In my book this recipe is hands down the winner of my Christmas meals!! OH HOLY GOODNESS!! I wanted to eat this and not much else. I thought I had ruined it after I added the salt. It calls for a full Tablespoon. I put half of that in there and it was SALTY. But it sat in the fridge while we went to church on Christmas Eve. Then we came home and I baked it. VOILA. Not salty at all - just right! So try a teaspoon or a tsp and a half. You can always salt it on your plate after you serve it!

Also, we used plain swiss instead of Gruyere. Gruyere cost a fortune ($12 for a small square at my grocery store!) and maybe I'm cheap, but I went for swiss. It was still delish! This is a recipe I see getting repeated often.

PS: This seems to yield 12 (or more) servings, not 8.

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Spinach Gratin

Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties
Yield: 8 servings (but to me, more like 12+!)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large)
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 cheese
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the cream and milk and cook 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 salt and pepper.

Transfer the spinach to a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyere on top. Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

(98) Chicken Tamale Casserole

In an effort to have dinner on a busy weeknight, I decided to try this recipe. I made the cornbread the night before and put the dish in the fridge. I let it get to room temp while the oven was heating. With pre-shredded chicken (also done the night before) and pre-shredded cheese, this was a snap!

I'm still in stopped up nose territory, but what I could taste was yummy! My husband packed 2 servings for lunch tomorrow, so I'll take that as a good sign! Please try this and let me know what you think!

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Chicken Tamale Casserole

"I came up with this dish to satisfy my cravings for the tamales I had at Mexican restaurants when I was growing up in Houston. Homemade tamales are too time-consuming to prepare for weeknight meals, but I discovered a corn bread mix approximates the flavor." —Risë Minton, Smyrna, GA

Yield: 8 servings
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2008

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White) *I used Jiffy!!
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 354 (36% from fat), Fat: 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g), Protein: 18.9g, Carbohydrate: 36.3g, Fiber: 2.5g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Iron: 1.7mg, Sodium: 620mg, Calcium: 179mg

(91) Easy Shepherd's Pie

This is a modified version of this recipe. SUPER easy and flavorful. The filling had tang (almost like sloppy joe casserole?!). We all liked it, though, and I will make it again for a quick weeknight meal!

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Easy Shepherd's Pie

Yield: 6 servings

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies (corn, carrots, peas, green beans, etc) - THAWED
24 oz container of prepared mashed potatoes (such as Simply Potatoes)

Heat oven to 400° F.

Place the beef in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Spoon the beef mixture into an 11x7" baking dish.

Spread the potatoes over the beef and bake until heated through, 15-20 minutes (or until slightly browned on top). Divide among individual plates.

(72) Eggplant Parmesan

Yum yum yum yum yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. We got some eggplant from our friends' gardens. They gave us a purple one and 3 white ones! Have you ever seen a white eggplant? Me either... check it out!


You slice it thin (please, slice it thin and uniformly or you'll be cursing like me...) and then soak it in a pot of water. I couldn't figure out how to make it stay submerged, so I rigged up a weight using a small plate and my meat hammer!


You bake it in the oven to crisp it up - I had to do more like 7 minutes per side to get it crispy!


I imagine you could use jarred sauce, but this recipe was really very easy. I used about 3/4 of it in the eggplant and used the other 1/4 of it to put over some angel hair pasta. The sauce was very flavorful!!

When you're done layering and baking - this is the cheesy goodness that you end up with!! Even the baby gave it two (messy) thumbs up! I will be making this one again!!



Here's the recipe - it was already on my website, made and reviewed by my friend Jill! Enjoy!

PS: I made the recipe as written - I thought the amount of basil and oregano was fine for my tastes!!

(67) Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas

These were not hard to make at all, but they were a little time consuming. SO worth it in my book. YUM. As I mentioned in the sauce recipe, it was spicy, but the flavors were awesome and the texture so creamy. Will make these again for sure! (oh and I don't know why I always feel compelled to say this, but I left out the bay leaf *blech yuck spit phewweee blech*)

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Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas

New Mexicans prefer these over the beef enchiladas associated with other Southwest cuisines. Prepare the sauce and the chicken mixture up to two days ahead, and refrigerate separately until ready to assemble the enchiladas.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2007

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
3 cups Green Chile Sauce
Cooking spray
16 (6-inch) corn tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Combine broth, 1 cup onion, and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan; chill 15 minutes. Reserve broth mixture for another use. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Combine chicken, remaining 1/2 cup onion, and sour cream in a bowl, stirring well.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread 1/4 cup Green Chile Sauce in the bottom of each of 2 (11 x 7-inch) baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place 8 filled tortillas, seam-side down, in each dish; pour 1 1/4 cups of remaining Green Chile Sauce over filled tortillas in each dish. Combine cheeses in a bowl. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture evenly over filled tortillas in each dish. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 308 (30% from fat), Fat: 10.1g (sat 4.3g,mono 2.6g,poly 2g), Protein: 27.2g, Carbohydrate: 29g, Fiber: 3.4g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Iron: 1.2mg, Sodium: 382mg, Calcium: 198mg

(65) Southwestern Corn & Pepper Gratin

I think the recipe name is deceiving. Gratin to me is a layered vegetable (potato or otherwise) dish with lots of cheesy/milky sauce... This is a southwestern corn pudding. No matter what it's called, it was yummy. HUGE HUGE serving size. I will definitely make this one again! (PS: I made it in a 2qt baking dish)

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Southwestern Corn & Pepper Gratin

Yield: 4 servings
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, July 1997

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced red bell pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 3/4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears), divided
2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated sharp cheddar cheese
Cooking spray
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add bell peppers, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper; sauté 5 minutes. Add 2 cups corn, jalapeño, and cumin; sauté 5 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese. Spoon about 3/4 cup bell pepper mixture into each of 4 gratin dishes coated with cooking spray.

Combine 3/4 cup corn, 1/2 teaspoon salt, milks, flour, and eggs in a blender; process until smooth. Pour about 1/2 cup egg mixture over vegetables in each dish. Place dishes on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until golden.

Note: This recipe can also be prepared in a 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 425º

Nutritional Information
Calories: 279 (31% from fat), Fat: 9.5g (sat 3.2g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.5g), Protein: 15.9g, Carbohydrate: 36.8g, Fiber: 5.6g, Cholesterol: 176mg, Iron: 2.8mg, Sodium: 617mg, Calcium: 243mg

(59) Tex-Mex Egg Casserole

My mom has been making this for years. I've never tried it myself, but today was the magic day! I made it for a retirement brunch at work and it was a success! I love this casserole so much. Serve it with a little sour cream and mmmmmmmm a great Tex Mex breakfast! I used skim milk and next time I will try Eggbeaters just to see how that works. If you try it, please tell me what you think!

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Tex-Mex Egg Casserole

8 eggs
2 c. milk (counting liquid from Rotel)
1t. salt
5 slices of bread cubed (a good layer on bottom of pan)
2 c. grated cheese (I use cheddar.)
1 can Rotel

Cube bread and place in bottom of a 13 x 9 dish sprayed with cooking spray. Drain Rotel liquid into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add enough milk to make 2 cups of liquid. Beat eggs, liquid mixture, and salt together. Spread drained Rotel over bread layer. Sprinkle 1.5 cups of cheese over bread. Pour egg mixture over that and top w/remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Refrigerate overnight.

Bake at 350° for 30-45 min. until lightly brown on top. (The bottom tends to get too dark if left too long.) Serve with sour cream as a topping.

(26) Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

I hate it when you get a recipe that needs tweaking, but you're not quite sure what needs to be tweaked. I dont think I liked how much mayo was in this. If I make it again I will use 1/2 sour cream, 1/2 mayo. I also failed to buy cream of mushroom soup, so I used a can of mushroom pieces + a can of cream of chicken soup. It worked fine.

I served the casserole over white rice (it needed something - maybe egg noodles would be good too?!). It's filling and pretty yummy, though. I'd love to hear if you've made this and what you thought/did differently.

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Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

CL Comments: For crisper broccoli, remove it from the boiling water after three minutes. Serve with a simple green salad.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, September 2005

3 quarts water
1 (12-ounce) package broccoli florets
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed 30% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, and cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer broccoli to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Add chicken to boiling water; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, and add chicken to bowl with broccoli.

Combine evaporated milk, flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a saucepan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add mayonnaise, next 4 ingredients (through soup), and 1/2 cup cheese, stirring until well combined. Add mayonnaise mixture to broccoli mixture; stir gently until combined.

Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until mixture bubbles at the edges and cheese begins to brown. Remove from oven; let cool on a wire rack 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 276 (25% from fat), Fat: 7.8g (sat 3.5g,mono 1.8g,poly 1.1g), Protein: 31.1g, Carbohydrate:18.9g, Fiber: 2.1g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Iron: 1.6mg, Sodium: 696mg, Calcium: 365mg

(2) Shrimp & Grits Casserole

Being the good southern girl that I am, I love shrimp & grits! I have even managed to win over my Pittsburgh native husband! This casserole took a little bit of work to put together. It wasn't hard, but it did use a lot of dishes (which I hate! Oh well!). I was gonna be MAD if it wasn't good, but I'm happy to report it was EXCELLENT!

We made dinner out of this and turned it into 6 servings instead of 12. I also used quick cooking grits (accidentally!) and they didn't take but a few minutes to firm up. I don't know why you're supposed to use the yellow grits... the white quick ones were fine! I was also a little heavy handed with the cheese (maybe 1 cup or a little more?). Anyway, we served it with sauteed spinach (recipe is next!) and it was a hit!

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Shrimp and Grits Casserole

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2007
Yield: 12 servings (3/4 cup each)

CL Comments: This dish is best prepared just before serving. But you can save time by shredding the cheese and slicing the onions, bell pepper, and shrimp the night before.

Ingredients

4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked yellow stone-ground grits
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp, each cut into 3 pieces
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
3 large egg whites
Cooking spray

Preparation

1) Bring chicken broth and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; add grits, stirring with a whisk. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

2) Preheat oven to 375°.

3) Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Sprinkle shrimp with black pepper, and add to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in rind, juice, Worcestershire, and hot pepper sauce; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Place grits and shrimp mixture in a large bowl; stir gently. Beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into shrimp mixture. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 139 (27% from fat), Fat: 4.1g (sat 1.7g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.5g), Protein: 12.6g, Carbohydrate: 12.8g, Fiber: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 64mg, Iron: 1.6mg, Sodium: 372mg, Calcium: 77mg

The Lady's Cheesy Mac

My grandmother made the BEST macaroni and cheese. She never had a recipe and I never was interested enough in cooking to watch and learn. It was only after she moved into assisted living and couldn't see well enough to cook anymore that I started cooking and wished I knew how to make it.

I'm not a humongous Paula Deen fan (so much butter, so little time!) but my mom found this recipe for mac & cheese and I have to say, it's about as close as you can get to my grandma's!! She makes two little changes. First, 3 cups of cheese, not two (this is SO not a light recipe, so what the heck is an extra cup of cheese gonna hurt?!). Second, she adds some (fresh) bread crumbs tossed in melted butter. YUM!!

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The Lady's Cheesy Mac

Source: Paula's Home Cooking

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni, dranied
2 cups grated cheddar (we used 3 cups of sharp cheddar)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Once you have the macaroni cooked and drained, place in a large bowl and while still hot and add the cheddar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add to the macaroni mixture. Pour macaroni mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Asiago, Potato, and Bacon Gratin

I don't know how in the world I haven't made this recipe before now!?! These are a little bit of work, but are VERY tasty. Picture a twice baked potato, but in a casserole... with a LOT more ooey-gooey cheese! YES! You can taste it, can't you?! This is one of those dishes where you just want to stand at the stove with a fork. I'll be making this one again and again!

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Asiago, Potato, and
Bacon Gratin

Maybe more so than other foods, potatoes need salt. Instead of salting the water they boil in, sprinkle the potatoes with salt after draining. Then salt the white sauce separately for the most pronounced flavor.

Yield: 6 servings
Source: Cooking Light, April 2004

1 1/2 pounds peeled Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon salt, divided
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Drain. Sprinkle potatoes evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside and keep warm.

Heat a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sprinkle flour over shallots. Gradually add 1/2 cup milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook over medium heat 9 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, Asiago, chives, pepper, and bacon.

Arrange half of potato slices in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour half of cheese sauce over potato slices. Top with remaining potato slices and cheese sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

Calories: 250 (30% from fat), Fat:8.2g (sat 4.6g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.5g), Protein: 12.3g, Carbohydrate: 31.9g, Fiber: 2.3g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Iron: 0.9mg, Sodium: 618mg, Calcium: 306mg

Gratin of Cauliflower with Gruyere

One thing about me, I can't pass up a good deal! I am the coupon queen and I love sales!!! So after Thanksgiving when the turkeys went on sale for dirt cheap, I scooped one up. I cooked it last night in my roaster oven (love the roaster oven!!) and needed some good sides to go with it! I made cornbread and sausage stuffing. That was a first for me. I think I need a do-over because mine was a bit too crumbly, but the flavor rocked! This recipe coming up, however, was my hands down favorite. SO GOOD.

A few changes - I used swiss because I couldn't find Gruyere in my dinky Publix. I was a little heavy handed with the cheese. I was also heavy handed with the chives, which I think was a definite good idea. I used FF milk because that's all we had in the house. This recipe was SO SO GOOD. Please try it and tell me what you think!!


 
Gratin of Cauliflower with Gruyère

Gruyère's nutty, earthy flavor is a nice match for subtle cauliflower, and crisp breadcrumbs add texture. Substitute broccoli for the cauliflower, if you prefer. You can prepare all the elements for the dish a day ahead, if necessary. Refrigerate the sauce, the cauliflower, and the breadcrumb mixture separately, and simply assemble before baking. 

1 medium head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets (about 2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons butter
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Place cauliflower in a 2-quart broiler-safe baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray; coat cauliflower with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss. Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until almost tender. Cool 5 minutes.

3. Preheat broiler.

4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in panko. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese and chives.

5. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until almost tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/4 cup cheese, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, parsley, and pepper. Pour milk mixture over cauliflower mixture; toss. Top evenly with cheese mixture. Broil 3 minutes or until golden brown and thoroughly heated.

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

CALORIES 161 (34% from fat); FAT 6g (sat 3.6g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.3g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 20mg; CALCIUM 233mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18g; SODIUM 295mg; PROTEIN 9.7g; FIBER 3.6g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2008