So I'm really terrible at keeping up with this blog.
Let me explain why.
I feel like, in order for a recipe to be interesting, it needs a picture. That's just how I am. I require my cookbooks to be FILLED with pictures. We eat with our eyes, truly. If I don't know what it looks like, I don't know if I'll like it or not.
Therefore, the majority of my slacker-ness with this blog can be attributed to the fact that when I cook food, I'm STARVING and can't be bothered with finding the camera and holding my squirming child at bay and snapping a few pictures before I devour my yummy concoction. True story. Now you know all my weaknesses: extreme and constant hunger, impatience, and lack of brain organization.
Oh, and also, I really never use measuring implements when I cook. Ever. Unless I'm baking. Or making Indian food (God bless the Indians for their food). So it's hard for me to remember proportions of how much of what I threw into what I make if I'm not following a recipe. Really, I'm just scatterbrained and the kitchen is my creative outlet where I can be my crazy self.
Before I tell you my life story and get you more concerned about my well being, let me dive into the reason I'm updating in the first place.
Picture!
Please excuse the eaten corner there. Famished, remember?
This is Squash Casserole. Now, if you hate squash, I would like you to rethink your life and then move on to later in this post, because you'll hate this. If you're indifferent to squash, you will like this. If you LOVE squash like yours truly, you will LOVE this like yours truly.
Squash Casserole is one of the delicious creations of my dear MawMaw. MawMaw is currently in the Critical Care Unit of our local hospital and has been for going on two weeks now. Before that, she was in the hospital for a week. It has been an extremely difficult month for everyone in our family. Lots of prayers. We still need them.
MawMaw is one of those cooks that you just can't beat. You just can't. Simple, southern, country, unhealthy but oh so delicious food just comes from her kitchen in a seemingly effortless flow. Always has.
Squash Casserole
modified from MawMaw
3/4 cup diced cheddar cheese (sharp is best)
1 1/2 cups cooked squash, mashed (it's really good if you use a mixture of squash and zucchini)
1 cup crushed cracker crumbs
2 tbsp parsley
3 tbsp chopped bell pepper (red or green or mix)
3 tbsp chopped yellow onion
3 tbsp melted unsalted butter
1 cup milk
2 eggs, well beaten
2 slices cooked bacon, chopped
black pepper and seasoned salt to taste
Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 9x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes, uncovered.
Seriously. Get up and make this. Now. It's delicious.
To make up for my ridiculous lack of posting, here are a few more recipes to ease my guilt. Sorry, no pictures on these ones.
Lasagna
1 lb ground beef (we only buy lean or extra lean)
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
1 green bell pepper, chopped fine
*to add veggies that you really won't be able to taste but that your body will appreciate, i suggest grating (like with a cheese grater) 1 small carrot and 1 small zucchini and adding it to this mixture. really, you won't be able to tell and it's good for you :)*
dried oregano (about 1/2 tsp)
dried basil (about 1/4 tsp)
salt and pepper to taste
Brown these together. Add:
1 small can tomato paste
1 can (14 oz) tomato sauce
garlic powder (i do about 1/2 tsp ish)
Simmer for 30 minutes or so. You want this to be rather thick, but if you need to add a little more tomato sauce, do. Just don't make it at all runny. Thick = tasty.
You will also need:
a lot of lasagna noodles (we do whole wheat and they're wonderful. NOT cardboard, don't roll your eyes at me)
1 16 oz carton of cottage cheese (reduced fat tastes the same, but DON'T get fat free. it tastes like soap)
1-2 cups mozzarella cheese (please use fresh. it's amazing. if you use fresh, it's impossible to grate, so just tear into small pieces)
1/2 cup ish sharp cheddar cheese, grated
lots of Parmesan cheese, grated (again, fresh is amazing. but expensive)
Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. When the noodles are finished cooking, spread them out on wax paper. Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam. Layer the lasagna in this order: noodles, 1/2 of the sauce, 1/2 of the cottage cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella, 1/2 of the cheddar. Repeat. Ok, really, layer it how you want. Sometimes it's fun to just do lots of layers (as long as you have enough noodles). Sometimes I'll do a layer of noodles, then meat sauce, then noodles, then the cheeses, then repeat. Just have fun with it. The important factor is how you end. I like to end with noodles on top and then TONS of cheese, mostly Parmesan. My hubby, however, likes to end with sauce and then tons of cheese. It's up to you. Ending with noodles gives you a nice crunchy crust on top. Ending with sauce kind of makes it all nice and gooey. Really, save most of your Parmesan for the top, no matter how you do the layers.
After you've deliberated on the meaning of life, the universe, and the importance of lasagna layering, bake your yumminess at 350 for 30-35 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Mexican Casserole
This is a standby in our house. We got the idea from the side of a Mission Tortilla Chips bag.
1 lb ground beef
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, diced
Taco seasoning (or I use a mixture of chili powder, black pepper, garlic, cumin, and seasoned salt)
1 can cream of mushroom soup + ½ can milk
1 4 oz can diced green chiles
2/3 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
1 tsp cilantro
Tortilla chips, crushed
Brown the meat and onion together in a skillet. Add the diced tomatoes and seasoning and let simmer. In a medium saucepan, combine soup, milk, cheese, green chiles, and cilantro. Stir over medium heat until cheese is melted and soup is warmed through. Lightly spray a 9x9 baking dish with Pam and sprinkle a layer of tortilla chips on the bottom. Spoon about ½ the meat mixture on top, followed by ½ the soup mixture. Sprinkle another layer of tortilla chips, followed by meat then soup. Bake at 350 for 20-30 until bubbly. *I like to save the crumbs nobody wants from the bottom of tortilla chip bags to use in the recipe. It doesn’t matter if they’re a little stale, you can’t tell in the casserole. Also, you can do more layers than I say, you just have to repeat the process and use less in each layer.
Alfredo Sauce
2 tbsp butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp parsley
¾ cup Parmesan cheese (the good, expensive stuff is best in this, but the normal sprinkle kind works, too)
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the heavy cream and increase heat to medium high, stirring constantly. Heat until the cream is slightly bubbling. Stir in garlic and parsley. Add cheese a little at a time, letting it melt before you add more and stirring constantly. Heat and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is warmed through. Serve over your favorite pasta. *This is REALLY good if you add some chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and some sliced grilled chicken. Delicious.
Ok, so that covers me for another month, right? :) Just kidding. I'll try to be better, I promise. Leave me a comment if you stop by! That's also incentive for me to actually post. If no one reads the thing, why bother?
