» Casseroles

Rethinking a classic casserole to be healthy

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:11:01 +0000

By the Associated Press
Foodies probably don’t like to admit it, but nearly everyone loves a good casserole.
Trouble is, casseroles don’t have a lot of love for healthy diets. Especially when you reach back to the ‘60s, an era of classic casseroles — like turkey tetrazzini — that were made all the more delicious with the help of gobs of heavy cream, butter and cheese.
So without sacrificing the “creamy” comfort of the dish, we set out to make a delicious casserole minus the guilt.
As with traditional versions of this dish, we started out with leftover turkey. Be sure to use the leaner turkey breast and trim off any skin or fat. If you don’t happen have cooked turkey handy, a rotisserie turkey breast or chicken from the grocer are fine.
We also kept the mushrooms, though we opted for fresh ones over the canned variety favored back in the day. We threw in some chopped red bell pepper and chopped asparagus, too. Color in vegetables adds more than just eye appeal; different colors are indicative of different nutrients. So the more color, the better.
But the heavy hitters in this dish are the white pasta, cream sauce and cheese.
The pasta was an easy fix. Using whole-grain pasta adds lots of fiber and nutrients. The cream sauce was another matter. We used fat-free half-and-half as our base, but you also could substitute fat-free evaporated milk. Thickened up to a creamy consistency, without the use of half a stick of butter, we were off to a good start.
Lastly, instead of using a cup or more of shredded cheese, we used just a bit of assertive Parmesan. Then we topped it all off with seasoned panko breadcrumbs.
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TURKEY TETRAZZINI
Start to finish: 45 minutes (30 minutes active)
Servings: 8
12 ounces whole-grain spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
2 teaspoons onion powder, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, divided
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 cups cubed cooked turkey breast
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
3 tablespoons instant flour (such as Wondra)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Heat the oven to 400 F. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms and garlic, then season with salt and black pepper. Saute until the mushrooms are well browned and release all their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add the asparagus and red pepper and cook for another 4 minutes.
Stir in 1 teaspoon of the onion powder, 1 teaspoon of the paprika and the sherry. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Add the turkey and set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the half-and-half to a simmer. Whisk in the instant flour, then bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, stir together the panko, garlic powder, parsley, remaining 1 teaspoon of onion powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of paprika.
To assemble the casserole, stir the cooked spaghetti and the cream sauce into the skillet with the turkey and vegetables. Spoon this mixture into the prepared casserole dish, then sprinkle the seasoned panko over it. Spritz the top of the panko crumbs with cooking spray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden.

A healthy vegetable casserole fit for Passover

admin — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:04:11 +0000

By the Associated Press
Get your Passover Seder off to a healthy start with a flavorful root vegetable casserole.
We seasoned it with citrus and herbs and added a crumb topping. In keeping with the kosher for Passover rules, we used crushed matzo in place of the more traditional breadcrumb topping that goes with casseroles. Just a touch of oil helps to keep it crunchy.
We kept the vegetables moist with applesauce. If you don’t have homemade applesauce, be sure to select a brand that is unsweetened. Not only will it be more nutritious, but many varieties of applesauce are sweetened with corn syrup, which is not kosher.
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PASSOVER ROOT VEGETABLE CASSEROLE
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active)
Servings: 12
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 red onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound carrots (consider using rainbow carrots), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound beets, peeled and cut into wedges
1 pound celeriac, peeled and cubed
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh savory
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and ground black pepper
5 matzos, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Heat the oven to 375 F. Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft and starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the onions and garlic with the sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, celeriac, applesauce, lemon zest, orange zest, thyme, savory and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Spoon into the prepared casserole dish.
In a small bowl, combine the crushed matzos with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the coriander. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle over the vegetable mixture. Bake for 1 hour, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 170 calories; 40 calories from fat (25 percent of total calories); 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 270 mg sodium.

Cheesy Ham and Sweet Potato Casserole

admin — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:56:55 +0000

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds fresh sweet potatoes

Salted water

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese

3/4 pounds cooked ham, cubed

Directions:

Wash sweet potatoes. Cook unpeeled sweet potatoes, covered, in small amount of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool. Peel and slice 1/4-inch thick; set aside. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add onion, cook until tender. Remove from heat; stir in flour, salt, basil, mustard and pepper. Cook over low heat until bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in milk all at once. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese and the ham. Pour half of mixture into greased 2-quart casserole dish. Arrange half of sweet potatoes on top. Repeat layers. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake three to four minutes longer, or until cheese has melted. Makes six servings.

Cheeseburger Dinner

admin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:17:22 +0000

Ingredients
· 1 package Knorr Rice Sides – Cheddar Broccoli
· 2 cups water
· 1 tablespoon I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Spread
· 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
· 1 pound lean ground beef
Preparation
1. Prepare Rice Sides with water and spread according to package directions, stirring in tomato with contents of package.
2. Meanwhile, brown ground beef in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; drain. Toss with hot Rice Sides.
3. Top, if desired, with tomato slices.
Serves
4 servings
Preparation Time:
5 minutes
Cook Time:
10 minutes

SOURCE:
Unilever

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

admin — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 03:06:24 +0000

Holiday Recipe Guide 2010

Debbie Steinbrecher, Bridgeport, NE

Boil enough chicken for 8 people. Let cool in juice. Remove from bones. Cook 3 packages frozen broccoli as directed. Lay broccoli on bottom of casserole dish. Lay chicken on top. Cover with sauce:

2 cans cream of chicken soup

¼ tsp curry

1 C mayonnaise

Juice of ½ a lemon

Lay soft breadcrumbs on top. Grate American cheese over all. Bake at 275º-300º for 30-40 minutes.

Shepherd’s Pie with Cumin & Smashed Chickpeas

admin — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:17:45 +0000

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed, divided
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick(r) Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt, divided
1 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 tablespoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Roasted Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Ground Coriander
1/2 teaspoon McCormick Coarse Ground Black Pepper
1/4 cup whiskey or apple cider
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup each frozen carrots and green beans, unthawed

Preparation

Place potatoes in 2-quart saucepan. Add water to cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and return to saucepan. Add 1/2 of the chickpeas, milk, butter and 1/2 teaspoon of the sea salt; coarsely mash until well blended. Set aside.
Brown lamb and beef in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Drain fat. Add onion, cumin, coriander, remaining 1 teaspoon sea salt and pepper; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in whiskey. Stir broth into cornstarch until smooth. Add to skillet; stir constantly until well blended. Stir in vegetables and remaining chickpeas. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Spread potato mixture evenly over top.
Bake in preheated 400°F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and top is golden brown. If needed, place under preheated broiler to brown potato topping.

Calories:	316g	Total Fat:	14g
Cholesterol:	63mg	Protein:	19g
Carbohydrates:	25g	Sodium:	643mg

Preparation Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
45 minutes

Italian Meatball Sandwich Casserole

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:51:53 +0000

Holiday Recipe Guide 2009

Hunter Baliman, Kimball, NE

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey

1 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

3 cups high quality spaghetti sauce

1 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Mix together onions, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and ground beef. Roll into 1 inch diameter balls, and place in a baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer in an ungreased 9×13 inch baking dish. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning and black pepper until smooth. Spread this mixture over each bread cube. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated mozzarella cheese.
In a large bowl, mix together spaghetti sauce, water, and garlic. Gently stir in meatballs. Pour over the bread and cheese mixture in the baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.

Pam’s Wild Rice Casserole

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:38:11 +0000

Holiday Recipe Guide 2009

Connie Myers, Star-Herald Marketing Representative

1 cup wild rice – cook according to directions on package
Sauté’: one medium onion chopped and 2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
Garlic powder or fresh crushed garlic to taste
Mix above ingredients together.
Fold in 1 cup toasted almonds and 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.
Place in greased casserole dish.
Cover.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Need to watch as it burns easily.

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24-Hour Chicken Casserole

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:57 +0000

Holiday Recipe Guide 2009

Janet Frederick, JG Elliott Insurance Center

1 baguette, cut in 1” slices or French bread

6 lg eggs

1½ C milk

1 C half and half

1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

¼ C soft butter

½ C brown sugar

½ C walnuts, chopped

1 T light corn syrup

Maple syrup

Butter a 9” square pan, arrange bread sliced, overlapping to fill pan completely or lay side by side in bottom. In bowl, combine eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well and pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or 1-2 hours). Preheat oven to 350°. In small bowl, combine butter, sugar, walnuts and corn syrup. Mix well and spread over bread. Bake 40 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup.

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Chicken Casserole

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:51 +0000

Holiday Recipe Guide 2009

Dorothy Monasmith, Bridgeport, NE

6 oz pkg stove top stuffing

½ C melted margarine

1 C water

2 C chicken breast cooked and cubed

½ C onion, chopped

½ C celery, chopped

½ C mayo

2 eggs, well beaten

1½ C milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 C grated cheese

Mix stuffing, margarine, and water lightly. Pat half the stuffing in the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan. Mix chicken, onion, celery and mayo. Spread over stuffing and add the rest of stuffing. Blend beaten eggs and milk. Pour over the casserole. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Remove one hour before baking and let it sit. Spread soup over top. Bake covered at 325° for 40 minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.