Vegetable Gratin

I served this recently at a family dinner and it was a HUGE hit! I served it with lasagna but it would go well with just about anything and it super easy to put together. I love that it can be done ahead of time! 

Topping:

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/3-1/2  cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme 

Gratin:

Try to find the three items below similar in size:

• 2 medium zucchini squash 
• 2 medium yellow zucchini 
• 3 to 4 plum or Roma tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion, thinly sliced or diced

1/2 medium bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced (I used orange bell pepper)

3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions: 

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with oil; set aside.

Make the topping:

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until combined and set aside.

Make the gratin:

• Cut the zucchini, squash, and tomatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Place in a large bowl, add 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook about 1 minute more.
• Transfer the onion mixture to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Place the zucchini, squash, and tomato slices on the onions, arranging them on their sides and alternating the slices as you go. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the vegetables are tender and the edges and topping are browned, 15 to 20 minutes more.

Make ahead: I made my advance and refrigerated it, but didn't add the topping on until I was ready to bake it.

Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

This is Madison's favorite food in the whole world!

1 (8 ounce) package elbow macaroni
4 T butter or margarine
4 T flour
1 small can evaporated milk
1/4 large package of Velveeta, cubed
1-2 cups of milk
Salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil and drain macaroni and set aside. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour with a wire whisk and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes- stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper and then add in evaporated milk- stirring constantly. Add in cubed cheese- stirring often till melted. Add in milk till smooth and creamy. Stir in macaroni and pour into a round glass dish sprayed with cooking spray. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes.

TIP OF THE DAY: If we are having company, I double this and make it in a 9 x13 inch pan.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Mama's Rolls

Oven Fried Vegetables

¼ cup bread crumbs
1 T Parmesan cheese
1/8 t paprika
2 cups vegetables (squash, zucchini, onion, peppers, etc.)
2 T Italian dressing

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Stir together bread crumbs, cheese and paprika in pie plate. Place veggies in a bowl and drizzle with dressing. Roll in crumb mixture. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.

Tomorrow’s Daily Special: Peach Angel Pie

The Black-Eyed Pea’s Baked Squash

This is another great recipe from The Black Eyed Pea Restaurant!

5 pounds medium-size yellow squash
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
1 stick butter or margarine
¼ cup sugar
Salt as needed
2 T chopped onion
Dash of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut tips off squash and cut each into 3-4 pieces. Drop squash into a large saucepan with enough boiling water to cover. Return to a boil, reduce heat and cook until tender. Drain in colander and mash squash. Combine with beaten eggs, bread crumbs, butter, sugar, salt, onion, and pepper. Turn into a 3 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a light layer of bread crumbs. Bake until lightly browned.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Magnolia Cake

Mom's Cornbread Dressing

I think I am one of the only people that do NOT like dressing. The rest of my family LOVES it and thinks something must be seriously wrong with me since I don't. Growing up every Thanksgiving and Christmas the EXACT same thing would happen. My mother would always put some dressing on my plate, I would go and sit at the "kiddie" table and cry because I didn't want to eat it, and then my grandmother (who was the sweetest lady EVER), would come in and eat my dressing for me so I wouldn't get in trouble. Finally I think my grandmother got tired of eating both her dressing and mine, so she asked my mom why in the world she kept making me eat something year after year that I obviously did NOT like. My mom said that because she loved it so much, she just couldn't understand me not liking it and kept thinking that at some point, if I ate it enough, I too would grow to love it. That never happened but I do make it every year for my family. The first Thanksgiving after she died I was so nervous that I wouldn't make it correctly and would ruin the day for my entire family but thankfully I had watched her enough to recreate her recipe- even though she never wrote it down.


1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced white onion
1 double batch of Nana's Cornbread
salt
pepper
10 eggs
turkey broth (I have no idea how much- I just pour until it looks right- but I promise to measure on Thursday and add it here)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray. Crumble up cornbread in prepared pan. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Mix in diced celery and onion with hands. In large bowl beat 10 eggs. Pour over cornbread mixture. Carefully pour turkey stock into pan until all cornbread is well moistened. You do not want your cornbread mixture floating in the stock. Salt and pepper dressing and place on a cookie sheet and carefully place in oven. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until set.


TIP OF THE DAY: I really don't like dicing celery and onions and love this time of year when they sell containers of them pre-cut. The cost is about the same and it's a great time saver!


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hashbrown Casserole

If you like Cracker Barrel's hashbrown casserole then you are going to love this dish! It's a great alternative to baked potatoes and is ready in a flash.

2 lbs frozen hash browns, shredded or diced
1 (10 1/4 ounce) can low fat cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cups 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 11 x 14 baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix the above ingredients together in large bowl and place in prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until brown on top- stirring about half way through cooking.

TIP OF THE DAY: To insure that your potatoes aren't too watery, thaw hash browns in microwave before making this dish. Dump them out on a paper towel and pat dry before putting them into bowl for this recipe. Also, to make this a complete meal, add a cup and a half of diced ham and you have a complete dinner!

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Rosemary Potatoes

I try to cook red potatoes fairly often as they are a healthier choice than white potatoes. This is a recipe I use often that goes great with a pork roast.

10 small red potatoes
cooking spray
1 T Parmesan cheese
1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped (dried works fine too)
garlic powder
pepper
salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and quarter potatoes. Lay quartered potatoes large cookie sheet and spray well with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes or until potatoes are done.

TIP OF THE DAY: When making recipes like this one, I usually line my cookie sheet with foil for quick clean up. Anything to save a bit of precious time!

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Crunch Top Apple Pie

Tony's Taters

These potatoes are a nice change from baked potatoes and twice baked potatoes. My family, especially Tony- LOVES LOVES LOVES them!






5 -6 large baking potatoes
6 green onions, diced
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 T flour
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and dice potatoes and place in large pot covered with water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until potatoes are tender and fall apart when poked with a fork. Drain potatoes. In large bowl mix together sour cream, milk, flour, 1 cup of cheddar cheese, green onions, bacon, salt, and pepper. Stir in potatoes and mix well. Pour in 9 x 13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.


TIP OF THE DAY: Instead of buying regular bacon, buy peppered bacon for extra flavor. To make a small amount of bacon for a recipe such as this, instead of cooking it on the stove in a frying pan- dice bacon before cooking and place on a heavy duty paper plate. Cover with a paper towel and cook in the microwave for 4 minutes or until done.


Tomorrow's Daily Special: Crock Pot Ribs and Beans

Debbie's Squash Casserole

This recipe is my friends Debbie's absolute favorite. In fact, she loves it so much that I kept the recipe a secret from her for years. I told her that instead of giving it to her- I would simply make it for her any and every time she wanted. When Tony and I started planning our wedding, she told me she wanted it the week we would be on our honeymoon. So, before leaving for our cruise, I made it and took it over to a friends house who delivered it to her while we were gone. I also gave her a copy of the recipe as a gift for being my maid of honor. I always think of her when I make this recipe. Even if you don't like squash, you will love this recipe!



1 pound yellow squash, sliced
1 pound green zucchini, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup butter
7 1/2 ounces herbed dry bread stuffing mix


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook squash and onions in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and stir in 1/2 cup butter or margarine. Stir in sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and cheese. Set aside. Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter and stir it into the stuffing mix. Pour the squash mixture in 9 x 13 inch greased pan. Pour stuffing on top of squash mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.



Tomorrow's Daily Special: Everyday Biscuits

Corn Casserole

My family (minus me) loves corn and this is a great alternative to corn on the cob.

1 pkg Mexican corn bread mix (I use Jiffy brand)
1/2 cup cooking oil or 1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cans cream style corn
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well in large bowl. Spray 9 x 13 inch pan or 1 quart baking dish. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. Do not over bake- the more you bake this, the more like cornbread it becomes.

TIP OF THE DAY: Shredded cheese can be frozen for up to 2 months, so when you catch it on sale, buy an extra package, write the date on it with a Sharpie, and toss it in the freezer.

Tomorrow's Daily Special: Bacon and Cheddar Dip