Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Growing up, green bean casserole was a staple at our holiday table. I'm talking the stuff on the back label of a can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. A can of soup, some milk, a couple cans of green beans, and some canned French fried onions. It is still a taste that reminds me of dinner at grandma's house.

Sweet Potatoes Anna

Potatoes Anna is a classic French dish that consists of two ingredients, potatoes and butter. The potatoes are very thinly sliced and layered into a casserole dish with butter and baked until soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. The original is amazing, but not very healthy for the body.

Baked Ratatouille

Saturday mornings at the Omaha Farmer's Market mean fresh vegetables on my table on Saturday nights.  This week, I was able to find some excellent looking zucchini and yellow summer squash at one of the stalls.  Due to an overabundance of squash and the fact that the market was preparing to close, I was able to walk away with two zucchini and two yellow squash for a whopping $1.  With my good fortune, I decided to continue wandering around and see what other vegetables I could find in the waning moments before the market.

Two stalls down, I found the third vegetable which would feature in my side dish for that evening, a single eggplant.   I handed the farmer three quarters and I was on my way.  I only had a few minutes left before the market closed, so I hurried over to my favorite stalls for some fresh tomatoes and corn (I do live in Nebraska, after all), then grabbed a loaf of fresh bread and headed home.

At this point I was still a little unsure what I was going to do with my bounty, but already the thought forming in my mind was ratatouille.  I love the blending of the fresh vegetables in this classic dish, but I wanted to try a new take on it, so rather than stewing the vegetables, I decided to try baking them.  I wanted a simple preparation that could be put together quickly and then popped in the oven to finish while I prepared some Chicken with Mushrooms and Oven-Roasted Potatoes.  I put a little tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan, sliced up the zucchini, yellow squash, and eggplant and layered them on top of the sauce, and popped it in the oven.  Fifteen minutes later, I threw a little cheese on top of it and popped it back in the oven for a couple minutes to melt the cheese.  It was so simple, but so delicious.


Baked Ratatouille

1/3 cup tomato and basil sauce
1 large zucchini
1 large summer squash
1 medium eggplant
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Slice zucchini, summer squash, and eggplant into 1/8-inch slices (I like to use a mandolin slicer for this).  Spread tomato sauce into bottom of 2-quart baking pan.  Arrange eggplant, zucchini, and squash over top of sauce, overlapping them so only a sliver of each slice is visible.  Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly browned.  Serve immediately.

Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes and Carrots

Last weekend I made my usual trip to the farmer's market and found something a bit unusual...baby purple potatoes.  I was a pretty excited because I had never seen these before, but I was a little nervous about how my family would react to seeing strangely colored potatoes on their plate.  Just to make sure they would have something to eat, not only did I pick up a pint of the violet spuds, but also a pint of Yukon gold baby potatoes.

When I got home, I decided to add some baby carrots that I had in the fridge and then roast them.  I had originally thought about making purple mashed potatoes, but that just seemed a little weird.  So I went to my old standby method of preparation that every seems to enjoy.  A little olive oil, a couple garlic cloves, and a small handful of parsley were all I needed to turn the purple potatoes into a hearty side dish.  Enjoy!


Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes and Carrots

2 pints baby potatoes
12 oz baby carrots
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Scrub potatoes well.  In large mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together until well coated.  Pour into 9x13 inch baking pan.  Roast vegetables in oven for 40-45 minutes, or until vegetables are soft and lightly browned.  Serve immediately.

Crumb Topped Tomatoes

This past week, I was looking for a quick side dish to make with an Italian dinner I was making.  I had picked up a bunch of Roma tomatoes at the grocery store (I know, homegrown is better, but you try finding good tomatoes in February in Nebraska).  One option was to make spaghetti sauce (the usual standby), but I decided to go with Crumb Topped Tomatoes.

Crumb Topped Tomatoes are nothing more than oven-roasted Roma tomatoes topped with a mixture of Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and baked until golden brown.  They do take about an hour and 15 minutes to make, but nearly all of that time is baking time, leaving you free to do other things (like look through some of my other recipes).  As they bake, the tomatoes give off their juice, which is then soaked up by and flavors the bread crumbs.  If you like fried green tomatoes, you'll love this.

Crumb Topped Tomatoes

8 Roma tomatoes

Salt to taste

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1/2 cup bread crumbs (plain or Italian seasoned)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cut Roma tomatoes in half lengthwise and place in 9x13 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Bake in 350 degree F oven for 1 hour.

In small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Spread bread crumbs over top cooked tomatoes.  

Return tomatoes to oven.  Cook an additional 15 minutes, or until bread crumbs are golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Sauteed Summer Squash and Mushrooms

Zucchini and yellow summer squash are two of my favorite vegetables due to their versatility.  They can be steamed, breaded and fried, added to soups or stews, or in this case, sauteed in a little olive oil and seasoned.  The mushrooms bring an earthy flavor to this side dish, and absorb the flavors of the Montreal steak seasoning well.  In about 5 minutes, this vegetable dish is ready to serve along side any chicken or fish entree.


Sauteed Summer Squash and Mushrooms

2 medium zucchini (about 1 lb total)
2-3 yellow summer squash (about 1 lb total)
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
2 Tbsp olive oil

Trim ends from zucchini and discard.  Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2 inch pieces.  Repeat with summer squash.

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add zucchini and yellow squash and cook 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms and Montreal steak seasoning.

Continue to saute, stirring often, until mushrooms and squash are tender, yet still firm enough to hold their shape (about 8 minutes).  Serve immediately.

Sauteed Asparagus

Asparagus has become my wife's favorite vegetable.  She likes it steamed, sauteed, and roasted.  About the only way she doesn't like it is boiled to a mush, but who does?  So this recipe is for her.

This recipe is very simple and be prepared in just a matter of minutes.  The asparagus is steamed lightly, then sauteed in olive oil with garlic and chili flakes.  The resulting dish pairs well with almost any regional cuisine (I've served it with Italian, French, and Asian dishes).  As for the asparagus itself, make sure to select smaller shoots as they are more tender and have a less woody flavor.


Sauteed Asparagus

1 lb asparagus
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt

Wash asparagus and trim away woody base ends.  Place asparagus and chicken stock in large skillet.  Bring to boil over medium high heat and cook until pan is almost dry.

Add oil, garlic, and pepper flakes to skillet.  Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until garlic is cooked and asparagus is lightly browned.  Season with salt to taste.  Serve immediately.

Roasted Root Vegetables

My wife loves vegetables.  If she had her way, we would be vegetarians.  Not me.  But for her, I am always looking for vegetable dishes she would enjoy.  She really likes roasted vegetables, so I decided to throw together as many root vegetables as I could find and roast them all together.  The resulting dish is now a staple in our house during the winter months.

The key to this recipe is making sure you cut the different vegetables to approximately the same size.  With different sizes, some ingredients wind up cooked just right while others are either too hard or too mushy.  I usually cut the pieces approximately the size of a baby carrot or just a little bit smaller.  This way, every thing is done at the same time and all pieces are bite-sized.

For those picky people out there, if you do not like any of the vegetables listed, leave them out and increase the amount of the other vegetables, or substitute with an equal amount of potato.  Remember, eat what you like.


Roasted Root Vegetables

1 lb baby carrots
5 oz pearl onions, peeled
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 beets, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour into 11x17 inch baking sheet, or divide between two baking dishes (try to get everything in a single layer).

Roast at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  Check seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve immediately.

Baked Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is one of those cheap vegetables from the produce department that you rarely see people purchase.  When I used to work in a produce department, I only had to order this from our supplier on rare occasions.  That's too bad, because this squash is loaded with vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as being a good source of potassium and magnesium.  Additionally, it keeps very well, so you can purchase it today and not not cook it til next week if you desire.  On top of all that, it is a truly delicious side that just screams fall.


Baked Acorn Squash

2 acorn squash
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp brown sugar
Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Cut squash in half vertically.  Using spoon, scoop out seeds and discard.  Place squash, cut side down in a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Add 1/2 cup water to pan and bake in oven for 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and turn squash over.  Place 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp brown sugar in the cavity of each squash half.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Return to oven for 30 more minutes, or until squash is very tender.  To eat, scrape squash from shell with fork and mix with butter mixture.

Cabbage and Apples

During the summer, any cabbage that crosses my cutting board usually finds its way into a cole slaw.  However, in the fall and winter I prefer the taste of cooked cabbage.  In this dish, I combined the cabbage with a fall classic, the apple, to create a dish that is sweet enough that even my picky daughter not only tried, but ate every single bite of.  Additionally, this dish adds a bold color to the plate, making it appealing visually as well.


Cabbage and Apples

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small head red cabbage
1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and peeled
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tsp kosher salt

Cut apple into 1/2-inch cubes.  In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add apple and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until apple is lightly browned.  While apple is cooking, cut cabbage in half and remove core.  Slice cabbage into thin ribbons and separate.  Add cabbage to skillet and toss.

Add apple juice and sprinkle salt over top of cabbage.  Cover with lid and cook until cabbage is tender but not mushy (about 10-15 minutes).  Remove from heat and serve immediately.

This recipe is shared at:
Kelly The Kitchen Kop

Sauteed Green Beans

Growing up in my house green beans were served one of three ways.  Holidays meant green bean casserole, and the rest of the year meant canned green beans or fresh green beans boiled to a greyish color and served lifeless along side dinner.  Needless to say, I wasn't a big fan.

A couple years ago, I decided to try something new.  Rather than boiling the beans, I opted to saute them in a little olive oil and season them with lemon juice and herbs.  Everyone loved them and they have been a regular on our table since then.  You can use fresh green beans if they are in season, or you can use frozen the rest of the year.  Just remember, if you use fresh, they will cook a lot quicker than the frozen variety.


Sauteed Green Beans

1 lb frozen green beans
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried basil
Kosher salt

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat until drops of water dance on surface of pan.  Add olive oil, then green beans.  Saute over medium high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until bright green and crisp-tender.  Reduce heat to medium and add lemon juice and basil.  Season with salt to taste.  Saute 2 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.  If desired, garnish with shredded lemon zest.

Roasted Butternut Squash

In the fall, butternut squash is plentiful and cheap.  So every fall, I look forward to cooking this vegetable in as many ways as I can.  This is one of the simplest ways I can think of.  Simply toss the squash with some oil and a few seasonings, then roast in a hot oven for about 45 minutes.  The squash comes out soft and sweet, and the seasonings give it a savory flavor that compliments the squash beautifully.


Roasted Butternut Squash

2 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs each)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried sage

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut butternut squash in half.  Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds.  Using a large knife, trim away peel from squash.  Cut squash into 1-inch cubes and place in large bowl.  Pour oil over top and toss to coat.  Sprinkle sage and salt over squash and toss again.

Pour into baking dish and roast in 400 degree F oven for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool slightly.

Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes are very popular in our house.  We like them boiled, mashed, baked, and fried.  These potatoes, though, are one of the all-time favorites.  With only four ingredients, they are easy to make.  Peeling the potatoes is optional (I like to leave the skins on for this one), so you can have the prep work of this recipe done in 5 minutes.  After that, it's just a matter of waiting for them to roast in the oven.  These make a good addition to almost any dinner.  I have even served them along side of bacon and eggs for breakfast.  Talk about a versatile dish.


Oven-Roasted Potatoes

3 lbs potatoes, scrubbed
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Peel potatoes, if desired.  Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes.  In large bowl, toss together potatoes, oil, soup mix, and red pepper flakes.  Arrange potatoes in single layer in baking dish.





Roast potatoes in 375 degree F oven for 40-45 minutes, or until soft in middle and browned on outside, stirring every 15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

Carrots are one of the few vegetables I can get everyone in my house to agree on.  The amazing thing is, it doesn't matter how I cook them, they will get eaten.  One of my favorite ways to cook carrots is to seal them in foil and bake them in the oven along side whatever else I am cooking.  This way means less fuss for me, and that is definitely a good thing.

My Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots can be made with either regular carrots or baby carrots.  I usually just make whichever I have on hand.  If you use regular carrots, just peel them and cut into four to five pieces each.  After that, you can proceed with the recipe as directed.


Brown Sugar-Glazed Carrots

12 oz baby carrots
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Tear off a 12x24-inch piece of aluminum foil.  Fold in half to make a square.  Mound carrots in center of foil.  Top with butter and brown sugar.  Sprinkle with salt.

Bring opposite sides of foil up to center, then fold over twice to seal.  Double fold ends in to complete sealing.  Place in 350-400 degree oven for 35-45 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Carefully open foil package away from face (even after resting, the steam will burn you).  Stir carrots and serve immediately.

Basic Mashed Potatoes

Anyone who has ever been served a bowl of instant mashed potatoes can tell you just how truly bland and lifeless the potatoes are.  Now, don't get me wrong, instant mashed potatoes do have their place in this world.  Make them a little thicker than normal and you have a substance that resembles the paste you used in elementary school, although my sister tells me the paste had a better flavor.

The funny thing is, real mashed potatoes can be made just as easily as the instant kind, and the amount of time it takes to prepare each is nearly the same.  The ingredients are even pretty much the same (salt, milk, and butter).    The only real difference is the packaging you have to open.  With instant potatoes, you have to open the box and then measure everything out in just the right proportions or you wind up with a gooey mess.  With the real McCoy, peeling is optional (washing, however, is not...scrub those spuds well), and the other ingredients are added to suit your tastes.

Once you have the basics down, you can start adding in other ingredients.  Sometimes I like to simply add a little extra butter and some parsley, other times some roasted garlic, or the granddaddy of them all, loaded mashed potatoes (reduce the milk, add sour cream, cheese, bacon, and chives).


Basic Mashed Potatoes
3 1/2 lbs potatoes
1 stick butter
3/4 cup milk or half-and-half
Salt

Scrub potatoes, peel if desired.  Cut potatoes into cubes no larger than 1 inch.  Place potatoes in saucepan and add just enough water to cover.  Add 1-1/2 tablespoons salt to water and bring to a boil.  Boil potatoes for 8-10 minutes, or until you can push a fork though a potato with ease.

Drain potatoes in colander.  Place potatoes back in pan and return to heat for about 2 minutes to remove any excess water.  Remove from heat.  Using potato masher, smash potatoes until all chunks are broken up.  Add butter and 1/2 cup milk or half-and-half.  Mash potatoes to desired consistency, adding additional milk or half-and-half as necessary.  Season to taste with salt.  Stir in any additions.

Parsley Mashed Potatoes

Buttered Parsley Potatoes

These potatoes are a staple in our house.  We generally like our vegetables served simply, and these are about as simple as possible.  They go together quickly and require very little effort.  You can even leave the peels on the potatoes, which would usually be the most time consuming part of the preparation.  Also, make sure you salt the water.  If not, you will wind up with very bland potatoes, which are not good at all.

Buttered Parsley Potatoes

2 lbs red potatoes
3 Tbsp salted butter
2 Tbsp parsley

Wash potatoes.  Cut potatoes into bite size pieces.  Place potatoes in medium saucepan and add just enough cold water to cover potatoes.  Add 1 Tbsp salt to water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender.  Drain well in colander.  While potatoes are draining, add butter to pan and melt over low heat.  Add parsley, then potatoes and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

California Veggie Bake

A couple nights ago, I decided to try something new to go with my Old School Meatloaf.  Every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as several other times throughout the year, I make the classic green been casserole.  You know the kind I'm talking about. Green beans, mushroom soup, and fried onions baked to creamy perfection.  Well, after 14 years, both my wife and I were starting to get sick of the same old casserole.

So after rummaging through the freezer and pantry looking for ideas, I decided to swap out a few ingredients and make my own veggie bake.  I decided to substitute a frozen California blend (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots) for the green beans and cream of celery soup for the mushroom soup.  I also added some sour cream and cheddar cheese to the mix to make it even better.  Topped off with some cheddar French fried onions, it turned out extremely tasty.  Even my picky kids ate it, and they hate celery and cauliflower.


California Veggie Bake
24 oz California vegetable blend (look in the freezer case)
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cup French fried onions

Place vegetable blend in large saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Let vegetables steam for 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and drain well.

In medium bowl, stir together soup, milk, sour cream, and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place vegetables in two-quart baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Add soup mixture and stir to combine.  Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender and sauce is bubbly.  Top with French fried onions and return to oven for 10 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.