Zucchini, Corn and Green Chile Casserole

So, a local store just got in a huge shipment of Hatch green chiles. I bought as much as I could, charred them on the grill and needed to add them to something right away because they are that good. Feel free to play with this recipe-maybe you want buttered crumbs on top or to throw some ham or beans in there to make it a complete meal.

Ingredients:

3 cups grated zucchini (or yellow squash or a combination)

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup half and half or milk

¾ cup crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz™) or saltines

1 (15 ounce) creamed corn

1 cup low fat shredded cheddar, divided

1 cup low fat mozzarella (or Jack cheese), divided

½ cup chopped onions

1 cup mild green chiles (drained if using canned)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Directions: Spray a 8 by 10 inch casserole with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the zucchini a colander in the sink and sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon of salt to draw out moisture. Let sit 10 minutes and then squeeze all the excess liquid out.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, crushed crackers, creamed corn, ½ cup cheddar and ½ cup mozzarella. Stir in the onions, green chiles, salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheddar and ½ cup of mozzarella.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the sides are bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Hearty Ratatouille

  

This casserole is full of the goodness of summer and is substantial enough to be a meal all on its own. It is very much a heartier ratatouille and one that tastes even better the day after you bake it, making it great for days when you don’t feel like heating up the kitchen. The added layer of croutons not only adds flavor and substance, they soak up the juices of the roasted vegetables so you get even more of their flavor. You will probably have left over garlic oil, herb/salt blend, and sliced veggies that you can use for other dishes.  

Ingredients:

Garlic oil:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 or 2 large cloves of garlic, smashed

Herb and salt blend:

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Tomato sauce:

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon herb and salt blend

1 teaspoon garlic oil

1 cup herb seasoned croutons

1 eggplant, thinly sliced

1 yellow squash, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

6 slices or balls of fresh mozzarella

Cooking spray

Directions:

Make garlic oil by stirring the smashed garlic clove in the olive oil. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Discard the garlic clove (or mash it and leave it in—I’m not that brave).

Make herb and salt blend by combining the ingredients in a small dish. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray (mine is 11x9 inches).

Make the tomato sauce by mixing the tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion, 1 teaspoon of herb and salt blend and 1 teaspoon of garlic oil. Spread in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.

Top the tomato sauce with the herb croutons.

Layer the vegetables in the casserole in any way you want-I start out in my hand with a slice of eggplant, then zucchini, yellow squash and slices of bell peppers and then sliding them into the dish from my hand. Repeat, making rows of vegetables, until the casserole is full.

Sprinkle more of the herb and salt blend over the top of the veggies, poking some down in between slices.

Place bits of fresh mozzarella between slices.

Drizzle a little of the garlic oil over the top of the casserole and spray lightly with cooking spray just to make sure the veggies don’t dry out. Place a sheet of parchment over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and bake for another 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.

Let cool for 15 minutes at room temperature and serve.

Light and Cheesy Vegetable Gratin

Winter doesn’t want to let go here, so something creamy and cheesy fits the bill. This is a lot lighter than mac and cheese or potatoes gratin, but still warm and filling. The beauty of this is that you can change out the veggies with whatever you have like broccoli instead of cabbage.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

2 Tablespoons light margarine

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups low fat milk

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ cup fat free shredded mozzarella

½ cup shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese

For the vegetable mixture:

Cooking spray

2 teaspoons canola oil

3 slices ready cook turkey bacon, chopped

1/3 cup diced onion

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup chopped cabbage

1 (16 ounce) package frozen cauliflower florets

5 ounces spinach (I used ½ of a 10 ounce package of frozen cut leaf spinach, thawed)

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 3 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat and then stir in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes and then slowly whisk in the milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes, whisking constantly and then turn the heat to low.

Whisk in the mozzarella and Swiss, adding just a bit at a time and stirring until each bit is melted before adding another. When all of the cheese is melted, remove from the heat and set aside while you prepare the vegetable mixture.

Vegetable mixture: Spray a large, deep skillet or wok with cooking spray and add the canola oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until the onion begins to get soft. Add in the garlic and cook for a minute. Toss in the chopped turkey bacon and then add in the cauliflower, spinach, cabbage and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, for about 7-12 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft and the mixture is fragrant.

Stir the sauce into the vegetable mixture and pour into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with parmesan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the sides are bubbling and the top is slightly golden.

Cheesy Cauliflower with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

Cheesy Cauliflower with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients (serves 6 as a main, 8 as a side):

Vegetables:

6-8 cups water

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1 large head of cauliflower, broken into large florets

1 Tablespoon margarine (I’m using Earth Balance)

1 white onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced into half moons

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

Sauce:

2 Tablespoons margarine

¼ cup flour

3 cups reduced fat milk

1-2 teaspoons English or stone ground mustard

1 cup shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese

1 cup shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated parmesan (optional, but tasty)

¼ cup white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

3 pieces of bread, lightly toasted (I’m using a light sourdough)

Butter flavored cooking spray

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish (maybe 9 by 13) with cooking spray and set aside.

Put the water and kosher salt in a large pot (a 5 quart Dutch oven works great) and bring to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook 6 minutes until just beginning to get tender, but still firm. Drain the cauliflower in a colander and ditch the water. Put the cauliflower in a large mixing bowl.

Put the pot back on the burner and add 1 Tablespoon of margarine on medium low heat. When the margarine melts, add the sliced onions and cook for 1 minute or until deep golden. Add the mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl with the cauliflower.  

To make the sauce, put the pot back on the burner and melt 2 Tablespoons margarine over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring up to medium high heat and cook, stirring often, until the mixture just starts to thicken.

Add the mustard and then add the cheese a bit at a time, whisking each addition of cheese until it melts. Whisk in the wine and then pour the cheese mixture over the cauliflower, onions and mushrooms. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Crumble the toast on top, spray with butter flavored cooking spray and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the sides are bubbly and the top is light gold.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

This may be one of the best things I have ever made. Just the aroma of the garlic and herbs is kind of making me dizzy (in a good way). If you are plant based, just leave out the cheese. Feel free to use toasted bread instead of the croutons (or leave the grain out completely!)—I just used croutons because they add some heft to the dish, soak up any vegetable and herb juices, and are ready to go. PS-If you have bits of leftover sliced veggies, save them for a salad or soup.

Ingredients (serves 8 as a side dish-maybe 4-6 as a main):

½ cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons dried bouquet garni (just a mix of parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, marjoram, sage and tarragon or whatever herbs you have on hand)

½ teaspoon salt (more or less-to taste)

Lots of freshly cracked black pepper

Cooking spray

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ of a large white onion, thinly sliced

1 (5 ounce) packaged croutons (I used herb, but any flavor you like will do), slightly crushed in the bag and divided.

1 large zucchini, thinly sliced

4 Roma (plum) tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 yellow squash, thinly sliced

1 jar (12 ounces) roasted red peppers packed in water, thinly sliced

1/3 cup grated parmesan, grana Padano, or other hard cheese

Directions:

Combine the ½ cup of olive oil, crushed garlic, bouquet garni, salt and pepper in a cup. Stir and let sit at room temperature for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch, deep pie dish or other baking dish with cooking spray. Place half of the bag of crushed croutons in the bottom of the dish. This will help soak up any vegetable juices.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add the 1 teaspoon olive oil and the onions. Cook on medium low for about 20 minutes until the onions are soft and lightly brown. Place the onions on top of the croutons in your baking dish.

Arrange your sliced zucchini, tomatoes, yellow squash and roasted red peppers in the baking dish as you like, brushing every layer or so with your garlic/olive oil mixture, reserving 1 Tablespoon. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

While the gratin is baking, make the topping by combining the remaining croutons with the parmesan cheese and 1 Tablespoon of leftover garlic/olive oil mixture.

Remove the gratin from the oven, sprinkle the crouton and cheese mixture over and return to the oven to bake, uncovered for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Fresh Zucchini, Corn and Crab Cakes with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

I started out thinking that I wanted to do zucchini and corn fritters with parmesan cheese and Italian herbs and then I saw a package of surimi (imitation crab) that I had thawed for a seafood salad. I’m glad I did. These cakes, served with some fresh watermelon taste like summer should.

Note: these are delicate, so if you find you want them to hold together a bit stronger, add a few dollops of mayonnaise and some extra panko bread crumbs. I suggest you cook a test cake and then see if you want more filler. Some people do, some people don’t.

Ingredients (makes 10-12 cakes):

Zucchini, Corn and Crab Cakes:

2 medium zucchini, grated

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup corn kernels, about 2 ears (fresh is great and frozen, thawed works well, too)

6 ounces imitation crab meat, in ½ inch pieces (this is about 2/3 of a standard 8 ounce package)

¼ cup green onions, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 whole egg and two egg whites, lightly beaten

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

1-2 teaspoons seafood seasoning like Old Bay®

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons canola oil for cooking the cakes, divided

Blistered Cherry Tomatoes:

1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt to taste

Directions:

Zucchini, Corn and Crab Cakes: Place the grated zucchini in a bowl and toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. Drain off any liquid and place the zucchini in a clean kitchen cloth and wring until the zucchini is dry.

Add the zucchini back to the bowl and stir in the corn, crab, green onions and parsley.

Fold the lightly beaten egg and egg whites into the zucchini mixture.

Gently stir in the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, lemon juice and seafood seasoning.

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium low and add a teaspoon or two of canola oil. Shape a small handful of the zucchini mixture in your hands to form a cake (the mixture will be wet-don’t worry. As they cook, the cakes firm up), and place in the skillet (with a 12 inch pan, you can usually fit 4 at a time). Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. You will know they are ready to turn when you can see golden brown bits at the sides. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Repeat with remaining canola oil and zucchini mixture.

For the blistered tomatoes, just toss the olive oil and cherry tomatoes in a saucepan and heat over medium high heat. Cook, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes until the tomatoes burst and season with salt.

Spoon the tomatoes over the fritters and enjoy!

Tip: Crumble any leftovers into a bowl, chill overnight and serve over lettuce the next day as a great salad.

Butter Braised Leeks with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce

Carmelized, nutty vegetables? I’m all in. The sauce is so terrific on its own that you may want to just eat it with a spoon. This dish is a great side dish for grilled meats, but it is also terrific as a lighter main course.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Cheese Sauce:

1 (14.4 ounce) bag of frozen cauliflower, thawed

2 cloves roasted garlic, about 2 teaspoons (see note)

½ cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup fat free half and half

¼ cup grated parmesan

1/3 cup shredded light Swiss cheese (or gruyere)

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Braised Leeks:

3 leeks

1 Tablespoon light butter or margarine

1 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

For the sauce:

Place the cauliflower, roasted garlic, vegetable broth and half and half in the food processor and process until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove to a sauce pan and heat on medium low for 15 minutes, stirring often. Slowly stir in the parmesan, Swiss, and nutmeg Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the leeks:

Trim the tops of the leeks down to where you have just a bit of light green left. Discard the tops or freeze to make veggie broth with later. Cut the root end of the leeks off-between ¼ and ½ inch should do. Slice the leeks lengthwise and run under cold water, making sure to run water between the layers to get any grit out. Dry on paper towels.

Melt the butter or margarine in a large skillet on medium heat and place the leeks cut side down. You may need to cut the leeks in half horizontally to get them to fit in your skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the cut sides are just golden. Flip and cook another five minutes on the other side.

Flip the leeks back over in the skillet so the cut sides are facing down again. Add in the vegetable broth and cover the skillet (I just used foil). Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 

Flip the leeks once more so the cut sides are facing up. Spoon some (about 1 cup) of the cauliflower cheese sauce over the leeks.. Place the skillet in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Crack the oven door open and turn the heat to broil Broil for 3 minutes to make the top crispy. Remove and serve warm. I added a bit of extra virgin olive oil and fresh parsley to the top, but garnishes are totally optional. 

Refrigerate any leftover cauliflower sauce to use on pasta, veggies or whatever you would like.

Note: to make roasted garlic, simply cut the top off of a whole head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil and place on two layers of heavy duty foil. Pull the edges of the foil up and twist to make a neat little package. Preheat the oven to 400 and cook for 20-25 minutes. You will know they are done if you open the package and the top of the head is golden and the whole thing is soft and fragrant. Let cool until you can touch the garlic safely and then just squeeze out what you need. Store the leftovers and use like a spread on crackers or toasted pieces of baguette.

Swiss Ham and Vegetable Bake

Vegetable casseroles used to be huge in the 1960s and this one does the genre proud. Creamy, flavorful and filling, this makes a great main dish or side dish. Vegetarians can certainly leave the ham out and maybe swap in some slivered almonds.

Ingredients:

For the cheese sauce:

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon flour

1½ cups milk

4 ounces (1/2 of an 8 ounce package) cream cheese

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon bouquet garni or herb blend of your choice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup shredded or grated Swiss cheese

For the ham and veggies:

1 cup diced ham

1 ½  cups frozen broccoli, thawed

1 cup frozen cauliflower, thawed

1 cup frozen leeks, thawed (or sub out ½ cup chopped onion)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup diced red pepper

1 cup sliced carrots

For the topping:

1 cup panko bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 ½ quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 Tablespoon of butter. Whisk in the 1 Tablespoon of flour and cook, stirring for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and then cream cheese, salt, pepper, bouquet garni, mustard and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the Swiss cheese. Cook, stirring often until the cheese are melted. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ham and all the veggies. Pour the cheese sauce over and mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking dish.

Make the topping by stirring together the bread crumbs and 2 Tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the top is golden and the sides are bubbling.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Coconut Rice

  

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed well

1 cup coconut cream (not cream of coconut)

2 cups water

Pinch of granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Toasted coconut chips (optional)

Directions:

Place the rinsed rice, coconut cream, water, sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

Lower heat to a simmer, cover and let cook for 40-45 minutes.

Place in a serving bowl and top with coconut chips, if desired. 

Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole with Bacon

Now here is a casserole that will please a crowd. Creamy, cheesy, bacon-y corn.  Perfect for a potluck or a side for a barbecue.

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon

1/3 cup diced sweet onion

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

6 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 cup milk or half and half

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste (optional)

1 (8.5 ounce) box corn bread mix (I use Jiffy®)

1 (28 ounce) bag frozen sweet corn, thawed

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar jack cheese, divided

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2.5 quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp and set aside to drain on a paper towel lined plate. Add the onion and bell pepper to the bacon drippings and cook for about 4 or 5 minutes on medium low or until the veggies are soft. Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon into a large mixing bowl and discard the remaining bacon drippings.

To the same mixing bowl, add the melted and cooled butter, sour cream, egg, milk, salt, sugar, pepper (if using) and corn bread mix. Stir to combine.

Pulse half of the corn in a food processor until it becomes a thick paste. Add the crushed corn and the remaining corn into the mixing bowl. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and the crumbled bacon.

Pour the mix into the prepared baking dish and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 60 minutes or until the top is golden and the middle doesn’t jiggle. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.  

Creamy Cabbage, Leek and Swiss Casserole

Oh my goodness. Please try this recipe the next time you have some cabbage that you don’t know what to do with. The cabbage is cooked long and slow, allowing it to become a sweet, tender, gently flavored vegetable. I am watching what I eat, so I was hesitant to include bacon, but then I realized that 3 strips of ‘ready bacon’ only has 80 calories and 5 g of fat. That chance really paid off. This casserole is tender, creamy, luscious and simply wonderful. Plus, CARAWAY!  One of my favorite flavors that I don’t get often enough.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon canola oil

3 slices pre-cooked bacon slices, chopped

4 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup sliced leeks (or onions)

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

2 teaspoons Dijon or stone ground mustard

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1 cup fat free half and half

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

1 cup shredded low fat Swiss cheese

1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 1.5 quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon just starts to crisp. Add cabbage, leeks and caraway seeds. Cook, stirring often,  for 10 minutes or until the cabbage starts to wilt and the leeks begin to turn transparent. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar and sugar. Gradually whisk in the half and half, flour, salt and pepper. Stir in the Swiss cheese.

Add the cabbage mixture to the cheese mixture and toss thoroughly. Pour into the prepared casserole dish and top with the parmesan cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until the parmesan is golden brown and the sides of the casserole are bubbly.

Enchilada Rice Casserole

Sorry that I don’t have a better title for this—I just knew I wanted a comforting casserole with rice and veggies and cheese and a little kick, so I put this together. I appreciate that this was just one skillet and a casserole dish and will make wonderful left overs for work all week. If you can’t find home style Mexican beans, just use black beans or whatever bean you like.

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)

1 small green pepper, diced (about 1 ½ cups)

2 cups long grain rice (uncooked)

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 (15 ounce) can Mexican home-style beans (like La Preferida), drained

1 (19 ounce) red enchilada sauce, divided

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained

1 ½  cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions: Spray a good size casserole dish (about 2.5 or 3 quarts) with cooking spray and set aside.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and green pepper and cook about 5 minutes until the veggies are soft and fragrant, but not brown. Add in the rice and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to toast the rice.

Add in the tomatoes with liquid, beans, 1 ½ cups of the enchilada sauce, green chiles and veggie stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the cover from the rice mixture and add in the corn and ripe olives. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with the remaining enchilada sauce and then layer on the cheddar cheese.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Sweet Corn Muffins with Honey Butter

I love anything cornbread, I have to admit. I especially love when I can taste actual pieces of corn in the bread. These muffins use creamed corn in place of milk, which adds real corn to the deal. I love the crispy outsides (thanks to the cornmeal crusting) and the soft, tender insides. Honey butter? Yeah, I could put that on everything. You can serve these warm or at room temp, which makes them perfect for toting to a picnic. They go great with anything: BBQ, pork chops, chili, etc. I've got a pot of great northern beans, collard greens and ham hocks on today. These muffins will be just what that dish needs. 

Ingredients (makes 12):

For the corn muffins:

Cooking spray

6 teaspoons cornmeal, divided

2 (8.5 ounce) packages corn muffin mix (like Jiffy®)

1 (14.75 ounce) can sweet creamed corn

2 eggs

For the honey butter:

1 stick softened salted butter (or unsalted with just a small pinch of salt)

1 Tablespoon honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray and put ½ teaspoon of cornmeal in each cup. Give the pan a shimmy-shake over the sink to coat the bottom and sides of each cup with the cornmeal. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, creamed corn and eggs. Stir together until you have a slightly lumpy batter (about 20 good strokes will do). Let the batter sit for five minutes before you fill each muffin cup 2/3 of the way full.

Bake the muffins for 20-24 minutes, turning the pan halfway through (mine took 23 minutes for the tops to get a beautiful golden color).

While the muffins are baking, make the honey butter by beating the butter and honey together with an electric mixer. Chill until ready to use.

Let the muffins cool slightly and remove from the muffin cups by running a butter knife around the edges. Serve with honey butter.

Three Pea Salad with Sweet Vinegar and Oil Dressing

It’s spring, it’s spring, it’s spring!! I love a fresh pea salad, especially when it’s paired with mint. I was able to find fresh pea shoots and fresh sugar snaps at Trader Joe’s, so I wanted to do something light, simple and fresh. This salad is just slightly sweet and so crunchy from all the fresh peas. Honestly, I could eat this every day and be happy. You could make this an easy main meal by chopping up some ham or bacon and adding some diced cheddar cheese. PS-it’s spring!

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side):

Sweet Vinegar and Oil Dressing:

½ cup apple cider vinegar

2 Tablespoons canola oil

2 Tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon garlic salt

½ teaspoon celery salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard (optional, but awesome)

Freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt, to taste

Three Pea Salad:

2 cups frozen sweet peas, thawed

1 cup sugar snap peas, cut in half

1 cup fresh pea shoots

2 large radishes, thinly sliced

2 green onions, sliced

4 fresh mint leaves, cut into thin strips

For serving:

Iceberg lettuce leaves

Sliced hard cooked eggs

Directions: Couldn’t be simpler: Whisk the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl then taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Toss in the salad ingredients, stir and let sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Remove the salad from the fridge, drain off any excess liquid and plate on large iceberg lettuce leaves. Put a sliced hard cooked egg on the side. 

Creamed Kale

Talk about a great side dish! I love how this came together. It’s easy, quick and low fat—a great alternative to creamed spinch.

Ingredients (serves 2-3 as a side dish):

1 ½ cups fat free half and half

3 ounces light cream cheese

2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 piece of parmesan rind (if you have one in your freezer)

2 teaspoons canola oil

¼ cup chopped shallot

5 cups chopped kale, packed tightly

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Heat the half and half and cream cheese together in a skillet over medium heat until cream cheese is melted. Add in the garlic cloves, nutmeg and parmesan rind if using. Cook, whisking often, for about 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and remove the garlic and parmesan rind.

Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the shallot and cook 2 minutes or until the shallot is soft but not brown. Add in the kale and cook, stirring, until the kale wilts down.

Pour the half and half mixture over the kale, stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Roasted winter vegetables with Marsala hunter’s sauce for dipping

I never knew vegetables could be like this. Trust me, I love veggies, but this is a whole new thing. It's a bounty of warm, deeply roasted vegetables served with a rich tasting dipping sauce. Put this out at your next dinner party with a bunch of forks-your friends and family will think you are amazing (as well they should). Bonus: any leftover veggies make an excellent soup or go into omelets or wraps the next day.

Ingredients:

Roasted vegetables:

3 parsnips, tops and tips trimmed

5 large carrots, tops and tips trimmed

1 large zucchini

12 or so button mushrooms

1 (14 ounce) bag frozen pearl onions, thawed and patted dry

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to your liking

4 sprig of fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Sea salt to finish

Marsala Hunter’s sauce:

1 Tablespoon butter

2 Tablespoons finely diced shallot

½ cup finely diced button mushrooms

¼ cup Marsala wine

¼ cup tomato paste

1 cup beef or vegetable broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

A few drops of Kitchen Bouquet, if you have it (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Roasted vegetables: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut carrots, parsnips and zucchini into approximately 3 inch lengths, cutting any thick pieces down to about an inch. Toss those in a very large bowl. Then add in the mushrooms and pearl onions. Drizzle in the olive oil and balsamic until the veggies are just coated. Toss in the kosher salt and the black pepper. Stir well and then lift the vegetables out of the bowl and divide them between the two baking sheets (lifting them out means that any excess liquid doesn’t come with them). Toss the rosemary and thyme over the top and bake for 60 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve them right from the baking tray (hint: you can put one out and leave the other resting in the oven to stay warm) or put on a platter with a ramekin of the sauce.  

Marsala Hunter’s sauce (I used vegetable broth and added the Kitchen Bouquet):

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it foams. Add in the shallots and cook 3 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add in the wine, tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire, Kitchen Bouquet if using and seasonings. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer about 15 minutes or until sauce is thick and slightly reduced. Keep warm until needed. Pour into a ramekin and serve alongside the roasted veggies. 

Baked acorn squash with butter, maple syrup and thyme

I needed to do acorn squash the way my mom made it for my dad back in the day. Simply baked, coated with butter, maple syrup, salt and just a wee bit of thyme. This will be one of your favorite comfort foods this fall and winter.

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash

2 teaspoons canola oil

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Sea salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash the squash and cut it in half lengthwise (through the tip and stem). Also, slice off a tiny slice of the bottom of each half so they don’t wobble on your baking sheet, but don’t cut through to the inside of the squash.

Scoop out the seeds and any loose fibers (save those seeds-you can roast them with canola oil and salt just like pumpkin seeds).

Pour 1 teaspoon of canola oil in the cavity of each squash half. Fold a paper towel in half and rub the oil all over the inside and outside of the squash half. This helps to keep the moisture in the squash.

Place the squash halves (cavity up) on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour, or until a fork goes into the middle and comes out easily. Remove from the oven and place 1 Tablespoon of butter in the center of each half. Use a fork to run that butter knob all over the cut surfaces. Drizzle the syrup evenly over the squash, sprinkle with thyme leaves and sea salt.

I like to tell people that haven’t eaten squash this way that the skin is edible, but it tastes much more creamy and luscious if they use a spoon to just scoop out the flesh.

French Stuffed Onions

“Bake me like one of your French onions…..”

A great side dish to any meal. Or make it a meal on it’s on by pairing it with a green salad, some bread and a simple omelette.

Ingredients:

3 small to medium yellow onions

2 pieces whole wheat bread, toasted

1/3 cup finely diced gruyere or Havarti cheese

1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon vegetable broth, divided

3 teaspoons butter, divided

Cooking spray

Fresh thyme sprigs if you have them

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel the onions and slice off just enough of the ends to get flat bottoms and tops on the onions. Cut the onions in half around the equator and use a paring knife to gently pry some of the center of each half onion. I like to have 3 or 4 rings left on the outside. By the way, if you happen to go too deep and cut all the way through the bottom of the onion, just shove a piece of the cut out onion in the bottom. Save the extra pieces of onion for another time. Place the onion halves, cut sides up, in a casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, tear up the toast and add in the cheese and herbs. Add in 1 Tablespoon of vegetable broth and combine. Place a portion of this filling in each of the onion halves. Pour the remaining broth over the onions and then into the bottom of the casserole dish. Top each onion half with about a half teaspoon of butter and throw the fresh thyme sprigs on top. Spray the tops of the onions with cooking spray. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, baste the onions with the pan juices and cook for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Swiss Chard, Mushroom and Gruyere Tartine

This ain’t your average cheesy garlic bread.  With every bite you can taste the earthiness of the Swiss chard and mushrooms, along with the nuttiness of the Gruyere. The hint of garlic and nutmeg round the dish out.  This tartine makes a great appetizer or the centerpiece of a cozy dinner paired with a green salad, brothy soup and lots of white wine.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 cups chopped and lightly packed Swiss chard (leaves with just a little bit of the stems works well)

2 cups of sliced mushrooms

Splash of dry white wine

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 12 inch long piece of French bread split open lengthwise

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

A bit of extra olive oil to drizzle over the top

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the garlic and cook for just a few minutes, until the garlic is fragrant, but not browned. Add in the Swiss chard, mushrooms, white wine, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms and Swiss chard have cooked down. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place the two pieces of French bread on it, cut side up. Divide the Swiss chard mixture evenly over both pieces. Drizzle any remaining juices over the top.  Divide the Gruyere evenly over the chard. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Cut each slice into four pieces. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the top.

Ham and Cheese Macaroni Salad

This is like a great ham and cheese sandwich in a bowl.  You can even make this the day before—just keep the macaroni, dressing, veggies and ham/cheese separate until the day you are serving.

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
2/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper, your call)

1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

¼ cup milk or water

Macaroni:

4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)

Add-ins:

½ cup sliced green onions
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed (optional, but won’t you give peas a chance?)
3/4 cup diced reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (or swiss, or a combo of the two)
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced lean ham

Directions:

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Add macaroni and remaining ingredients; toss well to coat. Cover and chill at least 3 hours before serving.