Spinach and Mushroom Breakfast Casserole

Cravings lead me to some of the best food! This casserole is like a savory bread pudding. I love using croutons since I found out that they don’t have a lot of calories or fat and add tons of flavor. I’ve used them crushed as bread crumbs, too. This breakfast (or lunch or dinner) is super easy and adaptable—you could leave out the croutons, add in some cooked bacon or breakfast sausage, use eggs instead of egg substitute, or change the veggies, seasonings or cheeses to your liking. If you want, you can even chop and cook the veggies the night before and store them in the fridge. The next morning, just whip up the egg mixture, add the veggies, croutons and cheeses and bake it off.

Ingredients (serves 8):

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 whole shallot, finely chopped, about ¼ cup (sub out onions if you want)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 cups of chopped baby spinach

2 ½ cups sliced mushrooms

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

2 cups cholesterol free egg substitute (like Egg Beaters®)

1 cup fat free half and half or milk

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ cup herb seasoned croutons

¼ cup grated parmesan

½ cup shredded Swiss cheese (gruyere or mozzarella would also be good)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2.5 or 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the shallots and cook for 4 minutes or until fragrant. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until fragrant, but not browned. Add the spinach, mushrooms and bell pepper and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, half and half or milk and the seasonings. Stir in the croutons and cheeses. Let stand for 10 minutes and then pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Sweet Hot Orange Chili Sauce

The original idea was to get fresh, long red chili peppers and make a version of Thai sweet chili sauce, but finding fresh red chiles in St. Louis in December isn’t so easy. Luckily, my great co-worker Maddy brought in some end of the season jalapenos a few months ago that I had frozen for a day like today. Add to that--super fresh oranges sent by my wonderful sis-in-in law and brother (Hi, Terrie! Hi, Mark!) straight from the grove in Florida and I was able to get the clean, sweet, floral heat that I was looking for.

Use this as a dipping sauce for pretzels, veggies or chicken nuggets or use it in stir fries or even spooned on top of cream cheese for a dip.

You can adjust the heat to your liking by changing the ratio of hot peppers to sweet bells; keeping the seeds in the jalapenos; or by adding some red pepper flakes. Just be careful when chopping/blending hot peppers-use gloves or super-scrub after handling to make sure you don’t get the capsaicin in your eyes or anywhere else. And stand back or cover your nose/mouth when blending if your peppers are hot-the fumes can be strong. There, my Aunt-ly duty is done.

Ingredients (makes about 2 cups):

2 ½ teaspoons corn starch

3 Tablespoons cold water

1 cup red jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (measured after chopping)

½ cup seeded and chopped red bell pepper (measured after chopping)

½ cup rice wine vinegar

2 cups of water

The juice of one fresh orange (about 1/3 of a cup, maybe ½ cup, depending on your orange)

¼ cup honey

1 Tablespoon grated orange rind

Directions: In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons cold water. Stir and set aside.

Place the red jalapenos, red bell peppers, rice wine vinegar and 2 cups of water in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend using an immersion (hand) blender or by placing the mix in a food processor/blender with the top open and covered with a towel (stand back). Return the pot to the stove.

Add the orange juice and honey. Bring to a boil. Stir the cornstarch slurry and add into the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and add the orange rind. Let cool-it will thicken more as it cools. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Store in airtight containers and refrigerate. This should keep for about 5 days in the fridge.

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.

Mushroom Ragout with Marsala and Pearl Onions

Silky, earthy and so incredibly comforting-this dish  is a definitely a pleasant autumnal meal. I treated myself to a trip to an international grocery store yesterday (Global Foods in Kirkwood, MO) and came back with all sorts of fresh veggies I can’t usually get in my local grocery stores. I really wanted a variety of fresh mushrooms and they had plenty to choose from. I’m adding some dried mushrooms here to get a little more depth to the dish. You can really use any mushrooms you want and can play with the how you serve it. I’m thinking I might take the leftovers, add some more stock and a handful of barley for a very comforting soup.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

1 cup very hot tap water

2 Tablespoons canola oil, divided

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, divided (I’m using Earth Balance® margarine)

1 clove of garlic, peeled but left whole

1 sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)

½ pound fresh shitake mushrooms-stemmed and sliced(the stems are too tough to eat-freeze them for stock)

½ pound fresh maitake mushrooms, sliced

½ pound oyster mushrooms, sliced

2 Tablespoons Marsala wine (or sherry)

7 ounces frozen pearl mushrooms (1/2 of a 14 ounce bag), thawed

2 cups unsalted vegetable stock, divided

1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 pound paparadelle pasta, other wide noodles or grains like barley to farro, cooked according to package directions for serving.

Directions:

Put the dried porcinis in a cup and add the hot water. Push the mushrooms down so they can steep. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until needed, at least 15 minutes.

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil and 1 Tablespoon margarine in a large skillet. Add the garlic clove and fresh rosemary (if using) and cook on medium for about three minutes or until the garlic and rosemary are just fragrant.

Place ½ of the fresh mushrooms in the pan and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and place on a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining oil, margarine and mushrooms. Remove and discard the garlic and rosemary.

Add the Marsala to the pan and stir, getting up any browned bits from the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms back in the pan along with the pearl onions.

Add in 1 ½ cups vegetable stock to the skillet and place the remaining stock in a cup. Add the cornstarch to the cup to make a slurry.

Add the rehydrated porcinis and the liquid from them to the skillet, being careful not to get the grit that may have settled on the bottom. Add in the salt and thyme.

Cover and cook, still on medium, for 15 minutes. Add in the cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let cook another 10 minutes.

Serve over pasta. 

Healthy, One-Skillet Breakfast Pot Pie

Comfort food is the best food. This recipe uses just one skillet, has very little fat and tastes amazing. Feel free to use diced sweet potatoes instead of butternut or using store bought sausage instead of making your own. With its crackling crust and creamy filling, this hearty dish is perfect for breakfast-for-dinner.

Ingredients (serves 6):

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 recipe turkey breakfast sausage (recipe follows)

1 ½ cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/3 cup diced white onion

½ cup diced green bell pepper

½ cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup white mushrooms, sliced

1 Tablespoon flour

1 ½ cups fat free half and half (or milk)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

3 sheets phyllo dough (thawed if frozen)

Butter flavored cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour the oil into an oven-safe, deep 9 inch skillet and heat on medium.

Add in the breakfast sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned. Add in the squash, onion, peppers and mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the veggies are starting to brown along the edges.

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir it in. Add the half and half, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes.

Place one sheet of phyllo dough over the skillet and spray with cooking spray. Repeat with the remaining two sheets of phyllo. Pull the edges in so that the phyllo doesn’t hang over the edge of the skillet and spray with cooking spray one more time. Cut several vents into the top of the dough.

Place the skillet in the oven (I like to put it on a baking sheet first to prevent any drips) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the phyllo is golden brown and the sides of the skillet are bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage:

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey breast

2 Tablespoons fat free half and half

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons rubbed sage

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of grated nutmeg

Pinch of red chile flakes

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour to let the flavors blend.

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.