Another Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Awarded by my DH

Whenever I bake potatoes, I always throw a few extra in the oven. They are handy for quick home fries and soup.

Serves 6 – 8.

2 strips thick meaty bacon

1 large onion, diced – reserve ¼ cup

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small carrot, shredded

2 cups water

5 medium baked potatoes, peeled and diced

2 quarts milk

3 chicken bouillon cubes

1 cup (4 oz.) extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

8 slices American cheese

Heat 4 quart metal kettle hot and dry. Remove from heat. Lightly coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing meats and vegetables.

Bring heat to medium high and sauté bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Sauté onion and celery 5 minutes. Add carrots and cook 3 minutes. Add water. Bring to boil then turn down to simmer 5 minutes, while peeling and dicing potatoes.

Add potatoes, milk and bouillon. Heat just to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

After five minutes or so, when potatoes are heated and softened, mash about half the potatoes or use a hand blender. Be sure to keep a good number of chunky bits.

While soup is simmering, crumble bacon into tiny bits and add to soup.

Stir in cheddar cheese. Drop in slices of American cheese and stir lightly until melted.

DO NOT BOIL! Keep heat to very low or it will curdle.

Turn off heat and serve with reserved diced onion sprinkled on top and a hearty bread on the side.

Beer & Venison Meat Loaf

My freezer overfloweth this time of year. We just put in two pigs from FFA and a deer. The guys would like to get more deer, so I am pressured to cook from the freezer. We will probably cold pack some of the next deer.

Meat loaf is a long honored tradition in our family, as in most. Our only rules are: ground meat, onions, egg, grain and ketchup. I usually throw some potatoes and winter squash in the oven alongside the meatloaf.

Serves 10 – 12

1 lb. lean ground pork
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground venison
2 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 cup oats
2 eggs
1 cup finely diced green bell peppers
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ can (12 oz.) Busch Light Beer
Salt & pepper
½ cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 350°F. Have a 9” x 5” loaf pan ready.

Mix all ingredients, except ketchup, together in large bowl with your hands.

Pack into loaf pan and shape the top with a slight well around outside edge.

Bake for 60 minutes.

Spread ketchup over top and continue baking until meat thermometer stuck in middle reaches 170°F. It took almost 2 hours last time!

Take meat loaf out of oven and let it set for 15 minutes before slicing in the pan.

Edinborough Date Bars

It seems like Grandma Petrie made these once when I was very young. I make these most every Christmas since I began baking in my teens. I find my mixer bowl is not large enough, so I make half the oat mixture at a time. Do the bottoms first, then the tops. Or use a very large bowl and a hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar. I thought I was making too much, but they are all gone by Christmas!

Yield: 4 dozen

5 cups  (20 oz.) Chopped dates
¼ cup sugar
1 ½ cups Water
1 cup Chopped walnuts
3 ½ cups Sifted flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 ½ cups Butter
2 cups Brown sugar
3 cups Rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease two 13”x 9” pans.

Cook dates with sugar and water. Cool and stir in nuts.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in flour mixture. Fold in oats.

Press ½ of oat mixture in bottom of pans. Spread date mixture over oats. Sprinkle rest of oat mixture over dates and pat lightly in place.

Bake 25 minutes or until just browned. Cool. Cut into bars while still warm.

“STOP AND GO” COOKIES

There was a discussion and search for this recipe on the recipe groups several years ago. I subsequently found the original recipe. These are very festive, tasty, nutritious and easy to make. I have included the original recipe from Quaker Oats. They are a thumbprint cookie with oats. I have made chocolate cookies by adding cocoa to the recipe. You can fit about 18 cookies on a 11” x 15” cookie sheet.

1 cup shortening, soft
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg beaten
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups Quaker Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
Red and green candied cherries

Beat shortening until creamy; gradually beat in sugars. Blend in egg and vanilla.

Sift together flour, soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into creamed mixture. Blend in oats.

Shape dough into small balls and place on greased cookie sheets.

Make a hollow in each ball; place half a red or green candied cherry in each hollow.

Bake in preheated moderate oven (375°F.) 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 4 dozen.

From: ALL-TIME ANYTIME RECIPES, The Quaker Oats Company, Chicago, IL; 1972; pg. 12

Grandma Petrie’s Currant Cake

This is another of Grandma’s famous recipes. We begged her to make it throughout the year, but she would always make it for Christmas. I am still not proficient with this recipe. It takes quite a pastry maker to roll out pie crust to fit a cookie sheet! Currants can be stretched with chopped apple.

Pastry for 3 pie crusts
3 (11 oz.) boxes Currants
¾ cup Sugar
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Lemon peel
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch

Put currants, sugar, lemon peel and lemon juice in water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in a little bit of water and stir into the currants until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.

Roll out bottom pastry and fit into a high sided (3/4”) 10” x 15” cookie sheet. Dust with flour and spread on the currant filling.

Roll out the top pastry and prick with fork. Moisten edges of pastry in cookie sheet and lay on the top pastry. Pinch edges together.

Bake at 425° for 10 to 15 minutes. Lower heat to 375° and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Let cool and cut into 2” squares.

Grandma Petrie's Scottish Shortbread

My Grandma brought this recipe with her from Scotland in 1929. She passed away in 2004, but we still make this recipe every Christmas.

2 cups sugar
2 lb. butter, room temperature
8 cups flour, sifted twice

Preheat oven to 300°F.

In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with your hands.

Add flour and mix together with your hands.

Divide into two balls of dough.

Put each in a 9"x13" pan. Pat out evenly. Prick top with fork about every inch.

Bake for one hour.

Let cool on racks for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting into 1" squares or bars.

Cool completely, then store in tins lined with wax paper.

For very light and fluffy, melt in your mouth, shortbread, divide recipe in half and cream butter and sugar in mixer. Use twice sifted confectioner's sugar, measured before sifting. Gently stir in flour with wooden spoon. Never over mix or it will toughen.

I prefer to use unbleached white flour. Grandma has also used 1 cup of rice flour to 3 cups of white flour. She also used 1 cup of farina (Cream of Wheat) to 3 cups of white flour.

A half recipe will also fill two 8" round cake pans.

Add a teaspoon of almond extract for a mysterious and delicious difference.

Sugar can also be sprinkled lightly over top before baking.

Gail’s White Chicken Chili

I have made this chili for years. It has become a favorite of my family and at pot lucks.

Serves 8

1 pound diced boneless skinless chicken breast

1 pound ground country sage sausage

1 medium onion, diced

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

1 Tbsp. ground cumin seed

2 Tbsp. flour

1 (10 ½ oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup

2 cups water

2 (15½-oz) cans great northern beans, drained

1 (15½-oz) can white hominy, drained

1 (4-oz) can chopped green chiles

2 cups milk

salt and white pepper to taste

2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese

Heat a 4 quart metal kettle hot and dry. Remove from heat. Lightly coat with canola oil spray. Return to very low heat while preparing meats and vegetables.

Turn heat to high and sauté chicken, sausage, onion, garlic and cumin, stirring frequently to break up sausage in small chunks. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

Stir in flour, then soup, then water. Add beans, hominy and green chiles. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in milk. Add salt and white pepper to taste. Bring just to boil. Stir in cheese until melted.

Serve immediately with hot buttered tortillas.

PS: I have started to substitute masa harina for the flour to thicken this. It adds a wonderful hint of flavor!

Gail’s Pickled Beets

My neighbor called the other day and asked me for my recipe for pickled beets. I have been making them for more than thirty years and they are a family favorite. I was surprised to find I have never written down my recipe. It is based on watching my grandmother and a recipe from the second edition of Putting Food By, 1975 p. 444.

15 lbs. beets without tops
6 cups vinegar
6 cups sugar
1 recipe Hilltop Herbs Beet Pickle Mix
12 pint jars and lids, washed and held in hot water

Wash beets leaving root and 2” of stem. Put beets in a large kettle and cover with water. Boil until tender when pierced with fork.

While beets are cooking make the pickling syrup in a large stainless or enamel kettle. Mix together vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil. Let simmer.

Dunk beets in cold water to handle. Slip off skins, stem and root. Slice. They can be left whole if they are baby beets. As the beets are sliced, put them in the kettle of hot pickling syrup.

When all the beets are sliced, start filling jars one at a time. Put 1 Tbsp. of beet pickle mix in jar. Fill loosely with beets. Add hot syrup, leaving ½” of headroom. Seal and set jar in canner filled with hot water.

When canner is full, bring to boil and process for 30 minutes.

Hilltop Herbs Beet Pickle Mix

This is one of the mixes, in a family size recipe, I created and sold when I was doing business as Hilltop Herbs.

3 Tbsp. Mustard Seed
2 1/2 Tbsp. Onion Flakes
5 (3”) Cinnamon Sticks, crushed
2 1/2 Tbsp. Whole Allspice
1 1/2 Tbsp. Celery Seed

Mix all together. Use 1 Tablespoon per pint jar of beets.
Yield: enough for 12 pints of pickled beets, 1 canner full.

Substitution: If you would prefer to use fresh onion rings, delete the onion flakes from the mix. Thinly slice several onions into rings and heat them in the syrup with the beets. Be sure to put some rings in each jar.

Gail’s Homemade Tomato Ketchup

I have been making homemade ketchup for more than thirty years. My family always raves over the flavor and we give it away as presents. My original recipe came from Putting Food By, 2nd edition 1975, p. 316. The following recipe is what has evolved over the years.

Yield: 10 pints

½ bushel tomatoes, 4 gal cut up
½ gal cut onions
½ gal cut sweet red peppers
4 large cloves garlic, cut
1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. celery seed
2 Tbsp. whole allspice
2 Tbsp. whole cloves
2 Tbsp. black peppercorns
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard seed
4 bay leaves
1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
3 cups cider vinegar

Wash the tomatoes. Cut out the cores and any bad spots. Cut into 2 to 6 pieces over ½ gal measure.

When full, pour into 20 quart stainless kettle. Keep count of how many gallons are in kettle.

Peel the onions and cut into 4 to 6 pieces into ½ gal measure. Then add to kettle.

Wash and core the peppers. Cut into large chunks into ½ gal measure. Then add to kettle.

Peel garlic cloves and cut in half. Add to kettle.

Cover and heat over medium heat stirring occasionally with a large sturdy spoon, to keep the scorching to a minimum. This will be easier as the liquid begins to break down from the tomatoes. Simmer for about 25 minutes until the peppers and onions are soft.

Process through a Squeezo or Victorio Strainer or other juicer to remove skins and seeds.

Heat oven to 350°F. Put a very large flat pan for evaporation on the middle rack of the oven. I use the bottom of an enameled turkey roaster 18” x 13” x 4 ½” deep.

As the juice is rendered, measure it and pour into the pan. Stir in the salt.

Put all the spices in muslin spice bags or tie into several thicknesses of cheesecloth or muslin. Put spice bags in juice in pan in oven.

If there is more juice than can safely fit in pan, put it in a covered container and hold it in the refrigerator to add later as the ketchup cooks down.

While cooking at 350°F, stir about once an hour. Turn down to 325°F, to cook overnight. Be sure to get up early to check on it. Continue cooking at 350°F the next morning and stirring more frequently as it thickens, say every ½ hour.

When ketchup is reduced to about 1/3 its original volume, stir in the brown sugar and cider vinegar.

Cook for another hour or so until thickened again.

To can, set pan over one or two burners set to low heat. Use just enough heat to keep it boiling but not burned.

Ladle while boiling hot into hot ½ pint or pint jars, leaving ½ inch of headroom. Run a table knife around the inside of the jar to release any air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean with a clean hot cloth and set the lid (which was held under hot boiled water) on top. Screw on a clean hot ring, holding hot jar with towel. Using a mitt and jar tongs, lower jar into hot canner.

Process jars in boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove with mitt and tongs and set on thick towel on draft free counter with several inches between jars and listen to the lids pop as they seal! Any jars that don’t seal should be refrigerated and used first.

Tip: Be sure to wash up right away. The screen of the strainer can get especially bad if not cleaned ASAP. There will inevitably be some burned spots on the bottom of the large kettle. Wash the rest of the kettle, rinse and drain. Sprinkle a heavy layer of baking soda over the burned spots, cover and let sit for a day or so. When you go back to wash it, the spots should lift much easier.

Zucchini Goulash

I have had this recipe for so long, I have no idea where it came from. I searched the internet and didn’t find a clue there either. It is not much like the original anymore either. It is very savory and a bit spicy from the wax pepper. The sour cream smoothes it out nicely.

8 oz. egg noodles
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 large onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
½ cup (1 pepper) Hungarian wax pepper, seeded and diced
salt and pepper to taste
1 (4oz.) can mushrooms, drained
2 cups diced tomatoes
3 lb. (6 small) zucchini, ¼” slices
1 ½ cups non-fat sour cream

Boil noodles per package instructions. Drain and return to pot. Toss with oil. Cover and keep warm.

While noodles cook, heat 4 ½ quart Dutch oven, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing vegetables.

Turn heat to medium high and sauté ground beef with paprika, onion, garlic, wax pepper, salt and pepper, breaking up with a large spoon until lightly browned and crumbly.

Add mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchini and cook for 15 minutes, tossing and stirring every couple of minutes.

Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Uncover and adjust seasonings. If too watery, turn up heat and boil off some of the water.

Turn heat to low and stir in sour cream. Remove from heat.

Serve immediately over noodles.

Serves 6 to 8.

Amazing Calabacita and Pork

This recipe was from CTHOMPSON76 at All Recipes. She said, "This Mexican recipe was handed down to my husband by his mother. A blend of zucchini, onion, and pork that is simmered together, and then served with warm tortillas. A simple but delicious recipe."

I have made this recipe several times and my family loved it each time. She must have had a very large skillet. I have to make this in a Dutch oven. I use a can of whole kernel corn when I don’t have fresh corn on the cob. She added water to it, but all this zucchini makes lots of juice on its own. Use the whole wheat tortillas to sop up the flavorful broth.

1 ¼ pounds boneless pork loin, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
3 lbs. (2 med/large) zucchini, cubed (Not baseball bats!)
2 cups corn kernels, cut off the cob
8 (10 inch) whole wheat flour tortilla

Heat 4 ½ quart Dutch oven, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing pork and vegetables.

To dice zucchini: Trim ends, cut lengthwise into quarters and cut crosswise into ¼” slices.

Turn heat to high. Sauté pork with onions, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce until pork is lightly browned.

Add zucchini and cook for 15 minutes, tossing and stirring every couple of minutes.

Stir in corn. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Uncover and adjust seasoning. If too watery, turn up heat and boil off some of the water.

Wrap tortillas in wax paper and microwave at medium power for 2 minutes, just until hot and steamy. Butter and fold in quarters. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Amazing-Calavacita-and-Pork/Detail.aspx

Creamed Zucchini and Cilantro

This French inspired recipe is adapted from Zucchini with Cilantro and Cream, by Hélène Wagner-Popoff, Corsica, France; Bon Appetit; May 2002.

“Hélène Wagner-Popoff writes, "My husband, Ivan, and I moved to Corsica from Madagascar eleven years ago on a whim. We restored an abandoned convent and saved the thousand-year-old olive grove surrounding it. Today we produce an olive oil called 'de pays de Corse Ivan Popoff.'

Although I was born in Lyons, the subtle flavors typical of Corsican cooking have definitely influenced my style. My dishes are extremely varied and well thought-out, but most of all simple. I like to surprise my family and guests with unexpected flavor combinations that don't take a lot of effort."

While this is delicious on its own as a side dish, Hélène also recommends it as a sauce spooned over roasted fish.”

I served this with Cajun Grilled Catfish. Yumm! I substituted olive oil for butter, chopped garlic for cloves and milk with cornstarch for cream - lower fat and ingredients on hand. Of course I really liked this recipe to use up the fresh cilantro growing abundantly now.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 3/4 pounds (2 medium) zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup milk

Heat iron skillet, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while slicing zucchini and chopping cilantro.

Sauté zucchini, garlic and cilantro in olive oil over medium heat for five minutes until zucchini is crisp tender.

Put cornstarch in cup and stir in the milk.

Turn heat to low and pour milk over zucchini, stirring constantly until thickened, about one minute.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-with-Cilantro-and-Cream-106491

Peanutty Noodles with Zucchini

This recipe was originally from Good Housekeeping and called Sesame Noodles. The only sesame here is the oil. I have adapted it to ingredients on hand – i.e. an abundance of zucchini!
The original recipe called for green onions, cucumber, radishes and carrot. My green onions are gone now, but I have plenty of fresh chives. I can’t eat raw cucumbers, but I have lots of zucchini. My radishes didn’t make it this year. I thought carrot ribbons would be nicer with the long noodles. Fettucine would work just as well as vermicelli. I cut the soy sauce way back. It was too salty and made the noodles too dark. I substituted hot sauce for crushed red pepper. Fresh ginger is nice, when available. Overall, this is a tasty Asian style noodle dish.

16 oz. vermicelli
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
¼ tsp. hot red pepper sauce
½ cup water
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped chives
1 small (6” x 1”) zucchini, unpeeled, cut lengthwise in half and thinly sliced ¼”crosswise
1 medium carrot, shaved into long thin ribbons with peeler

Cook noodles per package directions.
Meanwhile, in blender, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, hot sauce and 1/2 cup water until blended. Set sauce aside.
Chop chives, zucchini and carrot.
Drain noodles.
In large pasta bowl, toss noodles with sauce until evenly coated. Top with vegetables; toss before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/sesame-noodles-666?click=main_sr

Chicken & Broccoli with Linguine

Here’s another Italian style chicken and broccoli dish. This one is from …..Cyndi! I have converted it to ingredients on hand and my cooking methods. This has an unusual and delicious tomato sauce - creamy and spicy. Adding dairy to a wine and tomato sauce is tricky. It tends to curdle. My trick is to add cornstarch to the milk, add the milk at the very end of cooking and do not let the sauce boil.

12 oz. linguine
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 to 1-1/4 lb. (2 -3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 cups (2 to 3 small) zucchini, sliced
1 1/2 cups (1 head) broccoli, chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon base
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper sauce
1-1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook linguine as package directs. Drain. Return linguine to pan and toss with olive oil. Cover and keep warm.

While pasta cooks, heat iron skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing chicken and chopping vegetables.

To prepare broccoli: Wash it and cut off the stalk where it branches. Trim the head into spears, cutting off leaves if you prefer. Now, dice the stems crosswise in ½” pieces until you reach the flowers. Set the flowers stem down and cut into 2 to 4 sections depending on size.

Hold the stalk upright and use your trimming knife to slice thinly down the side of the stalk, just cutting off the peel. Turn it one quarter and slice again. Keep turning and slicing until peeled. Trim the corners of any remaining peel as needed. Trim the harvested end and slice the stalk lengthwise in similar size to the spears. Then slice the stalk crosswise.

To prepare zucchini: Wash zucchini and trim the ends. Cut crosswise into 1/4” slices.

Sauté chicken over medium heat with black pepper, onion, garlic and oregano; just until no longer pink - about 5 minutes.

Add zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, water, chicken base, white wine and hot sauce. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Put cornstarch in a cup and stir in the milk. Stir into the skillet until slightly thickened and bubbly.

Serve immediately over linguine, garnish with grated parmesan and accompany with garlic toast and white wine.

Serves 4 to 6.

From: merrillandcyndibowan@xxxxxxxxxx
To: FamilyFare@yahoogroups.com
Date: 4/24/2006 9:52 PM

Chicken & Broccoli with Linguine

1 1/2 tb Olive oil, divided use
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
10 Sun-dried tomatoes, soaked -10 minutes in hot water(opt)
1/4 c Chopped onion
1 ts Minced garlic
1 1/2 c Sliced zucchini
1 1/2 c Broccoli florets
1 1/2 c Chicken broth, divided use
1/4 c Dry vermouth or white wine
1 ts Oregano
1 1/2 ts Cornstarch
1/4 ts Hot red pepper flakes
1/4 c Heavy cream
10 oz Linguine, cooked according to package direction
Parmesan cheese

Cut chicken into cubes and sprinkle with pepper. Soak sun-dried tomatoes in hot water 10 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in large, heavy, non-stick skillet; sauté chicken just until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan.
Add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to skillet; stir in onion and sauté until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
Stir in garlic, zucchini and broccoli. Add 3/4 cup of the chicken broth, cover and simmer 3-5 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender.
Combine oregano and cornstarch with remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth and add to vegetables. Return chicken to pan, add hot red pepper flakes and cook over brisk heat until slightly thickened and bubbly.
Heat cream in microwave 30 seconds and stir into pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately over linguine or other pasta.

Belinda's Chicken Casserole

Even though there seems to be a million chicken and broccoli casseroles out there, when a friend brought this to a pot-luck dinner, I was so impressed with the flavor and simplicity, I had to have her recipe. The secret is not to overcook the chicken so it remains tender.

1 lb. (2 – 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 lb. (2 - 3 heads) broccoli spears
1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Coat a 9” x 9" glass baking dish with canola oil spray.
Heat iron skillet, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while slicing chicken, broccoli and mushrooms.
Sauté chicken over medium high heat until no longer pink.
Add broccoli and mushrooms, cover and steam over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
Place in prepared baking dish.
Mix soup with milk and pour over casserole.
Bake for 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Serve with rice or noodles.

Serves: 4 – 6.

Creamy Broccoli and Zucchini

It’s now the end of broccoli season and the zucchini is very prolific this year. I made this recipe almost as written. I used plain egg noodles, since I didn’t have any spinach noodles on hand. I have a large jar of chopped garlic in the refrigerator, so I used that along with snipping some parsley and oregano from my kitchen herb garden. I’ve written before about my lack of patience in making roux for white sauce. Here I substituted cream of celery with some added flour for thickening the juices from the zucchini. For the cheese, I used some low-fat cottage cheese. It really did melt in the sauce!

My husband liked this dish. It is basically creamed vegetables over noodles. Thanks again to Cyndi! I must really like her recipes, since they are continually selected out of the thousands I have.

8 oz. egg noodles
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 cups (1 good sized head) broccoli
2 cups (1 medium) zucchini
1 med. onion, diced ½”
1 tsp. butter or margarine
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
3 tbsp. flour
½ cup milk
1 Tbsp. sherry
1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil noodles as package directs. Drain. Return to pan and toss with olive oil. Cover and keep warm.

While noodles cook, prepare broccoli. Wash it and cut off the stalk where it branches. Trim the head into spears, cutting off leaves if you prefer. Now, dice the stems crosswise in ½” pieces until you reach the flowers. Set the flowers stem down and cut into 2 to 4 sections depending on size.

Hold the stalk upright and use your trimming knife to slice thinly down the side of the stalk, just cutting off the peel. Turn it one quarter and slice again. Keep turning and slicing until peeled. Trim the corners of any remaining peel as needed. Trim the harvested end and slice the stalk lengthwise in similar size to the spears. Then slice the stalk crosswise. Put in top of vegetable steamer. (See recipe for Steamed Broccoli.)

Prepare zucchini: Wash zucchini and trim the ends. Cut it lengthwise into quarters. Slice crosswise into 1/2” pieces. Put pieces in steamer. Add diced onion to steamer. Steam until crisp tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Drain steamer bottom. Set vegetables aside. Return pan to medium heat and melt the butter. Sauté garlic, parsley and oregano for a minute or so. Stir in the cream of celery soup.

Put flour in a cup and gradually blend in milk with a fork, whisking out any lumps. Stir into soup. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.

Add cottage cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is almost melted.

Stir in sherry and cooked vegetables and heat through.

Serve over hot noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, accompanied by a crispy hot roll or garlic toast.

Serves 4 to 6.

From: merrillandcyndibowan@XXXXX
To: FamilyFare@yahoogroups.com
Date: 10/8/2004 7:20 PM

Creamy Broccoli and Zucchini

2 c. chopped fresh broccoli
2 c. unpared zucchini
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. Ricotta (or creamed cottage cheese)
8 oz. spinach noodles, cooked
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
3 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
1 tbsp. sherry
Pinch oregano
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Cook broccoli and zucchini together until tender (steam 8-10 minutes). Drain well. In saucepan sauté onion and garlic until tender (not brown). Blend in flour, parsley and oregano. Add milk. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add Ricotta cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is almost melted. Stir in cooked vegetables and heat through. Serve over hot noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Chicken Viola

I found this recipe at Daily Recipes. I am always intrigued when I hear that a recipe has been in a family for generations. The ingredients are inexpensive and usually on hand. But when I went to make this recipe, I saw some problems right off. There were no real measurements, just a bag of this and a can of that. Then I saw how much chicken they were putting in one 9” x 13” dish with all those other ingredients and I thought maybe it would all work out if we were making two 9” x 13” dishes!

Using experience and trial and error, I came up with proportions that made a truly delicious and deluxe casserole. First, I poached the chicken breasts instead of boiling. Boiling tends to make breast meat tough. Poaching results in more tender meat. Then I used fresh steamed broccoli spears, a deluxe alternative to frozen broccoli. Next, I added some milk to the soup to make the casserole a little moister. I used a whole pound of cheese, but you could probably get by with less. Finally, I used Panko for the topping resulting in a casserole special enough for a Ladies Luncheon. Thanks to Ashly and Sandy!

8 oz. egg noodles
1 lb. (2 – 3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained
1 bunch (2 - 3 heads) fresh broccoli
2 cans (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup milk
4 cups (16 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with canola oil spray.

Boil noodles until almost done and drain. Spread noodles in bottom of prepared dish.

While noodles are cooking, trim the chicken breasts and poach: Place them in a 6 cup saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let set for 7 minutes. Drain and fill with cold water to handle. Shred over noodles.

Sprinkle the mushrooms over the chicken.

While chicken is cooking, trim and steam broccoli spears. (See previous recipe for Steamed Broccoli.

Arrange broccoli spears over chicken and mushrooms.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together soup and milk. Stir in cheese and spread over broccoli.

Put margarine in 1 quart microwaveable bowl. Cover with wax paper. Heat on defrost for one minute. Stir. Pour Panko crumbs over melted butter. Toss lightly with fork to mix. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until heated through.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Chicken Viola 

Posted by: Sandy U. sandyu42@XXXXXXXX at Daily Recipes
Date: 4/6/2006 2:42 PM
Source: http://online-cookbook.com - ashly 
Comments: Came from generations in my family.

Orange Broccoli Almondine

Here is another flavor for broccoli – orange. If you happen to have a fresh Clementine or tangerine, you could use a peeled one here.

Sliced almonds are sometimes hard to find, even during the holiday season. I look for them then and stock up for the rest of the year. Nuts freeze well. I would dearly love to learn of a home method or device for slicing almonds. I haven’t found one yet. If you know of one, please leave a comment here for the rest of us. Thanks!

Below, I have listed the recipe that inspired this dish. Thanks to Cyndi.

1 bunch (2 - 3 heads) broccoli
1 can (4 oz.) mandarin orange segments, drained
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
¼ cup sliced almonds
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. sherry
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Wash, trim and steam broccoli in spears as in previous recipe for Steamed Broccoli.

After draining, return broccoli to bottom of steamer and toss with oranges.

While broccoli is steaming, make sauce:

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add almonds and sauté until they turn a pale golden color.

Put cornstarch in bottom of small bowl. Slowly add orange juice, stirring to dissolve.

Stir in sherry. Add juice to pan with almonds and slowly bring to boil, stirring constantly until thickened.

Pour sauce over broccoli and serve.

Serves 4 - 6.

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To: FamilyFare@yahoogroups.com
From: “Merrill and Cyndi Bowan” sparrow@XXXXXX
Date: 5/24/2003 2:40 PM

Steamed Broccoli with Almond Orange Butter

1 bunch fresh broccoli
3 T. butter
1/4 c. thinly sliced almonds
2 tsp. grated orange rind

Remove tough stems from broccoli; cut into florets about 2" long. Place in a microwaveable glass baking dish just large enough to hold all in one layer. Sprinkle with 2-3 T. water; cover tightly and microwave on HIGH for 6-8 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt butter. Add almonds and sauté until almonds begin to turn pale golden. Stir in orange rind. Pour over broccoli and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Broccoli Chicken Ramen Casserole

This has become another family favorite. My son that hates cooked broccoli likes it, probably because it has Ramen in it (one of his favorite foods) but he complains about the mushrooms.

In the previous recipe for Steamed Broccoli, I went into detail about cutting the broccoli into spears. Chopping starts out similarly. Wash the broccoli. Cut off the stalk where it branches and trim the head into spears, cutting off leaves if you prefer. Now, dice the stems crosswise until you reach the flowers. Set the flowers stem down and cut into 2 to 4 sections depending on size.

Hold the stalk upright and use your trimming knife to slice thinly down the side of the stalk, just cutting off the peel. Turn it one quarter and slice again. Keep turning and slicing until peeled. Trim the corners of any remaining peel as needed. Trim the harvested end and slice the stalk lengthwise in similar size to the spears. Then slice the stalk crosswise.

I suppose it’s time for a discussion of bouillon base that I include in my recipes. The best ingredient is homemade broth, whether chicken, beef or vegetable. But that’s not usually available. Next in regards to quality could be canned broth, depending on how much salt and additives it contains. This is generally a pricey option. The additive I most like to avoid is MSG. Which is the main reason I toss the little flavor packets that come with Ramen. Then there are all those little cubes of bouillon. Read the label! Most of them contain MSG also. I find passable, the Tone’s Chicken and Beef Base sold at Sam’s Club. The best alternative to homemade broth is the Broth Powders from Frontier Natural Products.

I have included below the original recipe that inspired this dish. Thanks to Chad!

1 lb. (2 – 3) boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
6 cups (2 – 3 heads) broccoli, chopped

1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt or buttermilk
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon base
1 tsp. sugar
2 pkg. Ramen noodles, broken
½ cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with canola oil spray.

Heat 4 ½ quart Dutch oven, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing chicken and vegetables.

Sauté chicken with onion and garlic over high heat until lightly browned.

Add broccoli and stir fry until broccoli is bright green, about five minutes.

Turn off heat and stir in rest of ingredients.

Place mixture in prepared baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake 45 minutes and uncover.

Bake 15 more minutes and remove from oven.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 10 to 12.

Subject: [dailyrecipes] Broccoli Casserole
From: Chad Hutton <chadnmichael2004@XXXXXX>
Sender: dailyrecipes@yahoogroups.com
Date: 7/7/2006 9:06 PM

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup blue cheese dressing
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Flavor Pack from Ramen
6 cups broccoli, peeled stems and heads, chopped and blanched in
salted water
12 ounces sliced mushrooms, Sautéed in 1 tablespoon butter
1 package chicken flavored Ramen noodles, broken up

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl combine mayonnaise, yogurt, cheddar cheese, blue cheese dressing, eggs, salt, pepper, and flavor pack from noodles. In a separate bowl combine broccoli, mushrooms, and broken noodles then toss together wet mixture and vegetables to evenly coat. Place in an 8 by 8-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non- stick cooking spray and cook for 45 minutes covered. Then remove cover and bake for additional 15 minutes to brown. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Broccoli & Corn Casserole

Getting Real here has broccoli in season. It has been coming out my ears so to speak this last weekJ.

But even throughout the year, fresh broccoli is frequently on sale.

I almost always have cheeses in the freezer. I stock up when they are on sale for $3.00/ lb. or less.

Creamed corn is almost always in my pantry. It is a favorite of my family (as opposed to canned peas, spinach and mushrooms). I buy canned goods by the flat when they are on sale. It used to be you could buy them for 3 or4 to the dollar. Not anymore L.

And my new favorite this year is Panko bread crumbs. I had seen them in the magazines and my mother mentioned them. Then I saw them at the “Dented Can Store”. I bought several packages and have been hooked. They are light and crispy. They just seem to make a dish more elegant. I did some research and have made them at home. The secret is to use a hearty coarse grained white bread – unbleached, buttermilk or sourdough – doesn’t matter so much as the texture. Slice it, trim the crusts, cube it and let it dry out a bit. Then crumble it in a blender or food processor. I keep them handy in a bag or jar in the freezer door.

I have also included the original recipe that inspired this one so you could see the type of changes I make in ingredients and methods. Thanks Jenn!

2 heads broccoli
1 cup (4 oz.) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 egg
1 can (14 ¾ oz.) cream style corn
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat a 10” square glass baking dish with canola oil spray.

Trim broccoli into spears and steam until bright green but not quite tender when pierced with a fork, about five minutes. (See my recipe for Steamed Broccoli.)

Arrange steamed broccoli spears in prepared baking dish.

Sprinkle cheese over broccoli.

Beat egg in 1 ½ quart mixing bowl. Stir in creamed corn and pour over broccoli and cheese.

Put margarine in 1 quart microwaveable bowl. Cover with wax paper. Heat on defrost for one minute. Stir.

Pour Panko crumbs over melted butter. Toss lightly with fork to mix. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole.

Bake about 40 minutes or until almost set, when a knife inserted in center comes out fairly clean.

Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from:

Subject: [dailyrecipes] Broccoli-Corn Casserole
From: “Jenn Bartimus” jlbart74@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:57:03 -0500

Broccoli-Corn Casserole

2 (16-ounce) bags frozen broccoli flowerets -- thawed and drained
2 (14 3/4-ounce) cans cream-style corn
2 eggs -- slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine -- melted
3/4 cup herb-seasoned stuffing crumbs

Heat oven to 350F. Mix broccoli, corn and eggs in ungreased 3-quart
casserole or rectangular baking dish, 13 × 9 × 2 inches. Mix butter
and stuffing; sprinkle evenly over vegetable mixture. Bake uncovered
about 1 hr or until stuffing is golden and vegetables are hot.

Yield: 8 servings.

Lemon Chicken Broccoli and Bowties

Here is a chicken and broccoli dish Italian style. This is very pretty arranged and served in a large flat pasta bowl. Serve with garlic toast and white wine and you have a complete meal.

8 oz. bowtie pasta (Farfalle)
1 medium bunch (2 to 3 heads) broccoli
1 lb. (2 to 3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
6 Tbsp lemon juice, split
1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 tsp. lemon extract, split

Boil and drain bowties. Return to pan. Cover and keep warm.

Wash and trim broccoli into spears and steam. (See previous recipe for Steamed Broccoli.) Remove the steamer basket and pour off the water. Put the broccoli into the now empty saucepan and toss with butter and 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice. Cover and keep warm.

Heat iron skillet until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while dicing chicken.

Sauté chicken, onion, garlic and mushrooms over medium high heat until lightly browned.

Stir in Italian dressing, ½ tsp. lemon extract and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Cover and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Whisk together cream of chicken soup and milk in a small 6 cup microwaveable bowl.
Heat on high for two minutes. Stir. When the mixture is thoroughly heated, stir in 4
tablespoons (1/4 cup) of lemon juice and ½ tsp. lemon extract. Be careful with the lemon juice - if you add it too soon the milk will curdle. It should be a shiny smooth sauce. Pour over the bowties and lightly toss.

Place the bowties in a large pasta bowl. Top with chicken in the center, and arrange broccoli around the outside edge.

Serves: 6 to 8

Adapted from:
Subject: Attitude Chicken
From: Sharon saltywood8@xxxxxxx
Sender: dailyrecipes@yahoogroups.com
Date: 7/9/2006 10:12 PM

Get Real Chicken Divan

Here is another great classic chicken and broccoli dish. This one is French and is perfect for a ladies luncheon or dinner. I just love it when I find some history or first person accounts of the origin of a dish. I had made various versions on my own for years, but have altered my recipe to be more true to the flavor of the original. Following is the original version I found at the Recipe Link. After that I listed my Get Real recipe.

BTW, you may wonder at all the recipes I post using boneless, skinless chicken breasts? They are a great value – low in fat, quick to cook, versatile and tasty. I just stocked up on them at $1.58 per pound. Be sure to buy the store or butcher package. IQF is a waste. They are soaked in water and poorly cut. Many years ago, some friends of mine actually did a market study at home comparing whole chicken breasts, boneless, skinless breasts and whole chickens. For the amount of waste from skin and bones, boneless and skinless is the real value. Of course, I always need some skin and bones to make soups and broths.

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"Levesia, here is the original recipe from Divan Parisien, where I loved to dine in the late 1940s. A great restaurant, and you actually ate at tables drawn up to small sofas (or divans!)"

CHICKEN DIVAN

1 five-pound fowl (stewing chicken)** see note

Water

2 tsp. salt

2 cups medium white sauce

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup hollandaise sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

3 Tbsp. sherry

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 large bunch broccoli

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (preferably fresh-grated)

(1) Place whole fowl on a rack in a kettle. Add about five cups boiling water and salt; bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until tender (about three hours). Cool in broth, then remove from broth, remove skin and slice the meat.

(2) While fowl is cooking, make white sauce and stir in nutmeg. Make hollandaise. Combine hollandaise, white sauce, Worcestershire sauce and sherry, then combine thoroughly with the whipped cream.

(3) Cook broccoli, drain and arrange on deep serving platter, sprinkle lightly with some of the cheese. Arrange sliced chicken on top, pour the sauce over all and sprinkle generously with the remaining cheese.

(4) Broil about 5 inches below hot broiler flame until lightly browned and bubbly.

***Note: this recipe came from a French restaurant kitchen, which assumed you know how to make white sauce AND hollandaise. These recipes can be found in any basic cookbook (like Joy of Cooking) or if you need recipes from these, ISO to me or TKL Cooking Club. This recipe was my claim to fame as a hostess for more than 30 years and I still make it occasionally. I use any larger chicken parts available in the supermarket, as fowl is very seldom found, nowadays, and simmer it much less time -- keep testing to see when it is tender--beginning at 30 minutes.

SERVES FOUR. NOT for dieters!!! Bon appetit!

Cooking Club at Recipelink.com

http://www.recipelink.com/msgid/0032143

From: Beege 11-12-1998

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Get Real Chicken Divan

Serves: 8

1 large bunch broccoli (2 to 4 heads) (20 oz.)

1 to 1 ¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (2 to 3)

2 cans (10.5 oz.) condensed Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. sherry

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with canola oil spray.

Wash and trim broccoli into spears and steam. (See recipe for Steamed Broccoli.)

Arrange broccoli spears in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of grated Parmesan.

Heat iron skillet, until hot and dry. Remove from heat and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Return to very low heat while slicing chicken.

Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise, butterfly style. Separate pieces. Sauté chicken over medium high heat until lightly browned. Layer sautéed chicken over broccoli.

In 1 ½ quart mixing bowl, whisk together soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice, sherry, Worcestershire sauce and nutmeg. Pour sauce over all and sprinkle with remaining grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Serve with a crusty French bread, a tossed salad and a nice white wine.

Chinese Beef and Broccoli

This is a traditional dish found at most Chinese restaurants. It has been a favorite at our house forever, it seems. I have always loved Chinese cooking. My mother gave me my first wok when I was in college. After college, I attended some Chinese cooking classes through adult education at a community college. Then I bought my first Chinese cookbook through a cookbook book club. Jim Lee’s Chinese Cookbook has become my foundation and reference for Chinese cooking.

Since this is best served over my Foolproof Rice.

Canola oil spray
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 lb. boneless beef steak, sirloin tip or top round
2 slices fresh ginger root, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large bunch broccoli (2 – 4 heads)
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. beef bouillon base
2 Tbsp. sherry
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup water

Season wok: Heat wok hot and dry. Coat with canola oil spray. Turn heat to very low while preparing ingredients.

Slice meat in thin strips across the grain. Set aside.

Peel and shred the ginger root. Peel and mince garlic. Set aside.

Wash broccoli and trim into spears as for recipe for Steamed Broccoli. Set aside.

Mix together sauce ingredients: sugar, cornstarch, bouillon, soy sauce, sherry, pepper and ¾ cup of water. Set aside.

Heat wok until hot. Add 1 Tbsp. of sesame oil and spread around. Add beef, ginger and garlic and stir fry until meat is lightly browned and juices are mostly evaporated. Empty beef to holding pan, scraping wok clean.

Heat wok until hot. Add 1 Tbsp. of sesame oil and spread around. Add broccoli and stir fry for three minutes. Add remaining ¼ cup water, cover and cook for four minutes. When done, broccoli should be bright jade green and tender enough to just pierce with a fork.

Add cooked meat to wok and stir fry a minute to warm it up.

Add sauce mixture to wok and stir until sauce thickens.

Turn heat to low, cover and cook two minutes more.

Serve over rice.

Serves: 4 – 6

Substitutions: If you have leftover roast beef, you can slice or shred it and add it after cooking the broccoli, just to reheat. Then you would fry the ginger and garlic with the broccoli.

I don’t always have fresh ginger or garlic cloves on hand. I have used ground ginger. Add 1 tsp. to the sauce mix. 1 Tbsp. minced garlic can be stir fried or add 1/8 tsp. granulated garlic to the sauce mix.

Sesame oil gives the best flavor. For a different flavor, substitute peanut oil. If you have neither of those, canola will do, it just won’t give much flavor.

Substitute ¼ cup of oyster sauce for the soy sauce to achieve another flavor.

If you don’t have any sherry, you can leave it out. Use it if you have it though, it gives a certain delicious flavor.

Beef bouillon base can be replaced by using hot water and dissolving a cube of beef bouillon. Or you can use 1 cup of beef broth, home made or canned.

Adding a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce to the sauce mixture will liven the flavor.

Julienned onions could be stir fried with the broccoli. Grated or ribbon cut carrot is a colorful addition also.

Get Real Broccoli Ritz Casserole

This dish has become another perennial and classic American favorite. And yes, even my son that won’t eat cooked broccoli, loves this one!

Of course, I can’t not fiddle with a recipe and I have printed the Nabisco original recipe, a modified recipe and my own Get Real recipe. By Get Real, here I use real cheese, not Velveeta and not processed cheese food. I also reduced the margarine by 25%.

RITZ® Broccoli Casserole
http://www.nabisco.com/recipes/recipeprinterfriendly.aspx?recipe_id=56398

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 55 min
Makes: 12 servings, 1/2 cup each


3 pkg. (10 oz. each) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained
3/4 lb. (12 oz.) VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut up
36 RITZ Crackers, coarsely crushed, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix broccoli, VELVEETA and half of the crushed crackers until well blended.
SPOON into 2-quart baking dish. Mix remaining crushed crackers and butter; sprinkle over broccoli mixture.
BAKE 45 minutes or until heated through.

BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1650,150187-225202,00.html

1 1/2 lbs. broccoli and cauliflower
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
1 c. shredded American or Colby cheese
1/2 c. butter
1 c. crushed Ritz crackers

Steam vegetables until tender and place in casserole. Mix milk and cream of mushroom soup together; pour over vegetables. Sprinkle shredded Colby cheese over top. Mix cracker crumbs and butter until crumbly and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour until bubbly. Serves 8.

Get Real Broccoli Ritz Casserole

1 large bunch of broccoli (2 - 4 heads), cut in spears
1 can (10.5 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
12 slices American cheese (not processed cheese food)
6 Tbsp. margarine
1 stack of Ritz® crackers (36)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Coat 12” x 8” glass baking dish with canola or olive oil spray.
Steam broccoli until just tender.
Arrange broccoli spears in baking dish.
In 6 cup microwaveable bowl, whisk together soup and milk. Heat on high for 2 minutes. Slide 4 slices of cheese into soup. Microwave on high one minute. Stir. Repeat twice more until all the slices are melted.
Pour over broccoli.
Put margarine in 1 quart microwaveable bowl. Cover with wax paper. Heat on defrost for one minute. Stir.
Put stack of crackers in heavy one gallon zip-lock bag. Crush with rolling pin or wooden mallet.
Pour crushed crackers over melted butter. Toss lightly with fork to mix.
Sprinkle cracker crumbs over casserole.
Bake 30 minutes until bubbly. Do not let brown.

Serves 10 to 12

Substitutions: Any combination of cole crops will work – broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and/or Brussels sprouts. 1 ½ lbs (24 oz.) frozen vegetables can be substituted, just be sure to thaw and drain them well. Baking time will be a little longer because they are cold. There are many store brands of Ritz crackers available. I usually use them for significant cost savings.

Additions: Some steamed onions, celery and/or carrots are nice additions. Cut them as you see fit.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

This is probably the most favorite of all broccoli dishes. Even my son that refuses to eat cooked broccoli likes this. The flavor and texture depend on the cheese used. Don’t use a stringy cheese like Mozzarella. You want a cheese that will melt and has good flavor.

1 recipe Steamed Broccoli

Cheese Sauce ( see Basic Cheese Sauce)

2 cups milk

¼ cup flour

1 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

Stir milk and flour in blender.

Pour into 6 cup microwaveable bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir with whisk, scraping sides and bottom of bowl and breaking up any lumps that may have formed.

Microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Repeat stirring with whisk.

Microwave for 1 minute. Repeat stirring.

Add cheese and stir.

Microwave another minute and stir, if needed, to completely melt the cheese.

Pour over steamed broccoli and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

Steamed Broccoli

This is the easiest and best way to cook broccoli. It’s my favorite and I could eat broccoli like this several times a week. As a child, I hated broccoli the way my grandmother cooked it. She put the whole head in a large kettle and boiled it until it was mushy. Yechh!

This recipe requires a stovetop setup for steaming vegetables. I have a set of Revere Ware I received as a wedding present from my family many years ago. It included a three piece vegetable steamer: the 3 quart saucepan, a 2 quart perforated-on-the-bottom pan that fits tightly over it and a tight fitting lid. As a back-up steamer, I use the 4 ½ quart Dutch oven and cover with a collapsible steamer basket set inside. You can just put it in water, but then it is watery. Steaming gives a much better texture.

2 fresh heads broccoli

Wash the broccoli.

Cut off the stalk where it branches and trim the head into spears, cutting off leaves if you prefer. Slice the larger spears in half lengthwise.

Hold the stalk upright and use your trimming knife to slice thinly down the side of the stalk, just cutting off the peel. Turn it one quarter and slice again. Keep turning and slicing until peeled. Trim the corners of any remaining peel as needed. Trim the rough harvested end. Slice the stalk lengthwise in similar size to the spears.

Put about an inch of water in the bottom pan.

Put the broccoli in the steamer basket and set it over the water.

Cover tightly and bring to a boil.

Check it after five minutes. The broccoli is done when it is bright green and you can barely pierce it with a fork.

Remove the steamer basket and pour off the water. Put the broccoli in the now empty saucepan to keep it warm or to season it.

Serve it as is or add your favorite seasonings: Butter or olive oil; grated parmesan; toasted sesame seeds or sliced almonds.

You definitely don’t want to overcook broccoli. If you will be using it immediately in another dish, cook it even less.

Serves 6 to 8 depending on how much your diners like broccoli.