Chile Relleno Casserole

Submitted by Lori, adapted from recipe by Kathi
Print Version (pdf) – Chile Rellenos

NOTE: I use a 9×13 pan – serves 8 people. Sometimes I have extra chiles and put them in another smaller pan. Can add extra or fewer eggs/milk — it’s very flexible.

Ingredients for Chile Rellenos:
27-ounce can whole green Chiles (purchased from Costco)
2/3 C jack cheese (buy a big block)
2 Cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 eggs
2/3 C milk
1 C flour
1 tsp baking powder

Ingredients for Sauce
½ onion, chopped
2 T butter
2T flour
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 can chicken or vegetable broth
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (4 or 7 oz) green chile salsa

Instructions for Chile Rellenos:
Place chiles in colander to drain. Remove seeds from chiles. (I don’t remove seeds.) Pat dry. Cut jack cheese approximately ½ inch wide and as long as the chile so that it will fit inside without extending beyond. Stuff each chile with cheese. (It doesn’t matter if the chile is torn or broken.)

Butter ½ quart casserole dish and arrange chiles side by side. Fill the pan.

Beat eggs until thick and foamy. Add milk, flour and baking powder. Beat until smooth. Pour batter over chiles. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered, 375 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly and puffy. While Chiles are baking, prepare sauce.

Instructions for Sauce:
Sauté onion in butter. Add flour and pepper and stir. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients (salt, broth, tomato sauce, green chile salsa). Simmer 15 minutes until thick.   Pour on top of baked chile relleno. (I let each person add sauce, as desired.)   Top with sour cream.

Baked Oatmeal

Submitted by Judy

(Incredibly yummy!)

 

Ingredients

3/4 c butter

1.5 c sliced fruit (canned, fresh, whatever….)

4T Brown Sugar

1/2 c milk

2/3 c maple syrup

2 eggs

1t vanilla

2c old fashioned oats

2 1/2t baking powder

1/4t baking soda

1/2t salt

1/3 c sliced almonds

Directions

Melt 1/4 c butter in bottom of 9” pan (10×13 if doubling recipe). Arrange fruit on bottom & sprinkle with half the brown sugar.  Set aside.

Mix milk, syrup, eggs, 1/2 c melted butter, & vanilla.  In a separate bowl stir oats, baking powder, baking soda, & salt together.  Add wet ingredients to dry and pour over fruit smoothing evenly.  Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar & almonds.  **Judy didn’t use quite so much butter or sugar….it’s a pretty flexible recipe.

Bake at 350 for 40-50 min until brown on top.  Allow to cool & serve with milk, coffee creamer, or custard.  Freezes well & easy to double the recipe.

Apricot Coffee Cake

Submitted by Janet

— just as delicious the next day, too!

 

(8 x 8 x 2-inch pan)

Ingredients

Krusteaz 17.5-oz. Fat Free Cranberry Orange Supreme Muffin Mix

1 cup water  (if doubling the recipe use 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Set aside 1/4 cup dry mix.  Place remaining mix, 1 cup water and 1/2 cup apricot preserves in medium bowl.  Stir together until moistened.  Fold in drained cranberries.  Spoon batter into lightly greased 8x8x2-inch pan.  In separate bowl, stir together reserved mix, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.  Sprinkle over batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Spinach and Cheese Strata

Submitted by Farryl  – Lori’s Barrio neighbor

— This dish was fantastic!  

Ingredients

1 lb bag chopped frozen spinach, thawed
3 T unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 C) I used ½ onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
¾ Lb Italian bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 8 Cups)
6oz (1 ½ cups) coarsely grated Gruyere
2oz (2/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
9 large eggs
2-3/4 Cups half-and-half
2T. Dijon mustard
1-3/4 t salt
¾ t black pepper
¼ t nutmeg

Instructions

Squeeze all the moisture out of the spinach.

Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and drained spinach and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.

Butter a 3 quart baking dish. Spread 1/3 of the bread cubes in the dish and top evenly with 1/3 spinach mixture. Sprinkle with 1/3 of each cheese. Repeat layering twice, ending with the cheeses.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, add half-and-half, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg and whisk until well combined.

Pour the custard mixture evenly over the strata and cover with plastic wrap, chill over night.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, Bake the strata, uncovered until puffed, set and golden brown, 70-75 minutes. Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.   8 servings

Spaghetti and Vegetable Fritatta a` la Fran

Submitted by Fran (a delicious original!)

All vegetable amounts adjustable. Recipe easily doubled. You can use any veggies you like.  Great way to use up leftover spaghetti and veggies.

Ingredients

About 1/2 pound  spaghetti (linguine or capellini would work too)
2-3 zucchini sliced into rounds, after cooking reserve some to decorate the top.
8-16 oz. mushrooms various kinds (depends how much you like mushrooms) sliced
1 medium-large onion , cut in half and sliced
1 pound baby spinach
1 large bunch kale, large ribs removed
5 cloves garlic, chopped
About 1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Parmesan -Gruyere would also be great)
Olive oil
1/2 dozen eggs
1/4 cup 2 % milk (can use whole milk or half and half but do not use skim)
salt, pepper, to taste, about 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme, extra garlic powder for egg mixture
1/4 -1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)

Directions

I used a cake pan with a removable bottom but any cake pan would do.  I lined with foil and sprayed with a canola oil.

In a large pan (not non stick- I used cast iron) heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.  Add sliced zucchini in batches if necessary, sautéing undisturbed for about 3-4 minutes until browned.  Season with salt and pepper and  thyme. Flip and sauté other side. Place on paper towel to absorb excess oil.  Add onions to the pan and gently caramelize about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms. Add more olive oil if necessary. Season with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Cook until nicely softened and very slightly brown.  Add garlic and cook until softened making sure not to burn. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile bring salted water for pasta to a boil.  Add the de-ribbed kale and cook a few minutes until bright green and softened.  Reserve water by removing kale with a strainer and drain. Slice when cooled. Add to the pan with the onions and mushrooms, garlic. Add the zucchini reserving some of the nice slices to decorate top of frittata.

Return kale water to a boil and add spaghetti. Cook until just al dente (about 2-4 minutes less than package directions- should be just cooked). Before draining reserve about 1 &1/2  cups of the cooking water.  Throw in the spinach and immediately drain the spinach and pasta together. Put back in the pot or a large bowl with reserved cooking water and mix in the vegetables. You could add some cheese now.

Beat the eggs with a fork until well blended and add the milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder if using.  You could add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you only used small amount in veggies.

Add pasta-veggie mixture by large forkfuls, twirling a bit after each addition.  I added cheese to the middle layer. Fill the pan evenly leaving room to add the egg mixture (I did not use all the pasta mixture). Decorate the top with reserved zucchini. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 1/2 hour.  Check to see if set by inserting a knife. Do not overcook. Cool and slide on to a decorative plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Oatmeal Scones

Submitted by Sylvia
(credits to Sandy)

Oh man…best scones ever!

Ingredients

3 c plus 2 T. flour
1/2 c plus 2 T. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
10 oz. cold sweet unsalted butter
2 c oats
1 c currents (can use chocolate chips or raisins)
2 T. grated orange zest (just bright color)
3/4 c buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and butter in bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle, mix at a low s[peed until the butter is the size of small peas (til crumbly). Add oats, currants and orange zest. continue to mix, slowly pouring in the buttermilk, until the dough comes together.

Put the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 3/4 inch thick circle. Cut dough into 10 circles, each 3 1/2 inches (I cut to about 2 inch and it made about 30). Put on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Maple Glazed Snack Mix

Submitted by Marcia

Ingredients
2 C Corn Chex
2 C Rice Chex
2 C Honey Nut Cheerioes1 C miniature pretzels
1/2 C pecans, coarsely chopped
1 T butter
1/3 C maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
In large bowl, combine cereals, pretzels and pecans. In microwave-safe dish combine syrup and butter. Cover and microwave on high for 45 seconds or until butter is melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to 15″ x 1″ baking pan coated tow/ cooking spray. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 min, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store in airtight container.

Peanut Butter Balls

Submitted by Marcia

Ingredients
1 lb powdered sugar
2 C Graham cracker crumbs (14 whole crackers)
2 sticks melted butter or margarine
1 C peanut butter
1/2 C nuts, chopped (optional)
11 oz butterscotch chips
12 oz semi sweet chocolate chiops

Directions
Mix, make into balls, refrigerate until firm. Melt butterscotch and chocolate chips in double boiler. Dip in balls until coated.

Applesauce

Submitted by Marcia

Ingredients
5 lbs or about 20 apples (Jonathon are best)
3/4 C Sugar
2 T Red Hot Candies
1/8 tsp Salt (scant)

Directions
Quarter apples (or divide into eighths if apples are large). Don’t peel or core. Cover bottom of dutch oven with small amount of water, then add apples. Boil until steaming, then cover pan and cook on medium until apples are soft (about 20 minutes). Strain through colander to remove peels and seeds. Add candies, salt and sugar and combine until dissolved.

Freezes well. Makes about 9 cups or 18 servings.

Banana Bread

Submitted by Marcia

Ingredients
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Vegetable oil
2 tsp Vanilla
2 T Ground Flax
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C Mashed bananas (3 large)
2 Eggs
2 C Flour
1/2 C Chopped Walnuts
1/2 tsp Baking powder

Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9x5x3 loaf pan.  Mix together sugar, bananas oil, eggs, and vanilla in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center of bread comes out clean.  Let cool for 10 min then remove from pan. Cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf