Cauliflower Pizza Casserole

The basic recipe for this is all over the place, and I immediately saw possibilities for improving it quite a bit, so I claim this as entirely my own at this point.

This actually was really good, and I think it should freeze well, making it a great leftover dish as well.

Make your own changes as your pizza desires move you.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped up into bite-size pieces and placed in a bowl with about 1/2 c of water and microwave until just pierceable by a fork. Drain and cool. 
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 c diced mushrooms
• 1 c diced green pepper
• 21 pieces of pepperoni, divided 12 and 9
• 1- 1 1/2 c cauliflower "crumbles" either taken from the original head or bought separately
• 2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tbsp fresh)
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 c beef broth
• 1 1/2 c cream
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella + 2 more cups

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare the head of cauliflower as directed. 
2. Put the onion, mushrooms and green pepper into a saute pan with a bit of EVOO and saute until softened and translucent. Set aside.
3. Place the 12 pieces of pepperoni in a food processor and whirr until minced. Add the crumbles, oregano, garlic and pepper flakes and pulse until well mixed. 
4. In a sauce pan, melt the butter, add the broth and cream, stirring and bring to a boil. Boil on low for about 10 minutes, then add the cornstarch and mix in well. As it thickens, add the first of the 2 cups of cheese. Melt the cheese and mix well. 
5. Add salt and pepper to the cheese sauce to taste. 
6. Butter a casserole dish.
7. Spread the microwaved cauliflower over the bottom.
8. Add the onion/mushroom/sweet pepper mixture to the top and spread evenly.
9. Pour the cheese sauce over all and spread around. It will be pretty thick. 
10. Cover the top with the remaining 9 pepperoni (use more or less depending on the shape of your casserole)
11. Cover the entire thing with the last 2 cups of cheese.
12. Place in a 350 oven for about 50 minutes or until bubbly. (covered with foil)

SERVES: 6

NOTES: Change any of the veggies depending on how you like your pizza. Tomatoes are fine, but they will provide more liquid into the casserole so be careful. Use sausage, bacon, hamburger etc for the meats, and other veggies if you desire. 

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton

Chile Rellenos Casserole

Oh I just love chile rellenos (RAY-yenos). But they are a pain to fix, so I was ecstatic when I found this recipe. The same great taste without nearly the mess.

Mine is definitely not the norm as I put meat in mine, which is utterly not necessary. Regular chile rellenos don't use meat, but since we had Eggplant Parmigiano the day before, which is also meatless, I figured my husband my die on the spot, so I made it this way.

Let me tell you. We liked to founder on this stuff. It was that good. For you Northerners who have trouble with ingredients, I have a few suggestions.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8-10 Hatch or Anaheim chiles (Anaheims are from California but they were developed right here in NM, so don't be the least embarrassed to use them. They are common in most major supermarkets now. These must be roasted, peeled and seeded. 
• 1/2 lb or so of your favorite cheese. For this I used a combination of Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar. 
• 1 lb of pork sausage cooked until done and broken up. 
• 2/3 c chopped onions
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 c milk
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To roast the chiles, place them on parchment on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler. When blistered, turn over and do the other side. Slip immediately into plastic bags and seal. Allow to cool. The peel will come off easily. Slice off the top, slit down and scrape out most of the seeds. Set aside.
2. Cook down the sausage and onions, until both are done. Set aside to cool.
3. Shred all your cheese and mix together. 
4. When ready to assemble, whisk the eggs with the milk and then mix in the flour and baking powder in a bowl. 
5. Using an 8 x 8 casserole, start with some butter or crisco to just cover the bottom and sides to prevent sticking. Then layer half of the chiles on the bottom.
6. Add 1/2 of the sausage and onions, spreading out.
7. Cover with half the cheese mixture.
8. Repeat. 
9. Now pour the custard over the top and around the edges. 
10. Bake in a 375 oven for about 40 minutes until all nice and puffy and browning on the top. 

SERVES: 4

NOTES: You can buy canned whole chiles in cans, and sometimes you can find chiles roasted, seeded and peeled frozen in some supermarkets. I prefer making my own, and Anaheim chiles are readily available most places. But it is worth a jaunt to a local Hispanic market if you can. 

SOURCE: New Mexican Recipes (FB) Kandace Jimenez

Eggplant Parmigiano

Eggplant Parmigiano a delightful dish, guaranteed to please even those who are not great fans of eggplant.

Properly made, you might not even know it doesn't have meat!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c flour
• 1 1/2 c breadcrumbs of choice
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• About 3 c marinara sauce 
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded (4-6 oz)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Slice the eggplant in rounds about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Set up three dishes, one with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, one with whisked egg, and the third with the breadcrumbs (seasoned or not as you desire. Panko is fine, or homemade)
3. Dredge a slice in the flour, then the egg wash and then press into the breadcrumbs on both sides. Drizzle with olive oil.
4. Place on a wire rack over a cookie pan, lined with foil or parchment.
5. Place all slices in a 375 oven and cook for about 30-40 minutes, until breadcrumbs are toasted and crunchy and eggplant has sagged a bit indicating that it is cooked through. Remove and cool.
6. Construct the casserole: Place a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the casserole, then layer slices of eggplant, more sauce and another layer of eggplant and so on. You should have a stack of eggplant 3 deep. Cover generously with mozzarella cheese. 
7. Place in a 375 oven for about 30 minutes or so until heated through and cheese is nicely melted. Serve immediately. 

SERVES: 4

NOTES: You can use commercial sauce if you wish. You could also use fresh mozzarella or the part-skim variety. If using fresh, just slice into thinnish rounds and scatter across the top, 

SOURCE: Sherry Peyton 

Corn Pudding Extravaganza

I was inspired by a recipe that treated this as a side. Since I already have a spectacular corn pudding of sorts located here or here, I at first was about to go on by, but the use of cornbread intrigued me, and well, add some meat and you have a meal.

You should understand that this recipe can be altered in many ways to make it your own or to fit the time of year.

So explore and let me know of your great adjustments!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 C each of chopped onions, celery, sweet red pepper, mushrooms. 
• 3 Hatch chiles or Anaheim, or Poblano, roasted, peeled and seeded, chopped
• 1 lb of kielbasa or other sausage of your choice, sliced into bite-size rounds.
• 2 cloves garlic
• salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
• 6 eggs
• 3 c cornbread (homemade please) crumbled
• 1 1/2 c cream

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Saute the onions, celery, sweet pepper and mushrooms in about 2 tbsp of olive oil until softened and translucent. 
2. Add the garlic, grated and stir in, just letting it become fragrant.
3. Add the chiles and kielbasa and toss gently. 
4. Cover and set aside.
5. Put the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until mixed. Pour in the cream and then add the cornbread, stirring until the cornbread is soaked. 
6. Add salt, pepper and about 1 tsp red pepper flakes
7. Add the sauteed vegetables.
8. Butter a 8 x 11 or so casserole dish.
9. Pour in the pudding mixture.
10. Place in a pre-heated 375 oven in a water bath, covered with foil,  for about 60 minutes, or until set. Take the foil off in the last 10 minutes or so if you want to brown the top a bit. 

SERVES: 6

NOTES: In addition to switching out for other vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, etc), consider adding about 1 1/2 c of grated cheese to the batter before baking. Breakfast sausage would work with this, as would Italian sausage, bacon, ham, etc. I would prefer to spicy meat rather than not for this. 

SOURCE: Inspired by Cooking NYTimes

Caprese Pasta Casserole

Casseroles are some of my most favorite dishes because they can often be made ahead and then just popped into the oven for the final cooking.

This is one of those and can be varied quite a bit. As you know, a caprese salad consists of tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil primarily.

This one encompasses all that and adds a bit more which can be easily varied to meet your tastes and time constraints.

With a salad and crusty bread, it makes an inviting meal for both family and friends.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8-10 oz of your favorite pasta (linguine is a good choice but you can do other tubular kinds or shapes.
• 2 c of cooked chicken, shredded 
• 1 1/2 c your favorite sauce. 
• 1/2 c pesto sauce
• 15 or so cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 lb of fresh mozzarella
• 1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan or Asagio cheese
• 1/2 c fresh chiffonade of basil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the pasta as usual, draining and setting aside (this can be done in the morning and held until assembly later. 
2. Make your sauce if necessary and pesto. These as well can be kept until ready to assemble. Note that the pesto can be frozen, so don't be afraid to make more than you need. 
3. When ready, in a large bowl, add the chicken, cooked pasta and enough of the sauce to mix well and so that all is nicely coated. It should be quite wet but not swimming in the sauce. 
4. Dab spoonfuls of the pesto over the top, and then lightly smooth across the sauce, don't worry if it mixes in a bit here and there. 
5. Scatter the halved tomatoes across the top. 
6. Either slice, or use pieces of mozzarella evenly across the top as well. I used nine cubes of fresh mozzarella on mine. 
7. Scatter the cheese over this and then the chiffonade of basil. 
8. Can be held for a couple of hours like this until ready to bake. 
9. Bake in a 350 oven for about 40 minutes, or until mozzarella is nicely melted out, and casserole is bubbly. 

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You can make this without any meat or substitute any you wish, including ground beef or pork, shredded pork, bacon, etc. You can use any cheese you prefer, though I would use mozzarella as the base, but you might add some Romano instead of the Parmesan. 

SOURCE: Adapted from Yummly

Green Chile Lasagna

I picked this recipe up on Facebook and just had to try it.

It turned out every bit as good as I thought it might. In fact, my husband, named it, "keeper" after a couple of bites.

It's a bit of work to make it, unless you use previously prepared ingredients, but making your own is so worth it.

Try it and see if you like it as much as we did.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 c shredded chicken of your choice. Buy it already roasted, or do your own. I did 4 boneless chicken thighs simmered in stock with carrots, celery, onion, peppercorns and garlic and then let cool and diced. 
• 2 c Salsa Verde commercial or homemade
• 4 c of shredded cheeses of your choice
• 3/4 c sour cream
• 3 green chiles, roasted, seeded and diced
• lasagna noodles (about 9)
• ricotta cheese (15 oz)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chile powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place shredded chicken in a large bowl. 
2. Add 1 c of the salsa verde, the sour cream, green chiles and set aside.
3. Cook lasagna noodles if necessary (I used no boil)
4. Add the cumin and chile powder to the ricotta cheese and the egg and stir until combined.
5. Place 1/3 of the chicken mixture into a lasagna pan. Top with 3 lasagna noodles or whatever mostly covers the first layer. 
6. Add a 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, smoothing thinly over the top. Then add 1/3 or so of the cheeses. Repeat three times, ending with cheese on the top.
7. Cook at 375 for about 45 minutes uncovered or until top is browned here and there and casserole is bubbly. 
8. Served with chopped lettuce and chopped tomato.

SERVES: 6

NOTES: You can vary this substantially, but using other cheeses. Also if you make your own salsa verde, the heat can be adjusted depending on whether you use jalapenos or Serrano chiles for instance. You can use crema, (homemade or store bought) in place of the ricotta. If you do, omit the egg). 

SOURCE: Adapted from 12 Tomatoes

Chorizo Chicken Bake

This is one rich dish, so I'd suggest that you serve sides that are less so, simple in fact.

Makes for a lovely company dish too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lg chicken breasts or 4 boneless thighs
• 10 ounce package pork chorizo
• 4 ounces light cream cheese or Mexican crema
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 C light sour cream
• 2 Hatch chiles (Anaheim will work too), roasted, skinned, seeds removed, chopped
• 1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 glass pan with nonstick spray. Lay down the chicken evenly in the pan.
2. In a large skillet, brown the chorizo over medium high heat for about 7-8 minutes. Add the drained tomatoes, cream cheese and sour cream and mix until it is all blended. Spread the mixture over the chicken breasts, sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese and bake, uncovered for about 45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts. There will be enough pan juices to serve over some rice if desired. Or slice the chicken and serve it inside a tortilla topped with your favorite toppings.

SERVES: 4

NOTES: Use any chicken parts you desire. 

SOURCE: Adapted from My Kitchen Escapades