Tater Tot Casserole

This is a recipe I used to make all the time in college and as a newlywed, but quite frankly I had forgotten about it until a friend emailed me asking for the recipe for a casserole swap. It's quick, easy, tasty and kids love it. Perfect for potlucks too. I apologize for the lack of exact measurements, but this is one I do by sight, not by measuring.

Tater Tot Casserole
1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
~1/2 bag frozen tater tots
bag of frozen green peas
bag of frozen corn
can of cream of mushroom soup
8oz. bag of grated cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef. In a casserole dish, layer beef, tots, peas and corn. Pour soup on top. Bake at 375F 20-25 minutes until almost done. Sprinkle grated cheese on top, and bake until melty. Serves 6.

Ratatouille

We've been getting a lot of eggplant in our CSA boxes recently, and I'm a novice with eggplant. So we've been experimenting with different ways to use eggplant, and of course, we had to try a ratatouille. This was my first taste of ratatouille, and I am now smitten. This may very well be my new favorite summer meal. It's a beautiful dish and would make an excellent presentation for company.

Ratatouille
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried parsley
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (salt to taste)
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 zucchini, sliced
1 large onion, sliced into rings
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat bottom and sides of casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until lightly browned. Mix parsley and eggplant together, and saute until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top, then lightly salt and sprinkle with more Parmesan. Continue layering with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper and tomatoes, covering each layer with a little salt and more Parmesan. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serves 4-6 as a main dish, 8 as a side dish.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken

An easy chicken dish, we all loved it and will be making it often!

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken
4 chicken breasts
8 small red potatoes
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
2/3 can of water
2 tbsp Louisiana spice blend

Place chicken breasts and potatoes in a crockpot. Pour cream of chicken soup and water over them, then drizzle on the spice blend. Cover and cook 8 hours on low. Serves 4.

Fried Squash

A delicious way to use up excess squash and zucchini! The kids loved these, and so did I. These are addictive and can easily take the place of french fries or chips. They would also make a great appetizer.

Forgive me for not having actual amounts in this recipe -- I freehanded it! I used some oil in a saucepan, but if you have a deep fryer, even better.

Fried Squash
squash or zucchini
flour
Lawry's Seasoning Salt
canola oil

In a medium saucepan, heat about 2-3 inches of canola oil over medium-high heat. Slice squash into 1/4-inch pieces or so. In a bowl, combine flour and Lawry's until the mixture is a pale orange color. Dip slices into flour mixture until well coated, then drop pieces into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Serve plain or with ranch dressing or other dressing of your choosing!

Turnip Mashed Potatoes AND Braised Cabbage

Two more recipes from my CSA veggie experiments, one with turnips and the other with cabbage. Both were yummy. The turnip mashed potatoes will definitely be added into rotation whenever there are turnips available, and the cabbage tasted great too -- even my 3-year-old ate it! I served these with sauteed smoked sausage.

Turnip Mashed Potatoes
6 large red new potatoes, skin on
4 large turnips, peeled
1/2 cup cream, heated
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper

Slice potatoes and turnips 1/4-inch thick. Cook in boiling water for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain. Whip unpeeled cooked potatoes and turnips with electric mixer, mixing until moderately smooth (don't overbeat them; a few lumps are nice). Add hot cream, butter and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whip again until blended. Adjust thickness by adding more cream, if desired. Serves 8.


Braised Cabbage
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
6 slices uncooked bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
1 small onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large head cabbage, cored and thinly sliced or shredded
1 bottle beer
About 2 tsp of your favorite Creole seasoning blend (to taste)

In a large pot, cook the bacon in the oil and butter until brown and crispy. Add the onion and the bay leaves. Add the cabbage, stirring to mix. Add the beer, season with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning, and cover. Braise until the cabbage has wilted, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Slow-Cooked Collard Greens

Thanks to our CSA membership, we're now getting a box of fresh produce every week straight from the farm. Some of this produce is new to us, and it's been an experiment finding recipes for foods I've never cooked before. This recipe is a new one for me. I had never cooked collard greens, and while this recipe wasn't very pretty (hence, no photo), the result was actually very tasty. Kale can also be added in with the collard greens.

Slow-Cooked Collard Greens
2 large bunches collard greens
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1/2 package bacon
2 qt chicken broth, warm
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To prepare the greens: cut away the tough stalks and stems from the collards, and discard any leaves that are bruised or yellow. Wash the collards thoroughly to remove the grit, 2 or 3 times, until the water runs clear. Dry thoroughly. Tear the leaves into large pieces.

Place a stock pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Brown the bacon, then add the onion, garlic and bay leaves. Cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pack in the greens, pushing them down into the pot. Add the broth, vinegar and sugar. Bring up to a boil turning the greens over occasionally as they wilt. Lower to a simmer, cover the pot, and let cook for 45 minutes. Taste the pot broth and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Cover and let cook for 15 more minutes. Remove the bay leaves and serve. Serves 6-8.

Italian Meatballs

I made these for a dinner of meatball subs, but they'd also work great over pasta with additional sauce, or as an appetizer.

Italian Meatballs
2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 slice of day old bread, crumbled
1 jar of spaghetti sauce

In a large bowl, knead together beef, egg, garlic, onions and bread. Form mixture into meatballs, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place all the meatballs in a crockpot, then cover with the spaghetti sauce. Cook on low 8 hours. Makes about 36 meatballs.

For Meatball Subs, spoon onto your favorite sub loaf or Italian roll, then top with grated Mozzarella.