Showing posts with label Casseroles. Show all posts

Old Fashioned Mac & Cheese

Friday, 10 December 2021

I was perusing Pinterest as you do the other day and saw what looked to be a delicious recipe for Mac & Cheese from the blog Plain Chicken. I used to follow her a long time ago and always loved her recipes.

She called this her favorite Mac & Cheese, which made it sound even more promising. Can you ever have too many recipes for Mac & Cheese? I think not!

I love mac and cheese and while I have my favorites, I am always looking to try out something new. You just never know when you are going to discover a new favorite.

Her recipe sounded quite intriguing, if not more than a little bit different. It used egg and cottage cheese. I have never used those things in a mac and cheese before!

It reminded me very much of the type of mac and cheese my grandmother might have made. There was no faffing about with making a sauce, so it looked quick and easy as well!

The only problem was it made 8 servings and there is only me here in this house. I did what I always do, I cut it down to serve only 2 people, and you are getting the cut down version today.

I did have to buy cottage cheese to make it and now will have to figure out some ways to use up the rest of the cottage cheese. I am sure I will come up with something.

I wish they sold smaller cartons of cottage cheese here were I live. That is one thing I really liked about the UK, although when I first moved over there I used to think it was awful how everything came in such small containers.

Now I wish I had those smaller containers to use. They were ever so convenient for the smaller family or the singleton! They had little single serving sized snap pots of beans, etc. What I liked about them was that there was little to no waste.

Idiotically the smaller sized did work out to be more expensive in the long run than the larger containers. But, you didn't have anything to throw away or try to use up either.

It was just better to have a small pot than a large can that would take a person three days to eat, or stuff your freezer full of small bits of everything, that never got used up anyways. Just my thoughts on that.

Anyways, if you have any recipes that you enjoy which use cottage cheese, other than lasagna, do let me know!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED MAC & CHEESE

Its not a long list of ingredients and for this version, not a huge quantity of any one ingredient.

uncooked elbow macaroni (I used Barilla)
grated cheddar cheese ( I grated my own and used strong/sharp cheese for the most flavor)
cottage cheese ( I used regular full fat creamy cottage cheese, in for a penny, in for a pound)
dairy sour cream ( again I used regular full fat)
milk (again I use whole milk)
1/2 of a large beaten egg
Cajun seasoning (its very easy to make your own, see note on recipe)
paprika to sprinkle

HOW TO MAKE OLD FASHIONED MAC & CHEESE

Once you cook the macaroni, nothing could really be easier. I am all for easy these days! I don't know how I ever managed to get all the things done that I did when I worked full time because I can hardly get the things I need to do done now!

All you need to do to make this is cook the macaroni. While the macaroni is cooking, whisk together both cheeses, the egg, sour cream and milk and seasoning together in a medium sized bowl.

Once the macaroni is cooked, drain it well and you can rinse it if you like. I didn't bother.

Just stir it into the mixture in the bowl and then pour the whole lot into a buttered baking dish. Because I was only making enough for two, I used a much smaller casserole dish. I did want to have as much surface as I could, so I used a 7-inch square baking dish, but you can use whatever size dish you have that is small/large enough to hold the mixture.

Once you have done that, sprinkle the top with paprika and then cover it tightly with some aluminum foil. She said to butter it, but I didn't bother because I knew my macaroni would not be touching the foil.

That's it. Bake for half an hour covered, uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more. Because mine was a much smaller size it did not take as long to cook as the full sized version.

It was a bit more solid than most versions of mac and cheese. I reckon that was down to the use of egg. The egg works with the milk, etc. to make a sort of custard.

The texture was really lovely and the flavor was really lovely and cheesy. You couldn't really tell that there was cottage cheese in it.

The flavors were lovely and rich. I really enjoyed it. I served it with some shake and bake chicken wings (don't judge) and broccoli/cauliflower cheese. (frozen Green Giant, again don't judge.)

Altogether this was very filling and quite delicious. Just the thing for a cold Winter's day. We got lambasted with a ton of snow last night, so a bit of comfort food was in order!

I am going to enjoy the leftovers tomorrow. I will probably melt a bit of butter and make a hash of them, serving it with some pickled beets and brown bread.

What I loved about this is that it was very easy and quick to throw together. It also tasted delicious. There was actually nothing that I didn't like about it, so I would consider that a win all round!

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!

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Old Fashioned Mac & Cheese

Elegant Green Beans (small batch)

Wednesday, 24 November 2021

Back in the late 1960's, when I was just a little girl, my family moved halfway across Canada from Manitoba to Nova Scotia. That was a huge adventure for a little girl. I was 10 at the time and I still carry many fond memories with me from that trip.

First of all we were not a family that went on holidays or trips. At best we got to go to the beach maybe one day in the summer months, or grocery shopping with my parents, where we would sit in the car and wait for my mother to finish.

So a cross country trip was a really BIG deal for us.

When we got to Vermont we visited with my mother's cousin Polly. Polly and her family lived at the top of a hill in a big house. There were oodles of children in the family. At least that is what it seemed like to me.

My mother and father spent the day visiting with Polly and her husband Red and we children spent the day frolicking about the place with Polly's children. Every single one of us, to this day, has very fond memories of that visit, even my father.

They were such kind and magnanimous hosts.

Sadly we lost Polly a few months ago. She was always sending me lovely messages and crochet patterns on Facebook. I am friends with all of her children and their partners on there. Polly was very family oriented and loved to do family history.

Much like me in that way. She was pretty fabulous for a woman in her 90's. Very computer literate. Unlike my mother who freaked out even if she touched one with her vacuum cleaner, lol. Mom wouldn't even have a bank card.

I miss Polly very much and I am sure her family misses her even more.

Anyways, the whole point of me bringing up Polly and that visit is this. For supper on that night that we were there she served a delicious green bean casserole!

One that has lived on in my memory as one of the tastiest things I have ever eaten. This recipe I am sharing today is not her fancy green beans recipe. I have shared that one before.

However it does very much remind me of it. And when I was eating it I was very much visiting Polly and her family back in the annals of my memory.

The original version of this recipe was one I found on Taste of Home. It is attributed to a reader named Linda from Minnesota. The original recipe made 8 servings. I did not need 8 servings.

The recipe sounded very delicious however and I did want to try it, so I took the liberty of downsizing it to make only 4 servings. It is rich and fabulously tasty. And today I share it with you and remember mom's cousin Polly as I do.

Polly's recipe used cream of mushroom soup along with green beans and crispy French fried onions. This version has a tasty sauce in the place of the soup and a few other ingredients as well. Both version are delicious.

This version boasts a rich béchamel type of sauce, flavored with chicken stock, soy sauce and hot sauce. It also has a layer of sautéed onions, mushrooms and crunchy water chestnuts in the middle. Like Polly's it has crisp French fried onions on top.

I did tweak it a tiny bit as you will see, with fabulous results.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ELEGANT GREEN BEANS

It might look like a lot of ingredients, but it really isn't. Also you may have to open a can of water chestnuts that won't be totally used. You can freeze what you don't use in a small container for use in the future.

canned sliced water chestnuts
onion
sliced fresh mushrooms (They used canned)
butter
flour
milk (I always use whole milk. I prefer its richness)
chicken stock (I use the condensed that you reconstitute with water)
soy sauce (I like the dark)
hot pepper sauce (I like the green Tabasco)
frozen whole green beans (They used French style, slivered,which I can't get here. The whole worked fine.)
Cheddar Cheese (I always use strong or sharp so that you can notice the flavor)
French-fried onions (The kind in the can. In the UK use crispy salad onions from the salad dressing aisle.)

The whole purpose of the crispy onions on top is to add a bit of crunch, texture and flavor. If you cannot get them (and I know many can't) you can use crushed cracker crumbs mixed with some melted butter.

Make sure they are only coarsely crushed and if you want additional flavor use one which has a bit of flavor added to it such as a sour cream and onion one, etc.

HOW TO MAKE ELEGANT GREEN BEANS

This was really simple to make. Not quite as simple as opening some cans, but almost as simple. You begin by thawing out your frozen green beans.

This is really easy to do. You can of course just leave them out on the counter for a few hours to thaw, but it is a lot faster if you cover them with boiling water, let them sit for a few minutes and then drain. Make sure you squeeze/pat them dry.

You will need to sauté the onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts in some butter. You don't want the to brown and remember that mushrooms release a lot of water, which intensifies the more you agitate them, so do try to leave them alone until most of the water has evaporated.

The sauce is a very basic one and quite easy to make. Melt some butter, whisk in some flour. Cook for a minute to cook out the flour taste and then slowly whisk in the stock and milk.

Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture bubbles and thickens. Once that happens you can add the soy sauce and hot sauce and adjust the seasoning with some salt and pepper. How much salt you use depends on the saltiness of your stock and your soy sauce.

I did not need any salt at all.

This sauce gets stirred into the green beans along with some cheese. I like to use strong cheddar because it has the nicest flavor. Mix it all together.

Layer the green bean mixture in a casserole dish in two layers with the mushroom/onions/chestnuts layered in the middle.

Bake uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes, top with the crispy onions and bake a little while longer until golden brown.

And that's it. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. A delicious side dish perfectly sized for four on the day, or for two with leftovers to enjoy the day after!

I shared some with my next door neighbor. You know I live in a community which has a lot of elderly people living here. A lot of them really enjoy getting an impromptu visit every now and then, especially if you bring them a treat.

Although to be honest, most are just happy to have your company. Elegant Green Beans, and a visit with someone, both very good things. Happy Thanksgiving!

Elegant Green Beans

Yield: 4

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 48 MinTotal time: 1 H & 7 M

Meaty whole green beans combined with sautéed mushrooms and the crunch of water chestnuts in a rich and cheesy sauce. This truly is a fabulous side dish to serve on a special occasion! The original recipe made 8 servings.

Ingredients

4 ounces (115g) water chestnuts, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups (150g) sliced mushrooms
3 TBS butter, divided
2 TBS all purpose plain flour
1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
1/4 cup (60ml) chicken broth
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp hot sauce
salt and black pepper to taste (you may not need any)
1/4 cup (60g) grated strong cheddar cheese
a small handful of crispy french-fried onions (in the UK crispy salad onions)
8 ounces (230g) (about 2 cups) frozen whole green beans, thawed

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350*C/180*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 3 cup casserole dish. Set aside.
Place your green beans in a bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside to thaw. Drain well and pat dry. Return to the bowl.
Melt 1 TBS of butter in a skillet. Add the onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Sauté until the onion and mushrooms are tender. Set aside.
Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and stock. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens. Whisk in the soy sauce and hot pepper sauce.
Taste and adjust seasoning as required with salt and black pepper. Pour the sauce over the green beans in the bowl. Add the cheese and mix everything well together.
Place half of the green beans in the casserole dish. Top with the onion/mushroom/chestnut mixture. Spoon the remaining green beans over top.
Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. It should be bubbling. Sprinkle the crispy fried onions on top and bake for a further 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown.
Serve hot.

Did you make this recipe?

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Elegant Green Beans (small batch)

Easy Pizza Casserole

Friday, 15 October 2021

I apologize upfront for the quality of the photographs of this recipe for this pizza casserole with pasta that I am sharing with you today. Its not the prettiest crayon in the box.

I also couldn't take a photo of the insides of it as I served it for company. My sister and Dan. Dan loves pasta bakes and so I made it to please him. He likes pasta bakes and he likes pizza. Why not combine the two!

This easy recipe takes everything we like about pizza and combines it with pasta noodles to form one great pasta bake that the whole family is sure to love!

Not only is it very easy to make and bake (it all mixes and bakes together in the one pan) but you can very easily adapt it to your own family's likes and dislikes!

There is literally no faffing about with having to cook pasta ahead of time. If you don't like pepperoni, just leave it off!

If you don't like mushrooms of peppers, leave them out. Love hot Italian sausage or sweet, use whichever one you want, or replace it completely with some ground beef.

Craving a Hawaiian Pizza? Use Ham and pineapple. Its really up to you.

You can do a meat lovers and use all sorts of different meats, add olives, or hot peppers to the top at the end, etc. It really is a delicious and incredibly adaptable recipe!

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY PIZZA CASSEROLE

Nothing fancy really, and you can adapt it to your own likes and dislikes.

uncooked pasta (I use penne, but you can also use fusilli or any other similar shaped noodle/pasta)
pizza sauce (I like the garlic and basil one)
water
chopped veggies (I use peppers, onions and mushrooms)
cooked meats (I used sweet Italian sausage and pepperoni)
cheese (I use a combo of mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan)
salt and black pepper (I didn't use any at all)

Really you can feel free to use any favorite pizza toppings, etc. that you enjoy! The important thing is to keep the measures of the pasta and the liquid ingredients the same as per the recipe requirements!

HOW TO MAKE EASY PIZZA CASSEROLE

It really is such a simple, no fuss, no muss recipe. If you can stir things together you can make this! It is really as simple as all that.

If you are using Italian Sausage or Ground beef, you will need to crumble the sausage and beef first into a skillet and cook until browned. You could use ground turkey as well if you wanted to make it a bit healthier.

Sometimes we like ham or bacon with our pizzas, and they also work well in here. Just cube the ham if you like that. Or you can fry and crumble the bacon.

In the UK you could get bacon or pancetta lardons, which were like little cubes of bacon or pancetta (an Italian bacon). They were really easy to brown in a skillet.

There is no need to precook the pasta for this recipe. The pasta actually cooks in the oven in the sauce. That is why you need extra water. I adore pasta cooked in this way as it actually absorbs all of the flavors of the sauce you are using, and don't worry, it cooks properly and you do not end up with a watery finish!

It is very important however that you keep the measurements of the past and the liquids as per the recipe. This is the proper amount to use for this recipe, and the proper liquid for this amount of pasta.

You begin by putting the pasta into a buttered baking dish. You don't really need to butter the dish, but I always do just in case things stick. That's just me! I prefer to err on the side of caution.

The pizza sauce and water get combined with all of the add ins and poured over the pasta in the dish. Give everything a good stir together to make sure everything is evenly distributed.

That's probably the hardest part, making sure everything is evenly distributed and you don't end up with all of the meats in one corner, or all of the vegetables in another.

Its okay to stick your fingers in and give everything a little bit of help. But then again, I am a person who doesn't mind getting my fingers dirty.

Once everything is as you want it you combine all of the cheeses. I choose to use three different kinds.

Mozzarella for its stretchy pizza goodness. Cheddar for its flavor, which I really enjoy. Mozzarella can be quite bland. Also Parmesan (or smelly sock as we used to call it when we were growing up). Also for its saltiness and its flavour.

If you have other cheeses which you prefer more, by all means use them. These cheeses get sprinkled evenly over top of the pasta in the dish.

Finally you want to place the pepperoni if you are using it over the top of the cheese. Feel free to use other toppings as well if you wish. Sliced or chopped black or green olives, red onion, hot peppers, etc. Choose and use what you and your family enjoy!

Finally you just tightly cover the casserole dish with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake for half an hour and then uncover and bake for a few minutes longer to brown everything up a bit. Your pasta will be cooked perfectly al dente and everything with be tasty delicious!

Dan really, really enjoyed this. I served it with a tossed salad and some garlic bread on the side. He was in man-pizza-pasta heaven! I confess, I really enjoyed it as well and I thought you would too, which is why I am sharing it with you today! I wish I could have taken a photo of the insides, but everyone was too hungry. It smells amazing when it is baking.

This is a real family pleaser, any way you look at it. I took the leftovers over to my daughter after dinner and she messaged me later on to tell me it was delicious. I love serving and feeding my family. That puts me in my happy place. 😃