The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever (5 page)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1
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teaspoons dried oregano leaves

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teaspoon dried marjoram leaves

1 tablespoon salt

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teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground cumin

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Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and blend well. Store at room temperature in a tightly closed container, such as a canning jar or plastic container. Use within 6 months.

Several recipes call for roasted peppers. You can roast any type of bell pepper as well as large chile peppers, such as anchos or poblanos. Roast the peppers in the oven or over a gas range or grill.

Bell peppers or large chile peppers

Olive oil or vegetable oil

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1. Preheat the oven to 500 to 550°F and cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Or prepare a very hot fire in a charcoal grill. Or turn the gas burner and hood fan on high.
   
2. Coat the peppers lightly with oil (if roasting on a gas burner, do not oil the peppers). Roast on the baking sheet in the oven or on the grill or burner. As the peppers develop charred spots, turn them over using a pair of long tongs. Continue roasting until the peppers are charred all over, about 15 minutes in the oven or 10 to 15 minutes on the grill.
   
3. Put the peppers in a paper bag or wrap in the foil used to cover the baking sheet. Allow to steam and cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the stems and seeds and pull off the thin skins.
   

The flavors of butter-fried sage, lemon, and portobello mushrooms make this an outstanding first course. It’s easiest to serve the mushrooms whole for a sit-down meal. For a “walk around” party, I like to cut the mushrooms into squares and serve with toothpicks.

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4 large portobello mushrooms (see
Serving Mushrooms Buffet-style
)

4 tablespoons butter

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cup olive oil

5 bunches fresh sage leaves (about 40 leaves)

Salt

Pepper

1 lemon, halved

•••••

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   
2. Trim the stems off the mushrooms and save for another use or discard. Arrange the mushrooms, gill sides up, in a shallow casserole.
   
3. In a small skillet, heat the butter and olive oil until bubbly. Add the sage leaves and cook over medium heat until the leaves are crispy.
   
4. Arrange the sage leaves on the mushrooms and drizzle the caps with the butter and olive oil mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
   
5. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Squeeze the lemon over the mushrooms and serve.
   

•••••

NOTE:
For serving buffet-style, cut the mushrooms into 1-inch squares before you put them in the casserole. Serve with sliced bread, or offer toothpicks for spearing.

Serve this dip with raw veggies, crisp tortilla chips, or sliced crusty bread.

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1 can (14
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ounces) stewed tomatoes, drained

1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

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cup packed chopped fresh parsley

1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles with their juice

1 medium clove garlic

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

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teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

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1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 1-quart ovenproof crock or casserole with cooking spray.
   
2. Put the drained tomatoes, onion, parsley, chiles, garlic, vinegar, oregano, and salt in a food processor with the steel blade in place. (Alternatively, you might use a blender, but be careful not to overprocess the mixture.) Process the mixture until the tomatoes and onions are coarsely chopped. Transfer to the casserole, stir in
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   cup of the shredded cheese, then top with the remaining 1
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   cups cheese. (At this point you can cover and refrigerate the dish and heat it just before serving.)
   
3. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the dip is hot and the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
   

Assemble this appetizer ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. It’s a perfect one to take to a potluck and heat when you arrive.

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Butter for the dish

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese,
softened

2 cans or packages (6 ounces each) crabmeat, picked through

1 small onion, chopped

Pinch of cayenne pepper

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cup sliced almonds

Crackers or melba toast for serving

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1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a small 3-cup casserole.
   
2. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, crabmeat, onion, and cayenne pepper. Spoon into the casserole and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with crackers or melba toast.
   

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NOTE:
To soften cream cheese, remove from the foil wrapper and place on a microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 10 seconds at high power.

Offer these juicy baked mushrooms with slices of crusty French bread. Instead of white button mushrooms, you can use baby bellas, morels, oyster mushrooms, or other flavorful mushrooms.

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3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for the dish

2 tablespoons minced shallots or green onions (white and green parts)

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pounds mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons sherry

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cups heavy cream, divided

3 large eggs

Pinch of ground nutmeg

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teaspoon pepper

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cup shredded Swiss cheese

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1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 1
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   -quart shallow casserole or gratin dish.
   
2. In a large skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons butter, add the shallots, and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring. Stir in the mushrooms, salt, lemon juice, and sherry. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed. Add 1 cup cream. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for about 5 minutes, or until the cream is reduced to a thick sauce.
   
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and the remaining
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   cup cream. Stir the mushroom mixture into the egg mixture and transfer to the buttered dish. Sprinkle with the nutmeg, pepper, and Swiss cheese.
   
4. Bake, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
   

These mushrooms are just a little slurpy and sloppy, but so delicious! They are actually easier to serve as a first course at a sit-down meal.

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7 tablespoons butter

1 pound shiitake or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

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teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt

Pepper

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cup heavy cream

6 to 8 slices French bread, about 1 inch thick

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cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

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1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and cream. Cook until thickened.
   
2. Arrange the bread slices in a shallow 1
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   -quart casserole or an 8-inch square baking dish. Make a slight indentation in the center of each slice. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the slices and sprinkle with the cheese.
   
3. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with the parsley.
   

Curry powder is a blend of twenty or more spices and herbs, including cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, coriander, mace, and nutmeg. These are all “sweet” spices, as opposed to hot spices like chiles and black pepper. Select a mild curry powder for this recipe to bring out the flavor of the crab. Serve the quiche cut into small triangles for an appetizer or in larger wedges for a first course. It also makes a delicious main course for a light lunch or supper.

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1 recipe
Flaky Pastry

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon sweet curry powder

1 cup shredded cooked crabmeat, well drained

2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1
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cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided

3 large eggs

1 cup light cream or half-and-half

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teaspoon salt

Dash of Tabasco sauce

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1. Prepare the pastry and chill in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
2. While the pastry is chilling, prepare the filling:
   Sauté the shallots in the butter for about 2 minutes and add the curry powder. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the crabmeat, chives, and flour.
   
3. Roll out the chilled pastry into a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch tart or pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges.
   
4. Spread half the cheese in the bottom of the pastry shell. Top with the crab mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
   
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, salt, and Tabasco sauce, and pour over the filling in the pastry shell.
   
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is lightly browned and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   

An ancho chile is a broad dried chile, 3 to 4 inches long, which ranges in flavor from mild to hot. In its fresh, green state, the ancho is called a “poblano” chile. You can either pulverize the dried, deep-red pod (seeds removed) into a powder yourself, or you can buy it in powder form. One good source is Penzeys, a nationally known purveyor of spices. This appetizer will remind your guests of nachos, a favorite appetizer of kids and teens alike.