Creamed Eggs Au Gratin March 30, 2009
Posted by Teresa in : Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch , add a commentThis is a delicious recipe from the Joy of Cooking. You’ll need 4 boiled eggs.
Preheat oven to 350F. Heat until blended in a frying pan over low heat
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Add
- 1/4 cup minced onion or shallots
Cook the onion, stirring, until softened but not browned (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat. The recipe says to put the onion mixture into a bowl and add everything to that, but I just added the ingredients below to the frying pan (it was pretty cool by the time I was ready to add stuff). It saves dirtying another bowl! Add and mix together gently:
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped or sliced
- 1 cup of white sauce (see recipe here, or if you had to, you could use store-bought Alfredo sauce)
- 2 Tbsp of chopped herbs (I used some fresh parsley and dried Basil)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
You can add other things too. I had an avocado that was ripe, so I cut it in half, scooped out one half and threw that in, cut into pieces about the same size as the eggs were cut into. I could also imagine adding a few capers, or grated cheese, and the Joy recommends 1 tsp. curry powder (added to the onions). Once everything is mixed in, transfer it to a baking dish (I used a 9 inch square pan). Sprinkle with
- 3/4 cup (or more, depending on your dish) fresh bread crumbs
- 1 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces.
Bake until heated through and browned, about 15 to 20 minutes (less if the eggs are warm from just being boiled). If desired, place briefly under the broiler to brown and crisp the crumbs.
I wish I had taken a picture of it — it looked absolutely amazing and tasted that way too! 
Superb Macaroni & Cheese March 24, 2009
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch , add a commentI got this recipe from the Michael Smith section of foodtv. What an excellent recipe! I didn’t have the lobster of course, but it’s great anyway! I used Cavatappi pasta, which is a nice alternative to macaroni or penne (I am quite tired of penne). Also, as usual, I substituted cheeses, combining aged cheddar, mozzarella, and gouda. I’m crazy, I know! 
A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!
There are few things as good as a warm bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese especially when it doesn’t come out of a box! I don’t normally put lobster in mine – and this version is great without my favourite crustacean – but it’s a great way to make the ordinary extraordinary!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop the pasta into boiling, salted water and cook until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Make sure the water tastes like a day at the beach, as the pasta will absorb it and become properly seasoned. The pasta should not be fully cooked; it should have just a touch of firmness when tasted. Drain well.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and cook for several minutes until it softens. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, in effect toasting the mixture and adding flavour to it. Slowly stir in the wine and continue mixing until smooth and then add both milks, mixing well again. Continue whisking until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Add paprika, Dijon, cayenne, salt, pepper and cheeses and stir until melted.
- Roughly chop lobster meat and add to the cheese mixture along with the pasta. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper. Pour into a 9-inch by 13-inch ovenproof casserole or similar dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake until the mixture is heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Mushroom Casserole March 16, 2009
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner , add a commentThis recipe comes from 101cookbooks – a great site for healthy, unique recipes!
Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese or sour cream if you prefer.
1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9×13 baking dish – just grab for something in this ballpark.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.
In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.
Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy.
Serves about 8.
Pasta Carbonara March 13, 2009
Posted by Teresa in : Dinner, Lunch , add a commentI wanted to try a Carbonara sauce, so I found this one on the web and made it today… it turned out pretty yummy!
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1/4 c. whipped cream
- 1/2 lb. bacon, cut up
- 1 lb. fettuccine or spaghetti
- 1 c. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 1/4 c. snipped parsley
- Pepper
Serves 12 side-dishes.
