Vegetable Casserole

6 cups of vegetables - any combination of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp flour
salt & pepper
1 cup milk
3/4 brick of cream cheese
2/3 cup of bread crumbs
2 Tbsp parmesean cheese

Set oven to 350F
Butter 2L casserole dish

Slightly cook vegetables until they are starting to soften.  I used frozen vegetables ( Normandy mixture from Costco - orange and yellow carrots, cauliflower and broccoli) and I steamed them for a couple of minutes.  Place in the casserole dish.

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 Tbsp butter.  Saute onion until soften (5 mins).  Add 1 Tbsp butter and keep stirring.  Gradually pour in milk and keep stirring until thick and bubbly (3 mins).  Add cream cheese (cut into chunks) and stir until smooth.  Pour over vegetables and mix until well coated.  Bake for 20 mins.

Melt remaining butter ( or add more) and mix in bread crumbs and parmesean.  Sprinkle over the top of the vegetables.  Bake for 15 minutes until crisp and golden.

When I made this for a party, I prepared the dish before hand except I didn't bake for 15 minutes after adding the bread crumbs.  When I was ready to seerve, I put the dish in at 350F and cooked for 25 mins - turned out great!

Tomato Galettes

Filling:
1/4 brick cream cheese
4 Tbsp parmesean cheese
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup diced onions
1 tsp fresh  Thyme leaves (or dried)
pepper to taste

Crust:
2 cups of flour
1/2 cup butter cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp sea salt
1 egg
1/4 cup ice water (very cold water will do)
Cream or milk for brushing crust

3 - 4 medium tomatoes cut 1/4 inch thick

Set oven to 375F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment.  (depending on the size of your sheets you may need two)

Make the filling by mixing the cheeses, mayo, onion, thyme and pepper in a bowl.  Set it aside.
For the crust, put the flour, butter and salt in a bowl and use your fingers to mix.  Just squish the butter in the flour.  In a separate bowl, whisk the egg in the cold water for one minute.  Add to the flour and use your hands to make the dough.  Split into two and roll out on lightly floured surface.  Make two 10 inch circles.  Place on the sheet.  Spoon half the mixture into each and spread to 2 inches from the edge.  Layer the sliced tomatoes on top.  Fold the edge over the tomatoes and brush with the cream to 'glue' the crust down edge over edge (see the picture - mine wasn't very pretty).

Bake for 60 - 65 minutes until golden.  Let them sit for at lease 15 minutes before cutting.  You can slice into pizza slices and serve as an appetizer.


What is a gallette?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galette
Galette is a term used in French cuisine to designate various types of flat round or freeform crusty cakes,^[1] similar in concept to a Chinese bing. One notable type is the galette des Rois (King cake) eaten on the day of Epiphany. In French Canada, the term galette is usually applied to pastries best described as large cookies.

Best Drummies

12 Chicken drumsticks
Seasoning of your choice

Preheat oven to 425 F

Wash drumsticks under running water and pat dry with paper towels.  Trim off any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.

Spice to taste. A light sprinkling of Weber’s chicken seasoning is great. (or Montreal chicken spice)

Place on a prepared cooking pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside. I usually line with aluminum foil to help with the cleanup. A rack elevates the chicken to help all sides cook evenly. You can do it without the rack but it is better with it.  Of course, a heavy spray of PAM on the rack or foil will help.  Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken and bake for 35 -45 minutes. 

Check for doneness. They are way too hot to eat right away and will be better after a rest.  Serve with bacon wrapped asparagus….hmmmmmmmmm.

Asparagus Bundles

1 bunch of asparagus - approx 30 spears
12 slices of bacon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon garlic & herb Mrs. Dash (or use garlic salt)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Divide the asparagus into bundles of 3 spears each.  Wrap one piece of bacon around each bundle and secure with a toothpick.  Lay the bundles in a casserole dish.

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, soy sauce, Mrs. Dash and pepper.  Bring to a bil and pour over the asparagus.  Put in the oven and cook until the bacon is cooked (approx 25 minutes).

Interesting fact.........According to http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/why-pee-smells-funny-eat-asparagus

Q: I've noticed that when I eat asparagus, my urine has a funny smell. Is that normal?

A: It's totally normal. In fact, the effect of asparagus on urine odor has been observed for centuries. French novelist Marcel Proust famously wrote in 1913 that asparagus "transforms my chamber-pot into a flask of perfume." And one British men's club is said to have put up a sign reading, "During the asparagus season, members are requested not to relieve themselves in the hat stand."

Depending on which study you read, between 22% and 50% of the population report having pungent pee after eating asparagus. But that doesn't mean only some people's bodies generate that smell. Researchers believe that, during digestion, the vegetable's sulfurous amino acids break down into smelly chemical components in all people. And because those components are "volatile," meaning airborne, the odor wafts upward as the urine leaves the body and can be detected as soon as 15 minutes after you eat this spring delicacy.

But only about one-quarter of the population appears to have the special gene that allows them to smell those compounds. So the issue isn't whether or not your pee is smelly; it's whether you're able to smell it. If you smell a funny fragrance in your urine after you eat asparagus, you're not only normal, you have a good nose.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken and Vegetables

2 tbsp butter
2 boneless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
300 g fettuccine pasta (try whole wheat)
1 medium onion, diced
4 or 5 small mushrooms, sliced (or broccoli or red peppers - whatever you have in the fridge)
2 tbsp flour
pepper & salt to taste
2 cups milk
1/2 cup half and half cream (10%)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup sour cream (really - you won't taste it in the finished dish)

In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat.  Saute chicken, garlic and Italian seasoning for approx 10 minutes until chicken is brown and no longer pink inside.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a large pot of water, cook the fettuccine for about 10 minutes (al dente)

In a large skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium heat.  Saute mushrooms and onions for about 5 minutes.  Add flour, salt a pepper and stir for 2 minutes.  Gradually add milk and cream.  Cook for about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy.  Remove from heat.

Add the cheeses and stir.  Drain pasta and return to large pot.  Add sauce, chicken, tomatoes and sour cream and toss to coat.  Add chopped parsley if you have it.

Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Yummy bars.  Or forget to layer the oat mixture and mix everything together and you have yourself a nice brownie/cake (wasn't following the instructions and voila.....yeah I meant to do that).  And by the way, evaporated milk is not the same as sweetened condensed milk.

Heat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease 13X9 inch baking pan.

1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup chopped peanuts

Combine chips and 1/4 cup butter in a sauce pan.  Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted.  Remove from heat and add milk.  Stir and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup butter, flour, oats, sugar, egg, baking soda and vanilla.  Stir until blended.

Put 1/2 cup of the flour mixture aside.  Press the remainder of the mixture into the pan to form a base.  Spread the melted chip mixture evenly over the base.  Sprinkle the 1/2 cup flour mixture and peanuts on top.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Let cool at least 2 hours before cutting to let the bars firm up.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Cookies

These Oatmeal cookies are delicious!  Not only is the whole wheat flour better for you, it adds another layer of flavour to the cookies.  I added chocolate chips as well (I really hate raisins) but any dried fruit or nuts or combination would work.  And I used brown sugar splenda blend instead of regular brown sugar to cut down on the guilt a bit.

1/2 cup of soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar splenda blend or any brown or golden sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup quick cooking oats

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Lightly grease your baking sheet.  This recipe will make 15 large cookies.

Cream the butter and the sugar together.  Beat in the egg.  Add the vanilla extract.  In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture.  Then add the oats at the end - mix until all the ingredients are combined.  And your fruit and or nuts if you have them.

Use a spoon to scoop out 12 cookies.  Flatten them with a spoon bottom or your hand.  Cook for 14 minutes