Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

If you have leftover ham from the holidays, this is a perfect way to use it.  This lovely layered dish gives “casserole” a good name.  Pasta, Gruyere cheese, minced ham and chopped spinach are bound together in an eggy custard and topped with rye bread crumbs.  I made this on a cold dreary afternoon at the lake.  Photographing it was a real problem, so what you see was snapped the next day in the slanting light on our porch.  The good news is that this dish can be reheated and still tastes as good as the first time.

A cold front is headed to Lake Lure and we are looking forward to lighting a fire in the kitchen fireplace and cooking something in the coals.  David has a fascination with hearth cookery.  We have an adjustable fireplace grill that just fits into our fire box and a cast iron spider pot with legs.  The pot sits in the coals and is perfect for cooking stews and roasts.

David has accomplished a lot this week.  Because the lake level has been lowered, he was able to shore up the sea wall and reinforce the boat house supports.

I had a wonderful lunch with my dear blogging friend Penny of The Comforts of Home.  We met in Hendersonville, ate brick oven pizza, and shopped on Main Street. It was chilly but sunny. The frigid temperatures remind me of winters in Michigan where I grew up.  As nostalgic as it is, I have to say that I am looking forward to returning to Florida soon.

We enjoyed this casserole which I adapted from a recipe in Gourmet Magazine from 1993.  Every time I return to the lake, I peruse my collection of magazines dating back to 1968.  I wonder if any of them are now collector’s items?  The one thing I know for sure is that any recipe from Gourmet is a winner.

HAM, SPINACH, AND PASTA GRATIN

1/2 pound fusilli or other dried pasta
2 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 1/2 pound)
1 pound cooked ham, chopped fine (preferably in a food processor, about 3 cups)
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, cooked, drained, and squeezed dry
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
5 large eggs
3 cups milk
1 1/4 cups fresh rye bread crumbs

In a pot of salted boiling water boil the pasta until it is al dente, drain it well, and spread it in a greased 2-quart flameproof shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle the pasta with 1/2 cups of the Gruyere, top the Gruyere with the ham, spreading it evenly, and sprinkle the ham with 1 cup of the remaining Gruyere.  In a heavy skillet cook the onion and the garlic in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the spinach, the nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the excess liquid is evaporated.  Top the ham layer with the spinach mixture.

In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the milk, and salt and pepper to taste, pour the custard slowly over the spinach mixture, and bake the gratin, covered with foil, in the middle of a preheated 400 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until the custard is set.  Discard the foil, in a small bowl toss together the remaining 1 cup Gruyere and the bread crumbs, and sprinkle the topping evenly over the custard.  Broil the grain under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread crumbs are golden brown.  Serves 6 to 8.

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While going through my file of old recipes, I found the tuna noodle casserole that was so popular years ago.  We all had that recipe and it included cream of mushroom soup.  I rarely ever use cream of mushroom soup anymore.  So I decided to try and update the recipe with fresher ingredients.  A trip to Costco had yielded some nice cans of Italian tuna packed in olive oil.  I think tuna packed in olive oil has so much more flavor.  Instead of canned soup I made my own white sauce enhanced with sherry.  The recipe is one that I adapted from Epicurious.

I used fewer egg noodles than what was called for in the old recipe.  Too much pasta tends to absorb the sauce, resulting in a dry casserole.  The topping could have been breadcrumbs or potato chips (Yikes!), but I am partial to Ritz crackers.  Most of the recipes also have a sprinkling of cheese on top.  I have included it in the printed recipe, but did not use it.  To my thinking fish and cheese do not go together.

Although the casserole required cleaning up several pans,  I felt it was worth the effort to freshen up an old classic.  I am having fun with my retro recipes.  I still want to post my classic Texas Pecan Torte, but will wait until a time when we have someone with whom to share it.  We can’t afford the calories right now.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Sherry
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 (6-oz) cans tuna in olive oil, drained
• 8 oz dried medium egg noodles
• 2/3 of a sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
• 4 oz coarsely grated Cheddar (1 cup) optional
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add mushrooms, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to sauté mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, peas and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cook noodles in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly.

Toss together cracker crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil or melted butter and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

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December and the holidays are upon us.  We need all the help we can get this month.  My thoughts are on baking cookies, buying presents, entertaining and trying to cram it all into a three to four week period.  I actually relish the festive atmosphere of the month.  Our family will be visiting us in Florida for the holidays for the first time and we have our long standing New Year’s celebration with dear friends to look forward to.  What could be better?  But it does require a little planning.

Let’s consider breakfast for company.  We all have that breakfast casserole that can be assembled and placed in the refrigerator overnight.  Just put it in the oven in the morning and breakfast is on the table within an hour.  Most of those casseroles are based on bread, whether it is sour dough, challah, croissants or French.  I love all of them.  But I was looking for something a little less dense.  I should say lighter.  Since the inspiration for this recipe came from Cooking Light that would be the case.

In place of the bread this recipe has baby spinach, mushrooms, center cut bacon, fresh basil, and just the right amount of hash brown potatoes.  The eggy goodness and Swiss cheese is the same, so it is a casserole that everyone would enjoy.  Everything but the eggs and milk  can be assembled the night before, so in the morning it is almost as easy to get in the oven as the traditional breakfast casserole.

I had fun with my small star cutter.  I opened a jar of roasted red peppers and cut stars out of the peppers and placed them on the top of the casserole before I put it in the oven.  I can see getting even more creative with this for Christmas.  This recipe is open to creativity.  You can replace the bacon with sausage or add any seasoning or ingredients that appeal to you.  Holiday goodness made easy.

EGGS AND HASH BROWN CASSEROLE (Cooking Light)

8 center-cut bacon slices
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
8 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps
3 clove garlic, minced
2 cups shredded hash brown potatoes (such as Simply Potatoes)
1/4 cup Chicken stock
5 cups fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup low-fat milk
6 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan;  Increase heat to medium-high.  Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to drippings in pan; saute for 6 minutes.  Add potatoes and stock; cook 6 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add spinach, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.  Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.  Stir in crumbled bacon and cheese.  Place mushroom mixture in an 11 x 7- inch broiler-safe glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover dish.  Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, milk, and eggs in a medium bowl.  Pour egg mixture over mushroom mixture. Add any cut out decorations from a jar of roasted red peppers to the top.  Bake at 350 degrees F. for 28 minutes.

Preheat broiler to high; remove dish while broiler preheats.  Broil 3 minutes or until top is browned and just set.  Let stand 5 minutes.

Note:   I did not have to broil the casserole because it browned nicely; though it took a little longer in the oven to set the center.

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Welcome to my new Word Press website.  I still have some technical issues to work out, but I am happy with the design and look of my updated blog.  Thanks to my talented Son and Daughter-in-Law for their expertise.  If you encounter any problems in leaving comments or with any other issue please email me at pennyklett@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving is an excuse for wonderful leftovers in my opinion.  Every year I make an extra pumpkin pie just so I can have it for breakfast for a week.  But turkey tetrazzini has always been my reason for roasting a turkey.  It is just as much a tradition as the Thanksgiving dinner itself.

I have been using the same recipe for years and it will be difficult for me to be specific about proportions because everything is now done by rote.  But one thing I have learned over the years is to use less pasta than you think you will need because the pasta absorbs a lot of the sauce while it bakes.

Enjoy this simple dish made from leftovers.  It goes well with that leftover cranberry sauce too.

TURKEY TETRAZZINI

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup white wine or dry sherry
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 pound (8 ounces) Spaghetti cooked according to directions on box

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Add flour and whisk flour and butter together until it turns a light brown.  Mix together wine and chicken broth.  Add to skillet.  Continue whisking until sauce thickens.  Add 1/2 and 1/2 and turkey.  Cook until heated through.  Mix in cooked spaghetti.  Add a little pasta water if it is dry.

Pour contents of skillet into a greased casserole.  Sprinkle top with almonds, panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Bake casserole until bubbly and cheese and breadcrumbs are browned. (About 20 minutes).

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