SALMON NOODLE CASSEROLE

 

I have always liked a noodle casserole dish; it is comfort food. Cooking a dish that includes protein, vegetables and noodles makes a good supper when served with a starter or side salad. I wanted to make a dish that is not high in carbohydrates or calories. Specially I was looking for a dish that would count as two carbohydrate servings based on serving size. Both the DH and I are watching our intake of carbohydrates. I find that 85 grams of uncooked pasta generally provides four servings of carbohydrates and if cooking for two, the split works out well. 

I have made this dish either using salmon or tuna and both work in this recipe. I use a few different kinds of vegetables and you can add or vary what you add. For example, you could add some green peas or shredded carrots or sliced mushrooms. Instead of adding a shell style pasta, I will sometimes break the spaghetti in threes when adding to the boiled water. Breaking the spaghetti into smaller pieces makes it easier to combine with the other ingredients. I do add Parmesan cheese and Panko crumbs to the top of the casserole before baking as it provides a nice crispy crunch. I still use some favourite Corel baking dishes that have lasted for quite a number of years. 

You can see how it browns on top and makes a nice crispy finish. 

SERVES 2 to 3 depending on appetite. 

INGREDIENTS:

85 grams uncooked pasta, eg shells or spaghetti

1 tbsp oil for sautéing  

1 medium onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

2 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash of Paprika

Canned salmon or tuna, 213 gram can/7.5 oz, drained

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or other favorite cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Panko crumbs (optional)

Medium size casserole or baking pan

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease/oil a medium size casserole dish or baking pan. Set the dish aside.

Heat a pot of water to boil and add the pasta. If using spaghetti, I like to break the spaghetti into small pieces when adding to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the pasta until a la dente. 

While the pasta is cooking the vegetables can be sautéed. Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan and heat the pan to medium high. Add the onions, celery and pepper and reduce heat to medium. Sauté for five minutes. Once the vegetables are soft, reduce the heat to low. Add the spinach and combine.  

Mix the flour, milk, salt, pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Add to the frying pan and combine. If the sauce is too thick add some water from the pot cooking the pasta. Add the canned salmon or tuna to the frying pan. Combine with the sauce and vegetables. Drain the water from the pasta. Add the pasta and the grated cheddar cheese to the frying pan. Combine well. 

Pour the salmon vegetable pasta mixture into the casserole dish. Smooth the contents across the baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese across the top of the casserole and sprinkle some Panko crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the casserole bubbles and the top gets crispy. Serves 2 to 3 people. 

BUCKWHEAT CABBAGE ROLLS

 

Ready to go into the oven

It has been many many years since I have made cabbage rolls from scratch. My sister-in-law sent me a recipe she has made over the years that uses buckwheat, potatoes, onion and bacon. She told me that buckwheat or kasha was very good in cabbage rolls. You could make them meatless and not add the bacon. I decided to make these for the holidays. 

Since it has been awhile since I rolled cabbage leaves with filling, I thought a tutorial was in order. I went to youtube.com and found some great videos on cooking the cabbage and removing the leaves without ripping them along with rolling the leaves with filling.

The filling is very good and since I had about a generous tablespoon left after using all of the cabbage leaves, I warmed it up with a little bit of sauerkraut as a snack.

I used a 28 ounce can of skinless tomatoes and added some water to the casserole dish. 

This recipe makes over two dozen cabbage rolls. It depends on the amount of filling you use and the size of your cabbage.

Buckwheat filling

 

Cabbage ready to be filled

 

 

 

 

Filling the cabbage leaf

 

 

 

 

Two layers of cabbage rolls with sauerkraut

INGREDIENTS:

1 large head of cabbage 

1 1/4 cups of buckwheat (kasha)

2 cups water

1 medium potato, peeled, cooked and mashed

1 medium onion, chopped

5 - 6 slices of bacon, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

28 oz canned tomatoes or tomato soup or juice

sauerkraut (optional)

large casserole dish with a lid

DIRECTIONS:

Add buckwheat and water to a pot and cook on high heat to a boiling point; then reduce to low heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Once the buckwheat is simmering, you can cover the pot with a lid. Cook the buckwheat until the the kernels are soft and the water has been absorbed. Let the buckwheat cool and add it to a medium size bowl. Add the mashed potato to the buckwheat and combine well. Season with some salt and pepper. 

Heat a frying pan to medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Once the bacon is half cooked, add the chopped onion. Cook the bacon and onion until both are well cooked and the bacon is crisp. Watch that you don't burn the onions. Add the cooked bacon and onions to the bowl with the buckwheat and mashed potatoes. Combine well. Set aside. You can make this filling ahead of time and store in the fridge if required.

Steam/cook the cabbage until you separate the leaves.

I like to first place a layer of small cabbage leaves on the bottom of the casserole pan before I add the cabbage rolls. Fill each cabbage leaf with about a tablespoon of the buckwheat mixture. Roll up the leaf and place in the casserole. After you have placed one layer of cabbage rolls you can add some sauerkraut to the layer of rolls before you add the second layer of cabbage rolls. Add more sauerkraut after you completed the second layer of cabbage rolls. Once you have used all of the cabbage leaves or filling, you can add the tomatoes to the casserole dish. Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 hours. 

Recipe adapted from my sister-in-law Darlene.

NOODLE-LESS LASAGNA

I like to do some cooking on weekends in preparation for the week ahead when there is less time to cook supper.  I had some zucchini in the fridge and other vegetables along with some frozen ground beef.  I decided to make a lasagna without the noodles.  I didn't have any ricotta or cottage cheese nor mozzarella but I had frozen shredded herb cheddar along with parmesan in the fridge.  I knew that skipping the ricotta cheese would not be a hardship.  I used both fresh and frozen tomatoes to make the tomato sauce.  I added a bit of corn starch to thicken it.  Instead of fresh tomatoes you could use a can of tomato sauce.

In making this lasagna I had some ingredients leftover after assembling it in the large pan.  I used what was left and made a mini one layer lasagna in a small pan and froze it without baking for a future supper.  For a future supper, I will just need to bake it frozen and will pat myself on the back for planning ahead.

Sliced zucchini and mushrooms

Beef and vegetables sautéing. Then the tomato mixture was added to the pan.

Zucchini layer, followed by spinach and mushroom.

Second layer of meat, then zucchini followed by two kinds of cheese. 

Just out of the oven.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound lean ground beef
1-2 tbsp oil, e.g. olive, avocado
1 onion diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 coloured pepper, chopped
I small can tomato paste
5 tomatoes
1 tbsp corn starch
1 small package of frozen spinach, thaw and drained in a colander
3 zucchini, cut into thin slices
5-6 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp of dried oregano and 1/2 tsp dried basil or 1/2 tsp mixture of Italian herbs
6-8 ozs shredded cheese
1/3 - 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste


Sprinkle the sliced zucchini with some salt and place in a colander to drain.  Let it sit while you assemble the ingredients and do the initial cooking.  In a large frying pan, heat the oil to high, add the ground beef and reduce the heat to medium.  Sauté the meat breaking it up into small pieces and cooking it until the pink is gone.  Sprinkle with pepper.  Add the onion, celery, coloured pepper and oregano/bail or blended herbs.  Cook until the vegetables are softened.  Add salt if so desired.

Into a blender, add the tomatoes and puree. Add the can of tomato paste and blend well. Add the corn starch and blend for another 15 to 20 seconds.  Add the tomato mixture to the frying pan with the beef.  Mix well and let simmer for a few minutes.  Turn the heat off on the frying pan.

Oil a 9 X 13 casserole dish.  Layer about half the beef tomato mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Add a layer of zucchini slices using half of the zucchini slices.  Layer all of the spinach and sliced mushrooms over top of zucchini.  Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese.  Layer the remaining beef tomato mixture followed by the remaining zucchini.  Top with the rest of the shredded cheese and finish with the parmesan cheese.  Bake covered with foil at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil, increase the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.  It is good to let the lasagna sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

SCALLOPED POTATOES

There are many ways to make scalloped potatoes.  You can use different kinds of cheeses, sprinkled cooked bacon on top or through the middle of the casserole.  Not all recipes include onion.  I added onion to the first layer of potatoes.  I used extra old cheddar cheese in the cream sauce.  Before putting the casserole in the oven, I added a mixture of shredded Italian cheeses. The DH and I enjoyed this dish.  And there were leftovers!

Potatoes layered then followed with thinly cut onions.

Cheese cream sauce poured over the first layer of potatoes with the added onions.

Shredded cheese sprinkled on top.  Ready for the oven.

Just out of the oven and ready to serve.

Scalloped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of thinly sliced potatoes

½ medium size onion, thinly sized 

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup grated or thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated cheese, to sprinkle on top

DIRECTIONS:

In a small sauce pan, melt butter and blend in flour.  Let sit for a minute.  Add the cold milk and stir with a whisk.  Season with salt

Cook the sauce on low until smooth and boiling, stirring occasionally with a whisk.  Reduce heat and stir in cheese.

Place half of the sliced potatoes in a lightly greased medium size casserole dish.  Add the sliced onions and spread over the potatoes.

Pour half of cheese sauce over potatoes.  Repeat with second layer of potatoes and cheese sauce.  Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. 

Bake uncovered for about 1 hour at 350°F.

Modified from food.com

LENTIL RICE CASSEROLE

I made this casserole for supper one evening.  My intentions were to also have leftovers for work lunches.  I didn't double the ingredients but used 1.5 times what was called for in order to have enough leftovers for several lunches.  For the ingredient of white wine/lemon juice, I used a combination of cooking wine and lemon juice.  I quite enjoyed this casserole and so did the DH.  I also like it as an alternative to having soup for lunches.

Mixing all of the ingredients together prior to baking.

Out of the oven with melted cheese on top.

A serving of the casserole in a bowl ready to eat.

LENTIL RICE CASSSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken stock

½ cup green lentils

½ cup uncooked brown rice

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut up tomatoes or stewed tomatoes

½ cup white wine or lemon juice

1 medium sized onion, chopped

6 mushrooms, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp dried basil

1/2 cup cheese, shredded (optional)

ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.   Into a 6 cup casserole dish combine all of the ingredients except the cheese.   Bake covered for 90 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times.  If your casserole dish does not have a lid, you can use tin foil.   Serves 4.

An option at the end of baking is to remove the lid/cover and sprinkle ½ cup shredded cheese and bake for 5 minutes.

Adapted from “The Plant Based Power Diet” by Leslie Beck

SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO AND MEATLESS OR REAL GROUND CHICKEN

I have posted before about using ground meat for more than just making hamburgers.  I bought some lean ground chicken for supper and decided to make a different version of Shepherd's pie.  I found a recipe on the Canadian Living website and made a a number of modifications.  The recipe turned out to quite good and I would definitely make this again.  In making this recipe, I used ground chicken but you can also use ground turkey.  If you wanted to make this recipe vegetarian you could substitute the ground chicken with cooked grains or meatless ground soy products.

Ground chicken and vegetables cooking in the frying pan.

The meat and vegetable mixture in the baking dish. 

Sweet potatoes spread over the top.

I shredded old cheddar cheese over the top of the sweet potatoes.

Hot out of the oven.

Ready to eat!

Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato and Ground Chicken

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb ground chicken or turkey

1 medium onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup niblets corn

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp thyme or herbes de Provence

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4- cups chicken stock

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Peel and boil sweet potatoes until tender. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and saute onion and minced garlic for about 3-5 minutes.  Add the ground chicken or turkey and cook for 5 minutes before adding the carrots, corn and celery. Cook until the meat is browned.

Stir in poultry seasoning, thyme or herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Add flour and cook for one minute. Add stock and simmer until thickened to a gravy.

Pour into a baking dish. When the sweet potatoes are done.  Mash them with butter. Spread the mashed sweet potatoes over the meat mixture. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Bake at 350ºF  for 30 minutes.

Adapted from www.Canadianliving.com

BARLEY AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

Many years ago, a friend gave me this recipe.  It can be eaten as a side dish or form part of your main entree.  I like this casserole as barley is one of the ingredients.  You can have variations by adding different vegetables to the mixture.  I plan to have this casserole for lunches this week.  It will be a change from soup.

Vegetables and barley being saute in the frying pan.

Just out of the oven.

 INGREDIENTS:
3 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup pearl or pot barley
3 cups chicken, beef or vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/2 tsp of your favourite dried herb
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Saute onions, garlic, celery and mushrooms in butter or oil on medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add barley and brown lightly. Add bouillon, almonds, herbs, salt and pepper and heat until bubbly.  Pour into a large casserole dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking until liquid is absorbed.  This will take about 30 minutes.  Serves 5.