Eggplant Casserole

I like meatless meals like this one, using eggs and cheese for protein. The longest part of preparation is frying the eggplant but it can be done ahead and then the casserole baked before serving. Makes a wonderful dish for company, especially with the Homemade Egg Noodles which also can be made ahead and drying until ready to cook. This recipe can be doubled to serve 12-14.

Eggplant Casserole

 

Ingredients:

One or more large eggplant, as needed (to double, I use three eggplants)

Three eggs, whisked

Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, 15 oz. can

Olive oil for frying

Mozzarella cheese, about ½ lb, grated

Your favorite spaghetti sauce, 48 oz. jar Prego recommended

Pasta noodles, such as linguini

Directions:

Peel and slice eggplant. Dip slices in egg and then in bread crumbs. Deep fat fry in olive oil until golden brown. Take eggplant right from frying pan and lay out in large baking pan (11 x 14”). 

When the eggplant is fried, grate cheese over all and pour spaghetti sauce over. Bake uncovered until bubbly at 350 degrees and serve with prepared pasta.

Dad's Cornbread

We have two kinds of cornbread in our home-- Dad's recipe and Mom's. Mom's has more sugar, butter instead of oil, and uses fresh milk instead of buttermilk. Yes, right, so Mom's tastes more like cake LOL. But Dad's Cornbread goes well with the hearty soups and stews and dried bean recipes we like to make in our family.

Dad’s Cornbread

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

¾ cup sugar

2 ½ tablespoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda (only if you are using sour milk or buttermilk)

1 ½ teaspoons salt

2 cups yellow cornmeal

4 eggs

2 cups milk, sour milk or buttermilk (if using fresh milk, do not add baking soda)

½ cup oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan. Stir flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda (if using sour milk), and salt. Stir in cornmeal. In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and oil. Pour into dry ingredients and blend until smooth; do not overbeat. Pour mixture into greased baking pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes.

Cajun Pot Roast

Chuck roast is a less expensive cut of beef that does well when cooked long for tenderness. I like to watch the sales and buy several for the freezer.

Cajun Pot Roast

Ingredients:

1 3-4 lb. boneless beef chuck roast

2-3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon oil

2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced or stewed tomatoes

1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon prepared, chopped garlic or ½ teaspoon granulated, dried garlic

¼ cup quick-cooking tapioca, or ¼ cup flour

To make your own Cajun seasoning, mix together: 1- 1 ½ teaspoon seasoning salt, ½ - ¾ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne), and ½ - ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper.

Directions:

Trim fat from roast. Cut meat if necessary to fit in slow cooker. Rub Cajun seasoning all over. In a large skillet, brown roast on all sides in hot oil.

In slow cooker, combine undrained tomatoes, onion, celery, tapioca or flour, and garlic. Mix well. Place meat on top of vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 10 – 12 hours or on high heat setting for 5 – 6 hours. Serve meat with sauce on a bed of rice or noodles.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Two B-words in one recipe woo hoo! Stir fry is a favorite of mine; it stretches the meat and painlessly inserts vegetables into the meal.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:

2 large stalks broccoli

1 lb. beef top round, or other cut such as sirloin or chuck steak

¼ cup oil

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, in syrup

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons vinegar

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (use less for less spicy)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Trim and slice broccoli diagonally. Slice beef in thin strips across the grain. Heat oil in wok or large skillet until very hot. Add broccoli and stir fry two or three minutes until barely tender. Add beef strips and cook just until brown. Remove pan from heat.

Drain pineapple, reserving syrup. Mix syrup with soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper and cornstarch. Add pineapple, bean sprouts and sauce mixture to beef and broccoli in pan. Heat and stir until thickened. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles. Makes four large servings; double for more.

Amber Pie

Happy April! I'm excited to be part of the A to Z Challenge for the 4th year in a row. My theme this time is recipes from A to Z-- all to be included in my upcoming recipe book, The House of Diamonds Cookbook: Hearty Meals for Active Families.

First up is Amber Pie, a sweet and spicy pie that's really easy to make and uses basic ingredients-- which is one of the themes of my cookbook. When I'm ready to prepare a meal I want to start cooking, using what I have on hand without having to go to the store and spend $20 on special ingredients. Ease of preparation and basic ingredients are key to all the recipes I'll be sharing here and in my cookbook.

Amber Pie

Something different, sweet and spicy, Amber Pie is best in a homemade pie crust, but works well in a prepared one if that’s your best option. Because sometimes life calls for pie.

Ingredients:

Pastry for 9” pie

1 cup raisins

2 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, separated, saving out the whites

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

Bake pie crust according to directions.

Preheat oven at 400 degrees. Combine sugar, flour, spices, egg yolks, butter, raisins and buttermilk in saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until thick, stirring constantly. Pour into baked pie shell. Cover with meringue and brown slightly at 400 degrees, for about five minutes. Watch closely, do not burn.

Meringue

Beat the three egg whites until light and fluffy. Add ¼ cup granulated sugar and beat well. Top pie with meringue and bake as instructed.

And the first piece goes to Arlee Bird, the founder of the A to Z Challenge, now in its 5th year. Here's to you, Arlee, for the amazing accomplishment of putting this event together and making it better each year.

Happy Eating!

Many thanks to those of you who weighed in on theme ideas for the A to Z Challenge. The ones who suggested food will be happy to hear that is exactly what I've settled on. My next book release, coming up this summer, is a cookbook: The House of Diamonds Cookbook: Hearty Meals for Active Families. Wish I had a cover to show you but maybe I will before the month of April is over.

And so to promote my book, I'll post recipes from A to Z.  Next Monday is April 1, and I'll start with Amber Pie. See you then!