NRode Zucchini Squash Casserole

q  3    cups zucchini and/or yellow squash scrubbed and sliced about ¼ inch thick

q  ¼   cup chopped onion ( I think a sweet onion, Spanish or vidalia makes this dish  

 taste best)

q  4    tablespoons butter or olive oil

q  2    eggs beaten

q  ¼   cup milk         

q        salt and pepper to taste

q  1    cup sharp cheddar cheese (colby, or jack cheese also work well or any combination) grated.

q  1    or 2 fresh sliced tomatoes (plum tomatoes work well), optional.

Panko topping

q  1    cup crushed Panko crumbs

q  ¼ cup olive oil

q  1 tablespoon garlic salt

q  ¼ cup parmesan cheese or grated sharp cheddar

Mix together in small bowl, should be moist

Ø  Preheat oven to 350º.

Ø  Sauté squash and onions in butter or olive oil til tender.  Drain.

Ø  Add remaining ingredients, except cheese, panko and tomatoes.

Ø  Spoon into 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.

Ø  Top with tomatoes, then cheese then Panko mixture

Ø  Bake for 20-30 minutes at 350º.

To add an Italian flair to this recipe use mozzarella and Parmesan cheese as the topping and sprinkle squash and onions with oregano and garlic when sautéing.  You can also add a small 15 oz can of Italian Seasoned chopped tomatoes in place of tomato slices.

Served with Italian Sausages (I like hot) & a salad… makes it a complete meal

NRode’s Meatloaf

NRode’s Meatloaf

This is another recipe I cannot remember where it came from (I think it is a variation from a Cooks Cupboard recipe)  because  I got it years ago and have refined over and over.  It is well worth the work.  The only non-organic is the Knox Gelatin.  All cheeses are from cows not treated with rBST.  Beef should be good quality grass fed.

Preheat oven to 375 °

1 cup fine grated Jack cheese (provolone, parmesan or romano or combo of the three works just as well).

Step 1... Spread cheese on plate and place in freezer until ready to use.

1... ...tablespoon of butter

1... ...cup chopped onion

1/2... cup chopped celery

1 or two chopped fine garlic cloves (or garlic salt 1 tblspoon) or (minced garlic 1 tblspoon)

2 teaspoons chopped  fresh thyme leaves (dry works well too)

1 to 2 teaspoons (Hungarian) paprika

1/4 to 1/2 cups of vegetable juice with 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper mixed in

Step 2... Heat butter in 10 inch skillet until foaming....add onion and celery an cook stirring til starting to brown.  Add garlic, thyme, and paprika continue cooking til it smells good about a minute.  Turn heat to low and add Veg juice...cook stirring to scrape up browned bits from pan, until thickened...this usually takes about a minute.  Put mixture in small bowl and set aside to cool.

Step 3...Whisk eggs til mixed well, then add broth and whisk  to combined.  Sprinkle gelatin on mixture...let stand for 5 minutes.  Stir in soy sauce , mustard, panko crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper, and cooled onion mixture...crumble froze cheese into corse type powder (or at least small bits)  and sprinkle over mixture.

1/2 teaspoon unflavored (Knox) gelatin.

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons dry mustard (or 1 teaspoon of dijon)

2/3 cup panko bread crumbs (or you can sub saltine crackers...no as good though)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon black pepper (corse ground is best)

Step 4...Add ground beef mix with hands til mixed well 

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground sirloin

Step 5...form/shape into a loaf on a foil lined cookie sheet. (if you wet your hands with warm water you can shape the meat better and smooth it)

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes.

Glaze

1 bottle of Chili Sauce

1 tablespoon Dark Brown sugar

1 tablespoon of dry mustard

Heat in small sauce pan til bubbly...let cool.

Last half hour of meatloaf baking time pour glaze over top, spread down sides, continue baking til thermometer reads 140 degrees.

Chocolate Earthquake Cake

Not sure where I got this recipe. I would not make this on a regular basis, but on occasion I will use non-organic ingredients (Duncan Hines cake mix is that ingredient in this recipe). Everything else is organic. 

This is an old recipe so I do not have a photo.  Next time I make it I will take a photo and insert it. 

q  1 box German Chocolate Cake Mix (I like Duncan Hines)

q  1-3.5 ounce can sweetened flaked coconut

q  1 cup chopped walnuts    

q  ¼  cup butter

q  8 ounces softened cream cheese

q  2 cups powdered sugar (16 oz)

Ø  Prepare cake batter according to package directions

Ø  Pre heat oven to 350º

Ø  Grease a 9x12 inch baking dish/pan (a spray like Pam works well)

Ø  Cover the bottom of the baking dish with nuts and coconut

Ø  Pour cake batter on top

Ø  Melt butter in bowl, add cream cheese and powdered sugar, stir to blend.

Ø  Spoon over unbaked batter

Ø  Bake for 40 to 42 minutes

No need to test for doneness, because this is a sticky cake…40 to 45 minutes should be plenty of bake time.

Serve in bowls with ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate chips.

CHALLAH BREAD

   

        

(I bake both loaves at the same time just adjust your oven racks to accommodate both above are photos of my favorite pans, pizza cutter, bowl & finished loaf)

 INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups warm wate

 (110 degrees F /45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon active dry yeast 1/2 cup honey (organic)

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 eggs (reserve one egg for wash before baking)

1 tablespoon salt

8 cups unbleached all-purpose organic flour

DIRECTIONS:

Ø In a large bow  (I use a large aluminum bowl) sprinkle yeast over barely w arm water. Beat in honey, oil, 2 eggs, and salt. Add the f flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading w with hands as dough thickens. Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding  flour as needed. Cover w with a warm damp clean cloth and let rise f or 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk.

Ø Punch down the risen dough and turn out onto f floured board. Divide in half and knead each half f or five minutes or so, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Divide each half into thirds (I use my large pizza cutter) and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid from middle. Either leave as braid or  form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. (The braids do not need to be precise, do not worry if they are not perfect they will work just fine.) Grease two baking trays and place f inished braid or round on each. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour.

Ø Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Ø Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid.

Ø Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) f or about 40 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound when thumped on the bottom. Cool on a rack f or at least one hour before slicing.

Ø I like this plain, you might be tempted to add seeds or other ingredients…I advise against it. This is luscious bread plain.

This recipe makes 2 large loaves- I cut each loaf in half and freeze some of them for later.  They freeze really well and taste fresh when thawed  To freeze, I wrap in plastic wrap, then put in freezer zip lock bag this stops freezer burn.