Mushroom and Rice Casserole

Last week I had an at-home retreat. I mentioned I was doing a retreat in my previous post, and wrote about my experience yesterday at my other blog, Reid All About It.

I didn’t have to cook dinner until Thursday night because my leftovers lasted until then. I thought I’d cook something new and vegetarian for dinner since Jim wasn’t around last week. I hit the jackpot with this recipe. Don’t be put off by the mention of cottage cheese, there’s no way you could identify it in the baked dish. I like cottage cheese so I’m not opposed to it but I know a lot of folks might be.

Spinach wasn’t part of the original recipe on the 101 Cookbooks blog, but since I always seem to have some in the refrigerator – I love adding it to salads or sandwiches – I added it to the casserole. I like the color and flavor it added so will include it from now on. You could probably add other vegetables like broccoli, kale, chard or zucchini.

This would make a fantastic side dish at Thanksgiving or any potluck event. It shows off its star, mushrooms, in a way that will satisfy hearty eaters. And I don’t think it’s overly fattening, especially if you use low-fat sour cream and cottage cheese.

Once again, I’ve failed in my photography duties and didn’t take any photos. But considering how my photos normally turn out, that’s no big loss. Instead, feast your eyes on these luscious earthy mushrooms.

photo by Tup Wanders

Mushroom and Rice Casserole

You’ll need a large baking dish (I used an 8” x 12”), large skillet, medium bowl and large bowl.

• Cooking spray and/or olive oil
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped – I used a mix of cremini and shiitake
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cups cooked brown and wild rice, room temperature (or any cooked grain)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup cottage cheese, low-fat
• 1/2 cup sour cream, low-fat
• 1 cup (or more) chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• a bit of fresh tarragon, thyme and/or rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Rub a medium-large baking dish (smaller than a 9×13) with a bit of olive oil or spray with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms in oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they’re translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl stir together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, spinach and salt. Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes more or until hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs and the remaining Parmesan.

Original recipe can be found in two places: 101 Cookbooks and The Kitchn

Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna

You won’t find any pasta or meat in this lasagna and you won’t miss them. I live with a guy and we all know that guys like meat. But once I heard him say, “eggplant is like a meat,” so I take that as carte blanche to bring on the eggplant. I found this recipe on Varsha Chawla’s blog. Varsha, a Raleigh acquaintance, provides “every day recipes, cooking tips and technology for the busy girl.” This “every day” recipe is good enough for company.

It takes a bit of time to put together because you have to salt the eggplant and let it rest for 20 minutes to drain any bitter juice. Frying the eggplant and zucchini slices takes some time as well. You could probably make this a lower-fat meal by roasting the slices instead of frying. But isn’t frying more tasty?

Because I had a large casserole I used a very large eggplant and two fairly large zucchini. I also added sliced mushrooms to the tomato base. Varsha and I both like some heat so you may wish to decrease the amount of red pepper flakes if you’re not a heat lover. You could also use less mozzarella — two cups is more than enough, but oh so good.

Serve this with a crispy green salad and garlic bread. You really don’t need more vegetables but I had some to use up so I sauteed them with sliced mushrooms, garlic and pesto from the freezer. Hmm, I might add a little pesto to the lasagna next time I make it.

Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 medium-large zucchini
• Flour, salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of parsley, chopped
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cups (or less) low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
• Cooking spray

Slice the eggplant and zucchini lengthwise. Sprinkle salt over the eggplant (to draw out some of the water) and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

Add some flour, salt and pepper to a plate. Coat the slices of eggplant and zucchini with the seasoned flour.

Add olive oil to a large skillet and put on medium-high heat. Once the oil is heated, fry the eggplant and zucchini slices until light brown, turning the slices over after a few minutes. You might have to do this in two or three batches. Allow the fried slices to drain on a plate covered with paper towels.

Saute the onions, mushrooms, garlic and half the parsley in olive oil. Add the diced tomatoes, oregano and red pepper flakes. Saute until the vegetables are just softened. Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees.

Spray a 10″x10” oven safe pan or casserole with cooking spray. Place a layer of eggplant on the bottom. Add a layer of zucchini on top of them. Then add the diced tomato mixture, then another layer of the eggplant and zucchini.

Bake on 400 degrees for about 25 minutes. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and bake for another 6-9 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve.

Original recipe: Mediterranean Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna, Varsha Chawla

Eggplant Marinara & Mozzarella Stacks

Thou shalt not covet fat shiny purple-black eggplants. Oh, but I do. I know the season is over and wonder where my market is getting theirs, but I love their glossy fullness, the contrast between the dark skin and green stem cap. They even squeak. I can’t resist them. Their meaty flesh is the perfect accompaniment to tomato sauce, cheese and pesto.

I found this recipe on the Proud Italian Cook blog. Marie cooks soul food. Many of her recipes, including this one, don’t specify ingredient amounts or cooking times, you have to use your instinct or nose to figure out how much is enough. But that’s easy to do with this recipe. All you have to do is create stacks — no need for specifics.

You’ll need to roast eggplant slices for this recipe. That’s an easy thing to do ahead of time or just before assembling the stacks. Use leftover roasted eggplant slices for sandwiches — add a little provolone cheese and pesto mayo — or in stir-fry.

Her recipe calls for fresh mozzarella but I bought an 8 oz bag of shredded regular mozzarella instead because it was half-price. I’m a proud frugal not-really-Italian cook.

Once you make this recipe, you’ll always return to it because it’s so easy and so delicious. My recipe for Garlic Bread is below too.

photo courtesy of Marie of Proud Italian Cook blog

Eggplant Stacks

• 6 oz shredded mozzarella, or fresh mozzarella
• 2 eggplants — for six stacks
• 6 tablespoons basil pesto — homemade or store-bought
• ½ jar marinara sauce, or homemade – I prefer a spicy sauce, add crushed red pepper if necessary
• Coarse breadcrumbs — whole wheat, white or both
• Grated parmesan cheese — you can add romano or mozzarella to this

Prepare the eggplant by picking off the stem caps, then slicing each end off. Stand it up and peel the skin off with a knife. Sometimes if you cut the eggplant in half crosswise, it’s easier to handle its curves. You can leave some skin on and take some off, in zebra fashion, striping it as you go around. Or you can peel it all off. Slice the peeled eggplant into 3/4″ rounds. Brush the slices on both sides with olive oil, place them on a sheet pan and bake in a 450F oven until the slices are golden and tender.

Toast the breadcrumbs. If you’re using fresh mozzarella, slice it into rounds.

Spread marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Place six eggplant slices, or one for  each stack, spaced out, on the bottom of the dish. Spread about 1 Tbsp, or whatever amount covers the eggplant, of marinara sauce on top of each slice, then a piece of fresh mozzarella or about 1 Tbsp shredded cheese. Place another eggplant slice on top and spread with a scant Tbsp of pesto. Add the final eggplant slices, more sauce and another piece of fresh mozzarella or shredded cheese. Top with more sauce, toasted breadcrumbs and, finally, the grated parmesan cheese. Go easy on the crumbs — you don’t want too much dryness on the top.

The assembly order looks like this: marinara on bottom of dish, eggplant, marinara, mozzarella, eggplant, pesto, eggplant, marinara, mozzarella, marinara, breadcrumbs, parmesan mix.

Bake uncovered at 375F until heated through and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Garlic Bread

Slice a baguette in half crosswise and then lengthwise. Melt some butter in a dish in the microwave. Add some olive oil to it. Brush that onto the cut sides of the bread. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley and oregano (or dried oregano) on each piece. Add some chopped sautéed garlic (or garlic powder or garlic salt). Sprinkle with a little shredded mozzarella if you have some left over, or parmesan. Cut the baguette into serving size pieces — big slabs — and wrap each in foil. Bake in oven while your Eggplant Stacks are finishing up, 5-10 minutes.

Original recipe: Proud Italian Cook – Eggplant Stacks

Soul Food: Thai Peanut Butter Pasta

My brother Ed made this for the first time for me back in the 90’s. Ever since, it’s been the dish I make when I have leftover vegetables and cilantro in the refrigerator and a craving for comfort food.

I use the word “Thai” here with some literary license. Although I’ve had peanut and sesame flavored noodle dishes in both Thai and Indonesian restaurants, I’m not claiming that this dish resembles anything found in Thailand.

When I make pasta I never measure ingredients so the amounts here are estimates. If you think you want more peanut butter flavor, go for it. You can play with the ginger and garlic too. Don’t feel obliged to use the sauces (soy, fish, sriracha) that I do. Use the flavors that appeal to you. You can add shrimp, chicken or pork. The recipe is very flexible. If your sauce gets too dry, add more milk or ladle some of the pasta water into it to loosen it up a bit. The photo shows my pan as the sauce was simmering. It’s redder than usual because I was a bit gung-ho with the sriracha. That was some spicy pasta!

Thai Peanut Butter Pasta

• ½# pasta – I usually use whole wheat linguine, fettuccine or penne.
• 1 medium or large onion, sliced
• 2 cups of sliced or chopped vegetables – Broccoli (florets and stems), bok choy, greens, red bell pepper, carrot and zucchini are all good choices, use what you have.
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped or sliced
• ½ tsp allspice – Use any type of spice you wish. I used to add Chinese 5-spice all the time but when I ran out I switched to allspice.
• 1 tsp ginger powder or 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
• 1 Tbsp (or less) sriracha or other hot sauce
• ½ cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• ½ cup or more milk or cream
• Pasta water
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Optional – chopped scallions
• Optional – chopped peanuts

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water once your vegetables are nearly softened and ready for the liquid ingredients. You can always let your sauce sit a bit and wait for the pasta to be ready, but if your pasta sits and waits for the sauce to be ready, it will either overcook or, if drained, get sticky and cling together.

In a large pan, saute the onions and other vegetables on medium heat. If you are using any vegetables that will need more time to cook than the others, start those first, or steam them a bit first before adding them to the pan, so everything will be ready in the pan at the same time. About one minute before the vegetables are softened, turn the heat to low and add the garlic, allspice, ginger and any other spices. Saute just until the garlic starts to golden.

Turn the heat to medium and add the hot sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce and fish sauce. Stir in the peanut butter so it melts and blends with the other ingredients. Then add the milk and stir to blend all the ingredients. The sauce will thicken as it cooks. If it gets too thick, add some milk or water from the pasta pot. Taste as you go. What is it missing? More hot sauce? Peanut butter? Salt? Add a little of this and that to get it where you want it.

Before draining the pasta, take out a few ladles of the pasta water and reserve it in a small bowl. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan along with the cilantro. Mix it all up and let it meld together. Add more pasta water if it’s too dry. When it’s ready, drizzle a little sesame oil over the pasta.

Serve in huge bowls. If you’d like, garnish each bowl with some chopped scallions and peanuts.

Zucchini Relish Quesadillas

This quick relish takes only a little longer than the time it takes you to chop up the vegetables. It tastes fresh with a bit of crunch combined with a hint of tang and sweetness. I followed the recipe on Prudence Pennywise. When it came time to make a quesadilla I covered the whole tortilla with relish, instead of half, since this was dinner.

This tasty relish will also be great as a side dish if I don’t use it all for quesadillas.

Zucchini Relish

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 2 zucchini, chopped – she calls for small squash but mine were medium
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 1 cup corn, cut from the cob
• 1 large red tomato, chopped
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp lime juice

Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic, jalapeno, zucchini, squash, tomato and corn. Cook until vegetables are tender. Add brown sugar and lime juice. Cook for one additional minute, or until any liquid is gone. Season with salt and pepper.

Spray a skillet with cooking spray. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over a whole wheat tortilla, then cover it with a layer of relish and top it with another tortilla. Heat on both sides until cheese is melted and tortillas are warm.

Original recipe: Quesadillas with Quick Zucchini Relish