New Year, New You

Every year, eating healthier appears somewhere -- if not first -- on lists of New Year's resolutions.  If this is one of your goals for 2018, here's a tasty and healthy broccoli recipe to whet your appetite.

In 2011, I posted a Broccoli with Lemon recipe made with butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper and, of course, broccoli.  The recipe I'm sharing today, courtesy of one of my sisters-in-law, has the same name, but not the same ingredients.  The new recipe includes the addition of chicken broth and, instead of butter, olive oil.  These two ingredients give the broccoli a robust -- rather than citrusy -- flavor.

One thing to remember is not all olive oils are the same.  Although olive oils are graded according to their level of acidity, the flavor, color and fragrance depends on where the olives were grown.

Extra virgin olive oil -- the most expensive -- comes from the first pressing of the olives and contains no more than 1% acid.  The next grade, virgin olive oil, also comes from the first pressing, but contains up to 3% acid.  A good rule of thumb is the darker the olive oil, the more flavor it contains.

The last few times I've prepared this dish, I've taken some shortcuts. Rather than buy a head of broccoli and cut it into pieces, I use a bag of precut broccoli.  It may cost a little more, but I find the time saved is worth the splurge.

Instead of cooking the broccoli in a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water, I rinse the broccoli and cook it 3 to 4 minutes in the microwave in a covered micro-cooker I bought from Pampered Chef many years ago. 

If you need to watch your salt intake, you can substitute low sodium chicken broth and omit the 1/4 teaspoon salt called for in the recipe.

If you prefer broccoli like the version pictured below, check back soon for a truly cheesy recipe.  

In the meantime, here's a broccoli recipe that's better for you.

Broccoli with Lemon Version 2

4 Servings

1 lb. fresh broccoli, washed and cut into florets

3 Tbsp. canned chicken broth

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Arrange broccoli in a steamer basket over 1-inch of boiling water.  Cover and steam 6 to 8 minutes, or until crisp-tender.  Drain; set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients; pour over broccoli and toss to coat.

© Margaret's Morsels

National Pi Day

That's not a typo in the title.  National Pi Day isn't referring to the sweet and savory pies we eat, but the Greek letter (π) used in mathematics to represent the numerical value of the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, approximately 3.14159....  Math is an important part of cooking -- just think of all the fractions!  Since today is March 14 (3/14), I thought it would be fun to use this play on words with pie recipes I've posted in the past.

Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie:  The addition of a streusel topping takes a plain pumpkin pie from ho hum to wow!

Banana Cream Supreme:  This cool and creamy, no bake pie is a cross between banana pie and banana pudding.  

Lemonade Pie:  What's more refreshing on a hot summer day than a glass of lemonade?  A piece of lemonade pie!  This beat the heat dessert gets its wonderful lemon flavor from a can of lemonade concentrate.  

Easy Peanut Butter Chip Pie:  The pie is made with peanut butter chips and not peanut butter.  If you love chocolate and peanut butter, top the pie with a bottle of chocolate Magic Shell topping!

Chocolate Dream Pie:  This no bake pie only uses four ingredients and half of them are chocolate!  

Chocolate Cobbler:  This eggless cobbler makes its own chocolate sauce! It's best served hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream on top!  

Cookie Apple Cobbler:  This apple pie is super easy to make.  The crust is made with a package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough!

Chicken Pot Pie:  The picture doesn't do this pie justice!  Refrigerated pie crusts encase a filling made with canned chicken, vegetables, soup, milk and seasonings.

Broccoli Quiche:  You don't have to make the pie crust, cook the broccoli or, if you don't mind spending a little extra, even grate the cheese!

Bacon Quiche:  This quiche uses a package of refrigerated pie crusts and is baked in a 13 x 9-inch pan.  The filling ingredients can be assembled and refrigerated ahead of time.

© Margaret's Morsels

   

  

Vanishing Velveeta

According to news reports, Velveeta -- the processed cheese known for its creaminess when melted -- is in short supply.  I only use Velveeta in queso dip so I'm not too worried yet.  Other people, though, use Velveeta regularly in a variety of dishes from appetizers to entrees, sides and, believe it or not, even dessert.  If you rely on Velveeta for broccoli rice casserole, here's a recipe that will make you forget all about the shortage.  

I don't remember when or where I first discovered broccoli rice casserole. My mother never made it so I probably tried it at a church potluck or a friend's house.  My mother-in-law used to make it and gave me a copy of her recipe.  I tried making it like she did with Cheez Whiz, but my husband thought it was too cheesy.  The next time I used her recipe, I substituted grated Cheddar cheese, but it still wasn't as good as the casserole I fondly remembered from my youth.  I tried several other recipes unsuccessfully and resigned myself to the fact that I'd probably only enjoy this casserole when I could find it on the menu at a restaurant.  

A couple of years ago, an acquaintance shared her broccoli rice casserole recipe with me.  It was similar in some ways to the recipes I'd tried in the past, but at the same time different enough that it piqued my interest.

The recipe starts like most broccoli rice casseroles by sauteing chopped onion in margarine.  However, the broccoli, instead of being cooked separately in a pot of water, is sauteed with the onion.  I think the texture and flavor of the broccoli is better when it's sauteed rather than boiled.

Evaporated milk and soup are stirred into the sauteed mixture.  Instead of the traditional cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, this recipe uses a can of broccoli cheese soup.  This adds additional broccoli -- even if it is tiny -- and, more importantly, cheese.  However, it's not the only source of cheese in the recipe.  The casserole gets it cheesiness not from Velveeta, Cheez Whiz or grated cheese, but from a can of Cheddar cheese soup! 

Cooked long grain rice -- no Minute rice in this recipe -- is mixed in before the dish goes into the oven.

I've written more than once that I'm a creature of habit, especially when it comes to ordering food in a restaurant.  When I find something I like at a restaurant, I tend to order it every single time I eat there.  One of my favorite restaurants has broccoli rice casserole on the menu.  I always order it with cooked cabbage, lima beans, sweet potato casserole and a corn muffin. This is how I serve the casserole at home for a meatless meal, except I omit the cabbage since I'm the only one that likes it. 

Hopefully, the vanishing Velveeta will be back on store shelves soon.  I certainly hope it will be plentiful when Cinco de Mayo rolls around so I can make queso dip.  To be on the safe side, though, I'm going to pick up a box the next time I'm at the grocery.  After all, I can't make queso dip without Velveeta!

Broccoli Rice Casserole

6 to 8 Servings

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli

1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can broccoli cheese soup (undiluted)

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can Cheddar cheese soup (undiluted)

1 cup long grain rice, cooked according to pkg. directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion and broccoli in butter or margarine 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove skillet from the heat and stir in milk and soups until smooth.  Stir in rice.  Pour into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350° for 45 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly.

© Margaret's Morsels 

Spotlight on Summer: Picnic Fare and Quick Cooking

Last week, I posted links to previous blogs that contained recipes for cool and creamy foods.  Today, in part two of the series, I'm doing the same thing, but with foods that are good to take on a picnic or can be prepared on busy summer days with very little effort.  Click the words in bold to go to the page with the recipe.

Picnic Fare:

What better way to celebrate summer than with a picnic?  Picnics are fun, but be sure to keep food safety in mind:  keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold!

Chicken Salad:  This has been my favorite chicken salad recipe for over 20 years!  When I take it on picnics, I serve it just like I do at home:  on a plate with croissants on the side.  If you want to use it for sandwiches, keep the chicken salad in the cooler and assemble the sandwiches when you're ready to eat.  This will keep the sandwiches from getting soggy.

Deviled Eggs:  I like to take chicken salad on a picnic, but my mother liked to take fried chicken.  To accompany the chicken, she always took a batch of deviled eggs.  They're better made the day before so you can pack and go the day of the picnic.  Make sure to leave them in the cooler until you're ready to eat.

Fruit Salad:  My grandmother made this simple salad -- apples, bananas, crushed pineapple and orange juice -- for my mom and her siblings; my mom made it for her kids and now I make it for my family.  It's ideal for a picnic because it doesn't contain mayonnaise, sour cream or Cool Whip. Serve it straight from the cooler as a refreshing fruit salad or as dessert.

Peanut Butter Cookies:  No one will ever guess these cookies only use three ingredients.  They bake in just minutes so you can whip up a batch at the spur of the moment.  They're also easy to pack and mess free since they're not frosted.

Mini Mason Jar Cakes:  Mason jars aren't just for canning anymore.  You can use the four ounce jars to make cute desserts -- cakes, cobblers, pies and crisps -- that are wonderful for a picnic or casual get together.  Don't forget to pack spoons!

Fruit Tea:  Soft drinks and Kool-Aid might be easy to pack for a picnic, but they're not as refreshing as an ice cold glass of fruit tea.  This dressed up sweet tea uses lemon juice, pineapple juice and, the secret ingredient, ginger ale!

Quick Cooking:

Life tends to move a little slower in the summer.  The weather is warmer, days are longer and there's more to do outside.  Who wants to be stuck inside cooking?  These recipes let you put dinner on the table without having to do a lot of work or get the kitchen too hot.

Sauteed Pork Chops:  You won't heat up the kitchen when you cook these pork chops.  They cook in just 11 minutes!  The only thing you need other than the ingredients is a skillet with a lid.

Easy Pork Chops and Apples:  This dish is as easy as they come.  You don't even have to brown the pork chops or cut and peel the apples.  Cook a vegetable separately and you've got a meal that's very easy to prepare.  

Hamburger Macaroni Casserole:  A reader once described this dish as homemade Hamburger Helper, but better.  The macaroni doesn't even have to be cooked separately.  Everything is cooked in the same pan and, from start to finish, takes less than 45 minutes to cook.

Marinated Baked Chicken:  This dish takes very little work, but you do need to plan ahead since the chicken has to be marinated overnight.  The marinade is super easy to mix up:  you use equal parts of Italian salad dressing and soy sauce.  The recipe can easily be doubled or, if necessary, halved.

Broccoli with Lemon:  This recipe starts with fresh steamed broccoli.  If you don't have time to steam the broccoli, microwave a package of fresh broccoli florets that's sold in a microwave-safe bag.  You can mix up the rest of the ingredients while the broccoli is in the microwave.

Potato Salad:  You might not think of this dish as quick, but it can be when you don't have to peel, cut and boil potatoes.  Ore-Ida Steam 'n Mash cut Russet potatoes -- which cook in only 10 minutes in the microwave -- can be substituted for fresh potatoes.  No one will ever taste the difference.

Check back next week for this series finale:  foods that won't heat up the kitchen.

© Margaret's Morsels

Say Cheese: Vegetable Edition

A couple of years ago, I shared a recipe for fresh steamed broccoli with lemon -- not cheese -- sauce.  When I don't have fresh broccoli on hand or I want to serve something a little fancier, I pull out a recipe my mom used to make called Broccoli Au Gratin.  The name may sound intimidating, but the recipe is really easy to make.  Au gratin is just a French word that means to sprinkle food with bread crumbs, grated cheese, or both and then brown it in the oven.

Instead of fresh broccoli, this casserole uses a 16 ounce package of frozen chopped broccoli that's cooked according to package directions.  While the broccoli is cooking, crumble enough Ritz crackers to equal 1/2 cup crumbs -- about 13 crackers.  The easiest and neatest way to do this is to put the crackers in a plastic bag

and crush them with your hands.

When the broccoli is almost done, bring a can of undiluted cream of chicken soup to a boil over low heat.

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the grated cheese until it's melted.

I use 98% fat-free soup which has less sodium than regular soup.  For that reason, I stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt when I add the cheese.

Thoroughly drain the broccoli, stir it in the soup mixture and spread it in a greased casserole dish.

Most recipes call for cracker crumbs to be combined with melted butter or dotted with butter, but not this one.  It doesn't use any butter.  I actually prefer it this way because the crumbs won't be soggy when you reheat the leftovers.  Sprinkle the cracker crumbs on top 

and bake the casserole at 350° for 30 minutes.

My mom served Broccoli Au Gratin with a variety of entrees, but I especially like to serve it with Microwave Tuna and Noodle Parmesan.

No matter what you choose to serve it with, the recipe is a nice alternative to steamed broccoli.  It's also an easy, tasty and inexpensive way to dress up an ordinary package of frozen chopped broccoli.

Broccoli Au Gratin

6 Servings

1 (16 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, cooked and drained

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (undiluted)*

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup crushed Ritz cracker crumbs (approximately 13 crackers)

Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain.  Bring undiluted soup to a boil over low heat; remove from heat and stir in cheese until it's melted.  Stir in broccoli.  Place mixture in a greased casserole dish; sprinkle with cracker crumbs.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

*If using 98% fat-free soup, add 1/2 teaspoon salt when you add the cheese.

© Margaret's Morsels

Celebrate Mom

Mother's Day is big business in the restaurant world.  According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is the most popular day to eat out.  This is precisely why I don't want my family to take me out to eat on Mother's Day!  While I appreciate the sentiment, I'd rather go out to eat when it's not as crowded, prices aren't inflated and restaurants aren't in a hurry to turn the table and seat the next patron.  If, for one reason or another, your mom feels the same way, fix her a home cooked meal instead.  If that thought scares you because you're not a cook, check out the recipes below.  This baker's dozen includes recipes for the novice as well as the experienced cook and those in between.  Click on the words in bold to see the recipe.  If none of these are mom's cup of tea, check my blog for lots more recipes.  

Bright and Early:

Baked Omelet Roll:  Six ingredients, a blender, 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan and spatula are all you need to make this impressive looking dish.  You can add meat, vegetables or cheese as a filling, but make sure whatever you use is fully cooked.

French Toast Souffle:  Although the word "souffle" may sound intimidating, this recipe is really easy to prepare.  You don't even need a souffle dish! It's baked in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.  When baked, it makes a delicious sauce that can be spooned on top instead of using syrup.  It has to be assembled and refrigerated the night before it's baked.

Salads:

Chicken Tender Salad:  A bed of salad greens topped with chicken tenders, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, shredded cheese, croutons or potato sticks and some dressing would cost upwards of $8.00 in a restaurant.  This homemade version -- which can be made with a package of salad mix and a box of frozen chicken tenders -- tastes just as good and is a fraction of the cost.

Chicken Salad:  This is the best chicken salad I've ever eaten!  It takes time to make, but it's worth the effort.  It's best when made a day ahead of time so the flavors have time to blend.  Add some celery sticks, croissants and a congealed salad to round out the meal.  To impress mom, place scoops of chicken salad on a lettuce lined platter and top each scoop with a sprig of parsley.

Cherry Gelatin Fruit Salad:  This recipe only uses four ingredients and all of them are sugar-free!  It can be made using a decorative mold, individual molds or a 2-quart serving bowl.  It's a nice accompaniment to chicken salad.

The Main Event:

Easy Pork Chops and Apples:  There's no need to peel apples or brown pork chops with this recipe.  Spread canned apple pie filling in a baking dish, add the pork chops and top everything with packaged stuffing mix. Serve a vegetable or two on the side and you've got a meal that was easy to prepare.

Broccoli Quiche:  You don't have to make the pie crust, cook the broccoli or, if you don't mind spending a little extra, grate the cheese to make this quiche.  Add a green salad and some fresh fruit and you've got a meal mom will love.

Baked Ziti:  If you can boil water, you can make this pasta dish.  It's so tasty, mom will never guess it only costs .67 cents a serving!  Add a green salad and some garlic bread and you've got a filling meal.

On the Side:

Potatoes O'Brien:  This recipe uses frozen steak fries instead of fresh potatoes.  This makes the dish quick to prepare because you don't have to peel potatoes.  It also makes cooking time minimal.  This is delicious served with a baked omelet roll.

Macaroni and Cheese:  This side dish is tastier than anything you get from a box!  The hardest part of the recipe is boiling water.  You don't even have to cook the sauce on the stove; the ingredients are mixed up in a bowl.

Bread Basket:

Cinnamon Muffins:  This was the first Mother's Day recipe I ever posted on my blog.  These muffins start with a package of yellow or white cake mix and require more mixing than measuring!  The muffins can be made in a regular size muffin tin or miniature ones.

Sweet Endings:

Lemonade Pie:  You won't need any measuring cups or spoons to make this no bake pie.  You will, however, need a can opener and an electric mixer.  Unlike a lot of no bake pies, this pie gets it creaminess not from Cool Whip, but from cream cheese.  You need to allow four hours for it to firm up in the freezer before it's served.

Sour Cream Cherry Cheesecake:  Mom will never guess this cheesecake isn't made from scratch.  A package of no bake cheesecake mix is doctored up and the result is a cheesecake that tastes homemade.  If you don't like cherries, substitute your favorite flavor of pie filling instead.

© Margaret's Morsels