Warm Black Bean Dip

Super Bowl Sunday is coming, and with it the culmination of one of America's favorite sports seasons. With this favored tradition comes the gathering of friends and family for good food and lots of fun. This recipe is a good one to prepare because it is low-fat and low-calorie for those who are being careful with calories, but, it is full of flavor and very satisfying. The only real challenge is controlling the number of tortilla or corn chips! Blessings...

Recipe:

1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. oil
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1/3 cup picante sauce or salsa
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice or more, to taste
tortilla or corn chips

1. In a medium nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.
2. Add the beans; mash gently. Stir in the tomato, picante sauce or salsa, cumin and chili powder. Cook and stir just until heated through.
3. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese, cilantro and lime juice. Taste and add salt, if needed.
4. Serve warm with tortilla chips or corn chips

Yield: 2 cups
1/4 cup serving is 73 calories
3 gms. fiber

This recipe comes from a Taste of Home Cookbook.

Tuscan Sausage and Bean Dip

This wonderful, hearty dip is loaded with lots of Italian-flavored ingredients. The combination of Italian sausage, cheeses, beans, chopped spinach and tomatoes, all heated and melted together for 25 minutes in the oven, is like a casserole on toast. Absolutely yummy, and perfect for the upcoming football playoff games and Super Bowl. Blessings...

1 lb. bulk hot Italian sausage
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth ( I used chicken broth)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
1 pkg. (6 oz.) fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 can (15 oz.) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Assorted crackers or toasted French bread baguette slices

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain.
2. Stir in wine, oregano, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is almost evaporated.
3. Add cream cheese; stir until melted. Stir in spinach, beans and tomatoes; cook and stir until spinach is wilted. Transfer to a greased 8-inch-square or 1-1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices.

Yield: 16 servings
200 calories per 1/4 cup serving (made with wine and regular cream cheese)
2 gms. fiber

Note: To toast baguette, slice bread into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices and lay on baking sheet. Toast under broiler for a few minutes; watch carefully as they will burn quickly.

This wonderful recipe was contributed to Taste of Home Magazine by a reader.

Turkey Taco Bake

This very easy kid-friendly casserole makes good use of some of the leftover turkey from the grand feast of last week. Of course, when there is no leftover turkey, chicken can also be used very successfully. We served the casserole with a simple salad of greens and fruit that was topped with a poppy seed dressing. Yummy, and so easy! Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups coarsely crushed corn chips
1 can (16 oz.) refried beans
1 cup shredded Mexican four cheese blend
1 cup shredded medium Cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
2 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken (I use chopped meat, it's faster)
1 tsp. Mexican or taco seasoning
1 green onion, sliced (opt.)
1 medium tomato, chopped (opt.)

1. Place corn chips in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
2. Heat the refried beans in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in 1 cup of cheese and salsa. Spread over chips.
3. Toss the turkey or chicken with the Mexican seasoning; sprinkle over bean mixture.
4. Top with the remaining cheese; sprinkle with the green onion, if desired.
5. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until heated through.
6. Sprinkle with chopped tomato, if desired.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Tip: Casserole can be made in advance and refrigerated. Heat covered casserole in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour. Check the center of casserole to make sure that it is heated through.

The Best Macaroni and Cheese

One of our families favorite comfort foods is macaroni and cheese. Yes, it is high in calories, but it is also easy, fast, and absolutely delicious. Macaroni and cheese, made from scratch, puts the packaged mixes to shame, especially if you are an adult. This recipe can be made in advance and reheated in the microwave, which is great for planning ahead. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups elbow macaroni

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon finely diced onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

dash cayenne pepper, about 1/16 teaspoon

a few grinds of black pepper

2 cups 1% milk

6 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (2 cups moderately packed in measuring cup)

1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions. Do not overcook; drain and set aside.

2. Have onion diced and cheese grated, ready for use.

3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, add onion and saute' until transparent.

4. Add flour to butter and cook and stir over low heat for one minute. Add salt, cayenne and black pepper.

5. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Turn heat up to medium and cook and stir until mixture is thickened and comes to a boil. Turn heat down to low; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.

6. Add all but 1/2 cup of the cheese to the white sauce; stir until the cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.

7. Add macaroni to the cheese sauce and stir to combine; pour into a 1-1/2-qt. casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

8. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or cook in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted.

Yield: 5 cups, serves 4 to 6
428 calories per cup using 6 oz. cheese
2 gms. fiber
476 calories per cup using 8 oz. cheese

Note:  For richer cheese sauce, use 8 oz. grated cheese.
This recipe was adapted from "The New McCall's Cookbook".

Jello and Cottage Cheese Salad

This very old-fashioned fruit-and-cottage cheese gelatin salad recipe has a wonderful creamy texture due to the addition of a package of Dream Whip topping. Dream Whip topping, in- and-of-itself, is also very old-fashioned; you just rarely even hear of this product being used anymore. I find Dream Whip at Walmart, but not in my regular market, if that is of help to you who might want to give this recipe a try. We love this salad that is almost dessert-like in flavor and texture. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 envelope Dream Whip topping from a 2.6 oz. package or 2 cups whipped topping
1 cup cottage cheese (I use 2%)
1 pkg. (3 oz.) orange gelatin
1 can (11 oz.) Mandarin oranges, drained well
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice, drained well

1. Prepare the Dream Whip according to package directions.
2. Mix cottage cheese and dry gelatin together; add pineapple and oranges.
3. Fold the cottage cheese mixture into the whipped Dream Whip.
4. Pour into a 8 x 8-inch square pan and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Yield: 9 servings
112 calories per serving using Dream Whip
no fiber
Note: One envelope of Dream Whip prepared according to package directions equals 2 cups of topping. Two cups of whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, is a good substitution. I'm sure whipping cream would also work, but the calorie count would soar.

Savory Drop Biscuits

These delicious little biscuits are filled with cheddar cheese, mild green chilies and spices that make them a perfect accompaniment with  savory soups and stews. Here they are served alongside Vegetarian Black Bean soup, recipe posted 10/8/2014. Blessings...

Recipe:

2-1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
2/3 cup milk (I use 1%)

1. In a medium bowl, combine the first six ingredients; mix well.
2. Stir in milk just until moistened.
3. Drop by tablespoon 2 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets.
4. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with foil if they begin to brown too quickly. Serve warm.

Yield: 24 biscuits
69 calories each
no fiber

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

My friend, Patti, and I got together for our monthly catching-up-with-each-other-time today. We shared this Broccoli Cheddar Quiche and some wonderful late-harvest peaches from her yard, while we enjoyed our visit together.

This quiche is mild in flavor and works well for brunch or dinner, and it is very kid-friendly. Our little granddaughter thoroughly enjoyed it when I made it a few years ago for brunch on Thanksgiving weekend. Blessings...

Recipe:

Pastry for a 10-inch one-crust pie
1/2 lb. bacon, crisply fried and crumbled
1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup diced fresh broccoli
1/3 cup minced onion
1-2 tsps. butter
4 eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup half-and-half
1 few grinds white pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg


1. Line 10-inch pie plate or 10-inch quiche dish with pastry. Make high fluted edge and set aside.
2. In small frying pan over low heat, melt butter. Add onion and fry until golden in color, remove pan from heat.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
4. Carefully spread cooked onion in pie plate.
5. Sprinkle bacon, cheese and broccoli pieces over onion.
6. Whisk together last 5 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until well combined. Carefully pour cream mixture into pie plate.
7. Bake 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees; cover quiche with foil to prevent over-browning and bake another 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove quiche from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 6 to 8 main dish servings

Broccoli Scalloped Potatoes (with ham)

This all-in-one-dish meal was created by Denell Syslo, from Fullerton, Nebraska. Her wonderful recipe was contributed to, and accepted by, "Taste of Home" for one of their cookbooks. As you have probably noted by this time, I have used many "Taste of Home" recipes over the years. I love the ease and simplicity of recipes  shared by home cooks, and this one is no exception. The recipe is very easy, but it does take time to prep the vegetables and make the sauce. Once this is done, pop it in the oven for an hour and dinner is ready. I served Autumn Tossed Salad, recipe posted on 9/24/2014, alongside. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 tbsp. chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
5 tbsp. unbleached flour
1/4 tsp. white pepper ( black pepper would work just fine if you don't have the white)
1/8 tsp. salt
2-1/2 cups milk
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese, divided use
2 pounds medium potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced (about 6 potatoes)
2 cups julienned fully cooked ham (see note)
2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and patted dry (see note)

1. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter for 3-4 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour, pepper and salt until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in 1 cup of cheese. Reduce heat; cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted (sauce will be thick).
3. Remove from the heat; gently stir in the potatoes, ham and broccoli.
4. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish or line pan with non-stick pan lining paper. (I love pan lining paper for ease of clean up!)
5. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
6. Uncover and test potatoes with a fork to make sure they are very tender. If they are, sprinkle casserole with remaining cup of cheese and return to the oven for about 5 minutes to melt cheese.

Yield: 8 servings
Note: I used packaged cubed ham; so easy to just take it out of the package and throw it in the pot.
Note: I used fresh broccoli and it worked perfectly.

Zesty Zucchini

When I was growing up, especially during the summer months when zucchini was growing like weed in our garden, my mom made a zucchini dish cooked in canned tomatoes and topped with cheddar cheese. I thought I would adapt what mom taught me and make the dish with a Mexican flair. The zucchini cooks crisp-tender in a cumin-scented tomato sauce and is topped with gooey Mexican cheese. We loved it. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 cups sliced zucchini, 2 medium zucchini sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (14.5-oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup Mexican Four Cheese Blend

1. In a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, saute onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes, or until golden and fragrant.
2. Add zucchini, tomatoes, and spices; stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until zucchini is crisp-tender.
3. Sprinkle with cheese, cover and simmer 3 - 4 minutes more, or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 3-1/4 cups
175 calories per approximately 3/4-cup serving
2 gms. fiber

Chunky Potato Soup

This yummy soup is full of chunks of potato and ham, and has a nice cheddar cheese broth. The soup is perfect for a fall lunch or dinner served with Brown Soda Bread; recipe for the soda bread is posted on 9/5/2014. The cheese broth is not thick, heavy, and gooey, but rather is a true broth consistency, which we really like. This kid-friendly recipe comes from "Grandma's Kitchen: Treasured Family Recipes". Blessings...

Recipe:

3 medium red or Yukon Gold potatoes (2-1/2 cups cubed potato pieces)
2 cups water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 cups milk
1 cup shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese, lightly packed (2 oz.) (see note)
1 cup cubed cooked ham (4-1/2 oz.)

1. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Place 2 cups water, 1/4 tsp. salt and potato cubes in a 4 qt. saucepan; bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Set potatoes aside.
3. Measure 1 cup of the cooking liquid, adding more water if needed; set aside.
4. In saucepan, saute the onion in the butter over low heat, don't brown. Add flour, pepper flakes and ground black pepper to taste. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes. Gradually add the reserved 1 cup cooking liquid; stir well. Add potatoes and milk. Add the cheese and ham.
5. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently to melt cheese and prevent scorching. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Yield: 6 cups
224 calories per 1 cup serving
1 gm. fiber
Note: for stronger cheese flavor add 1 - 2 oz. more cheese.

Southwest Tortilla Stack

I love casseroles and main dish meals for the ease of preparation, but also because often they can be made ahead and reheated at meal time. This casserole has all of the flavor of the southwest without being overly spicy, which keeps it a nice family meal. Of course, sour cream would be wonderful dolloped on top, and chips and salsa would be great alongside to carry out the southwest theme. I served Salsa Corn, a new idea that we liked, so I will post the recipe tomorrow. Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 lb. ground beef (I use 7% fat)
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
1 tsp. Southwest seasoning or taco seasoning
salt to taste
4 8-inch flour tortillas
2 cups Mexican four cheese blend, Jack cheese, or medium cheddar


1. Brown beef and onion, crumbling beef. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, Southwest seasoning and a bit of salt, if desired. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to blend flavors and thicken sauce.
2. Spread about 1 cup of sauce in a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Top with one tortilla, some sauce and 1/2 cup cheese, repeat layers ending with cheese.
3. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until heated through and sauce is bubbly. Cut into wedges to serve.

Yield: 6 servings
384 calories per serving
6 gms. fiber

Breakfast Casserole

While we were visiting with our son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren on our vacation our daughter-in-law served this breakfast casserole one morning. It is one of those wonderful recipes that is put together the evening before, refrigerated overnight, and baked the next morning. I love this one because it has lots of cheese, bacon and sausage in it making it a very filling and satisfying start to a busy day, which all of our days were. I have never made this recipe but I have eaten it twice, and I can attest to how good it is! Blessings...

Recipe:

10 slices white bread (trimmed)
1 lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage, fried and crumbled (see note)
1/2 lb. bacon, fried and crumbled
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
6 eggs, beaten to blend
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Layer in 9 x 13-inch pan bread, sausage, bacon, and cheese.
2. Mix eggs, milk, and salt; pour over casserole.
3. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Remove cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 60 minutes or until set.
5. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 12 servings
Note: the hot sausage is needed for flavor and does not add undue spiciness. It is wonderful!

Burrito Pie

Burrito Pie is a simplified version of individual burritos and it is very kid-friendly, at least in our family it was. Our family has enjoyed this recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine since my son was a kid, and now he has kids of his own.  The recipe goes together very easily in about half-an-hour and then bakes for about half-an-hour while you chop lettuce, tomato and olives for the topping and prepare the rest of the meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 - 8" flour tortillas
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup diced onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 cup refried beans (see note)
1 can (4 oz.) mild chopped green chilies, drained
1/3 cup mild taco sauce
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 cups shredded Cheddar, Jack, or Mexican Four cheese blend
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 tomato seeded and diced
1/4 cup sliced olives
sour cream

1. Heat a 10" skillet until hot. Fry each tortilla to warm through and set aside.
2. Fry beef, onion, and garlic in the preheated skillet stirring and crumbling until beef is no longer pink and onion is golden brown. Be careful that garlic doesn't burn.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the refried beans, chilies, taco sauce, and cumin.
4. Using a 9" pie pan, layer as follows; tortilla, 1/4 of the meat mixture and 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat three times.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with lettuce, tomato, and olives.
7. Cut into 4 to 6 wedges and serve with sour cream, if desired.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Note: A 9-oz. can of bean dip can be used in place of the refried beans. Depending on the seasoning in the bean dip, you might want to omit the chopped chilies.

Grape Caesar Salad with Chicken

My family loves salads of all kinds, but especially Caesar salad. This recipe is a variation of the traditional recipe with the addition of grapes and Swiss cheese for a wonderful new flavor twist. I keep it very simple by using my favorite bottled dressing and packaged Caesar croutons. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 head romaine lettuce
3 cups seedless grapes, halved (I prefer red or black grapes to green)
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
Caesar salad dressing
Caesar salad croutons

1. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces into salad bowl.
2. Add grapes of choice, cheeses, chicken, if using, and croutons; dress with Caesar dressing and toss.
    Taste and add more dressing if needed. Serve immediately

Yield: 6-8 servings as a side dish without the chicken
Yield: 4-5 servings as a main dish salad with chicken

  

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

This easy recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen, one of my favorite sites to check out on occasion. If you would like to check out the site it is at www.campbellkitchen.com. The recipes are tasty and simple to put together, often with ingredients that we have in our pantries. I also find that most of the recipes are very kid-friendly being made with very simple ingredients. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (regular or 98% fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream, light is fine
1 cup picante sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I use Mexican blend)
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup), optional
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tbsp.), optional

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
2. Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture, chicken and cheese in another bowl.
3. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down in an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion if desired.

Serves: 6
Note: The enchiladas are served with Rice, Black Bean and Vegetable Salad. I will post the recipe tomorrow.

Ham and Pea Salad

Making a main dish salad is a simple way of getting the family meal on the table in short order. Salads work great for lunch, dinner or tea as long as there is enough variety for the larger appetites that may be involved. This recipe is very easy to put together and the salad keeps well in the refrigerator for two to three days, so it can easily be prepared in advance. Serving bread and a variety of salads for a meal is a fun way of gathering together a group of friends and/or family for a casual time together. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (12 ounces) frozen petite peas, thawed and drained on paper towels
1/2 cup cubed medium Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream or plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon regular yellow sandwich mustard
1/2 teaspoon milk
1/8 teaspoon shallot salt or onion salt

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a serving bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients and stir into salad. Chill for about an hour and serve.

Yield: 3-3/4 cups
189 calories per 1 cup serving
3.5 gms. fiber

Ham 'n' Cheese Pie

Do you remember the days of the "impossible pie" recipes on the back of the Bisquick boxes? Goodness, these go back a long way! Well, I found this recipe in a Taste of Home cookbook and decided to give it a try since I hadn't made an "impossible pie" in years. The combination of cheeses, ham and bacon are traditional in quiche and taste great for brunch, lunch or dinner. In the "impossible pie" recipes there are no crusts. The custard is formed by the combination of Bisquick, eggs and milk. So easy, and very tasty! I was curious to go to the Bisquick website to see if there were any of these kinds of recipes posted and there are. If you might be interested in checking out the site it is http://www.bisquick.com Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup diced fully cooked ham
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3 tbsp. chopped onion
3 tbsp. chopped green pepper
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup biscuit/baking mix such as Bisquick
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

1. In a greased 10-inch quiche dish or pie plate (see note), layer ham, Swiss cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese, onion and green pepper.
2. Place the remaining ingredients in a blender in the order given; blend for 30-40 seconds. Pour over meat and cheese; do not stir.
3. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 6-8 servings
Note: I baked the pie in a 10-inch quiche dish and it was incredibly thin, as you can see in the picture. In the future I will use a 9-inch pie plate. Since the pie will be thicker it might need a few more minutes of baking time.

Italian-Style Broccoli

This simple recipe for broccoli goes together very quickly and tastes wonderful alongside just about any main dish. The Italian flavor comes from the simplicity of a bit of garlic and onion sauted in olive oil. The flavors are not strong, which is nice since broccoli tends to be a stronger flavored vegetable on its own. Add a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and you have a delicious way of serving this tasty, good-for-you vegetable. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

1-1/2 lbs. fresh broccoli, cut into 2-inch spears

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. chili powder
grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil for 2-3 minutes.

2. Stir in the broccoli, water, salt and chili powder. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Spoon into serving bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 4-6 servings 

Note: My niece made this dish for her family using frozen broccoli and she said it worked well.

Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

There are many versions of this recipe and most of them have hard-boiled eggs, potato chips, and different kinds of vegetables in them. I stream-lined the recipe and made it a bit less complicated and more kid-friendly for our family years ago. Do taste the casserole before serving it in case you might like some salt and pepper added in. For my husband and I, I cut the recipe in-half and it serves us two meals, so this might serve as a bit of a guide for your family. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups diced chicken or turkey

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 cups cooked rice
1 cup diced celery

3/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat works fine)

3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese (Swiss cheese also works well)

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
slivered almonds to sprinkle on top for crunch and garnish

1. In a large bowl mix together the first four ingredients.
2. Stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cheese and soup in another bowl; stir into chicken mixture until well-combined. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until heated through.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ham Buns

I've always loved to cook and preparing nice meals for my family has always been a priority, but there are those times when even ladies like myself want to do what is really easy and simple. I will even use some microwave meals now, which is amazing for a lady who wouldn't even have a microwave in her kitchen until my mom gave me her old one that she was replacing with a newer model. My husband and son couldn't believe it the first time I heated up a can of chili for our meal all those years ago. But, life gets crazy and we all get worn out and simple is wonderful, especially when we are hungry. These ham buns are a meal for just such an occasion. I would make them for a fun change when we had leftover ham. Fruit and chips are great alongside; a great kid-friendly meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 to 4 tbsp. finely minced onion

1 tbsp. poppy seed

2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsps. prepared mustard

1-1/4 cups finely chopped fully cooked ham (about 8 oz.)

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (4 oz.)

6 hamburger buns

1. In a bowl, mix butter, onion, poppy seed, Worcestershire sauce and mustard until well blended.

2. Add ham and cheese; mix well.

3. Divide evenly among buns and place in a shallow baking pan; cover with foil.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until hot.

Yield: 6 sandwiches

Note: The amount of butter is a bit much for me, but my hubby loves it. I think the amount could probably be cut down by 2 to 3 tablespoons.