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Italian Vegetable Casserole

What’s for dinner?

Tonight I decided to make a recipe I haven’t made in awhile. Italian Vegetable Casserole. Don’t let the ingredients scare you. This unseemly combination really has a surprising flavor much like lasagna without the gluten or noodles.

Italian Vegetable Casserole

Ingredients:

4 cups white beans, already cooked and drained or 2 cans of white beans (drained)

1 – 8 oz. bag of washed fresh spinach (3 cups) or 1 bag 20 oz.  frozen  spinach

1 clove garlic

1/2 onion chopped

3 carrots shredded

2 cups of spaghetti sauce (or 1 cup sauce and 1 cup paste plus 3/4 tsp. oregano, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper )

3 cups shredded jack cheese or mozzarella cheese

2 cups cottage cheese

Parmesan Cheese (approximately 1/2 cup) and some additional to sprinkle on at the table.

Preheat your oven to 375°. Saute garlic, onion, in  2 tsp. oil. Add carrots, and spinach, and cook 3-4 minutes. Stir in sauce.  Spread 1/2 beans in  9 X 13 casserole. Layer 1/2 cottage cheese, 1 cup cheese, and 1/2 vegetable mixture. Repeat, and end with the last cup of cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. To make and freeze for later. Cover with heavy foil and freeze. To eat now bake uncovered at 375° for 1 hour or until done. Let set a few minutes when it comes from the oven to set. Serves 6-8.

I used dry beans I had cooked in my crock pot. I forgot to drain my beans so my casserole was a bit soupy. I did serve it over some leftover rice. The flavor was wonderful.

Hints: I used my Ninja food chopper to chop the onions and carrots.

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Easy Chicken Pot Pie

 

 

 

 

 

 

In honor of Pi day, March 14, I made our favorite chicken pot pie. It is quick and easy to make and wonderful to eat.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2-3 cups of chopped chicken (turkey, chicken breasts or even canned chicken)

20 oz. frozen mixed veggies

1-2 potatoes (optional)

1/2 onion (optional)

white sauce or two 10 oz. cans of cream soup

2 cups of self-rising flour

1 – 1 and 1/2 cups of milk

1 stick of butter or margarine

2 eggs

Filling:
2-3 cups chopped cooked chicken
20oz. frozen mixed veggies or fresh. I usually add a little onion and a potato or two to mine but you can omit if you wish
2 1/2 cups white sauce * or two 10 oz. cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
Crust:
2 cups self-rising flour. (I prefer Gold Medal)
1 – 1 1/2 cups milk
1 stick butter or margarine melted. I prefer butter.
2 eggs

The crust mixture will resemble pancake batter.
To prepare I  mix and pour the filling into a 13 X 9 pan. Mix and pour crust mix on the top.  Bake 350 for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until crust is done. It will be golden brown and the filling hot and bubbly. You may eat!

* White sauce recipe
On medium heat, I melt 1 stick of butter, margarine, or oil in a saucepan or skillet. (I prefer butter.)
Sprinkle with maybe about 6 tablespoons of flour (I usually don’t measure the flour). I stir until it is mixed in and I add salt and pepper to taste. Then I slowly pour in 2.5 cups of milk and stir as I add the milk. If it is too thick add a bit more milk or water and stir until it is ready. It will resemble a cream soup or white gravy consistency. I then use it in my pot pie.

 

Let me know if you make it and how you change it up to make it your own! Happy Cooking!

Reda