Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

From here

Ingredients
1 16-ounce package frozen cauliflower florets
1 16-ounce package frozen broccoli cuts
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/4 cups milk
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese with chives, cut up
3/4 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 slice of bread)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

Directions
1. Cook broccoli and cauliflower according to package directions. Drain well. Place in a large saucepan. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook onion in the 2 tablespoons margarine or butter until tender but not brown. Stir in flour, salt, garlic powder, basil, and pepper. Add milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Stir into vegetable mixture. Turn into a 2-quart casserole.
3. Toss together bread crumbs, cheese, and the 2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter. Sprinkle over vegetable mixture. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 12 servings.

vegetable enchiladas with creamy poblano sauce

Recipe from Gourmet Today

For the sauce
3 poblano chiles, roasted and peeled
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 garlic clove
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche

For filling
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chopped white onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 cups corn kernels (from 2-3 ears) or 1 10-oz package frozen corn
1 lb zucchini (3 medium) cut into 1/3 inch dice
1 14-15 oz can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tsp chopped jalapeno chile, including seeds, or to taste

For enchiladas
3 tbsp vegetable oil
12 6-7 inch corn tortillas
1/4 lb Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
2 tbsp Mexican crema or creme fraiche
2 tbsp water

Make the sauce: Open the chiles and spread flat; discard seeds and stems and cut out ribs. Coarsely chop chiles. Combine chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a blender and puree until smooth. Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully add sauce and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in crema and remove from heat.

Make the filling: Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in corn and zucchini and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, cilantro, and jalapeno and cook, uncovered, over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Transfer filling to a large bowl to cool.

Make the enchiladas: Put a rack in upper third of oven and preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly oil a 13-by-9 inch baking pan. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Reheat the sauce if necessary and transfer to a shallow bowl or pie plate. Add oil to cleaned 10-inch skillet and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add 1 tortilla and cook, turning once with tongs, until softened, 4-6 seconds. Transfer to paper towel lined baking sheet and blot each side. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, stacking them once blotted. Dip 1 tortilla in warm sauce, turning it with your fingers to coat both sides, and transfer to baking dish. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling down middle of tortilla and roll up to enclose filling. Push enchilada to one long side of baking dish; you will be forming 2 rows of 6 enchiladas each. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Stir together crema and water and drizzle over top. Bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

make-ahead mashed potato casserole

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

Casserole
5 pounds russet potatoes (about 9 medium), peeled, sliced into 3/4-inch-thick rounds, and rinsed thoroughly
2 1/2 cups whole milk , warmed
1 cup sour cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 medium clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)

8 ounces shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)

Instructions


1. Place the potatoes in a large Dutch oven and cover by 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (a paring knife can be slipped into and out of the center of the potatoes with very little resistance), about 15 minutes.


2. Drain the potatoes in a colander. Set a food mill (or ricer) over the now empty, but still warm, saucepan. Working in batches, drop the potatoes into the hopper of the food mill and process the potatoes into the saucepan. Stir in the milk, sour cream, butter, Dijon, 2/3 of the cheese, and garlic until uniform. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


3. Spread the potato mixture into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top.


4. To Store: Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.


5. To Serve: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the casserole is heated through.

tuna noodle casserole

1 medium onion, finely chopped
salt
1.5 tbsp butter
10 oz white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp lemon juice
1 6-oz can tuna in olive oil, drained
freshly ground black pepper
6 oz curly egg noodles
1.5 cups bread crumbs
1/4 lb cheddar, grated
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a shallow 2 qt baking dish.
Cook onion with a pinch of salt in 1.5 tbsp butter in a 12 inch skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high, add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to cook, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off has evaporated. Add sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.
Melt remaining 3 tbsp butter in a 2-3 qt saucepan over moderately low heat. Add flour and cook, whisking, for 3 minutes to make a roux. Add stock in a steady stream, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes.
Stir mushroom mixture, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp salt into sauce. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season with s & p to taste. Remove from heat.
Cook noodles in a 6 qt pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading it evenly.
Toss together bread crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20-30 minutes.

chicken enchiladas

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp flour
1 29 oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
Shredded chicken from a 2 lb bird
1 lb muenster cheese, grated
3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, seeded and finely chopped
12 tortillas

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add 2/3 of the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of water and the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin and salt, bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, set aside. Preheat the broiler. In a large bowl, mix the chicken, 2/3 of the cheese and the chiles. Spread 1 cup of the enchilada sauce in a large casserole dish. Dip 1 tortilla in the remaining sauce to coat both sides and transfer to a plate. Fill with chicken mixture, roll up and transfer to the casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Top with the remaining onion, sauce and cheese, broil until golden-5-7 minutes. Turn off the broiler and leave the enchiladas in the oven until heated through, about 5 minutes.

chicken pot pie

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 + 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 cups cooked and cut-up chicken
1 (10 oz) package of frozen peas & carrots
Thin Butter Crust

Directions:
Heat the butter over low heat until melted. Blend in the flour, onion, s & p. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in the broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the chicken and frozen vegetables, remove from heat and reserve.
Roll out 2/3 of the pastry dough to fit the bottom of whatever shape pan you are using (I like to use a pie plate). Pour the chicken filling into a pastry lined pan and roll out the remainder of the pastry dough and place over the filling. Roll the edges under. Cut slits in the center to allow the steam to escape. Bake, uncovered, at 425 F for 30-35 minutes.

macaroni + cheese

1 lb campanelle pasta
1 lb cheddar cheese, grated
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 cups milk
breadcrumbs + a hunk of butter + desired seasonings

Warm the milk in a medium saucepan. Cook the pasta for a minute less than the package indicates. Meanwhile, melt the 4 Tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the flour, and cook for a minute or so. Add mustard, salt & pepper. Slowly whisk in the milk, and cook, stirring frequently, until close to a boil. Lower the heat, and keep stirring until thickened. Turn off the heat and add 3/4 of the cheese. Turn the pasta into a buttered casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Top with the remaining cheese. Melt the remaining butter and mix with the breadcrumbs and desired seasonings (I use salt & pepper and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano). Spread the breadcrumbs over the top and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.