Breakfast Casserole

Happy Easter! I hope you are having a wonderful Easter. I just read my Easter post from 2011, and it made me a little sad. In 2011, my Easter table was full—my dad and Lynn joined us, Les had the day off from work and my daughter was still in high school and at home. This year, Lynn, my son and I are having a quiet Easter with my daughter away at college and Les working, but the three of us attended a beautiful mass together and enjoyed a delicious brunch.

I’ve made this Breakfast Casserole countless times, so I was surprised this morning when Lynn said she had never had it. I guess that makes sense, since I tend to make Breakfast Casserole for Christmas breakfast, and Lynn usually comes over in the afternoon on Christmas for dinner. This casserole is perfect for brunch. You can assemble it the night before, and pop it in the oven to bake in the morning. It is savory and delicious and perfect with a sweet roll or a bit of fruit salad. I could also imagine it with a spinach salad with strawberries. Breakfast Casserole is the first to go on a breakfast potluck table.

Breakfast Casserole
Printable Recipe
1 28 oz bag of frozen O’Brien hash brown potatoes
1 lb of bacon, cut into pieces, fried and drained
1 7 ounce can diced green chilies, drained
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 dozen eggs
1 cup milk
1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the frozen potatoes in the prepared baking dish and top with the green chilies, bacon and cheese. Beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and mustard together, and pour it over the potato mixture.

I usually prepare the casserole the night before and leave it in the refrigerator until I’m ready to cook it the next day. You can also prepare it the same day, but the casserole will take a little longer to cook due to the frozen potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the casserole for 40 to 45 minutes or until the edges are brown and the center is firm.

Butternut Squash and Red Bean Stew

I really wanted to post a few vegan recipes during Lent this year, but I’m guess I’m just going to have to admit I'm a slacker during Lent. I have been cooking plenty of delicious vegan recipes, but I just haven’t been photographing them or blogging them. Maybe someday!

I'll just have to be satisfied with posting this recipe for Butternut Squash and Red Bean Stew along with the Vegan Muffelatta Sandwich I posted last month to represent my Lenten vegan cooking this year.

Butternut Squash and Red Bean Stew is another delicious recipe adapted from Bean by Bean Cookbook by Crescent Drangonwagon. The flavors in this stew are rich and filling. You won’t even miss the meat. Les and I enjoyed Butternut Squash and Red Bean Stew for dinner one night, and then I packed it for lunch all week, and it got better with age.

Butternut Squash and Red Bean Stew 
Adapted from Bean by Bean Cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon
Printable Recipe
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can unsweetened coconut milk (regular or light)
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 Roasted Butternut Squash (recipe follows)

Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven and add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the Serrano pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Lower the heat and add the beans, tomatoes, coconut milk, agave nectar and roasted butternut squash. Heat for about 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly, stirring occasionally. Serve with brown rice, and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and sliced green onions.  

Roasted Butternut Squash 
1 (1½ - 2 lb) Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the butternut squash in a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Drizzle the squash with olive and bake until the squash is golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes.

Vegan Muffuletta Sandwich

The verdict is in! I enjoy the Academy Awards much more when I have seen the majority of movies (Seth McFarland not withstanding, but that’s another story)! I know. It’s not like my discovery is rocket science—most everything is better when you’re clued into details and inside jokes. But, I was worried it would bother me when someone won who I didn’t think should. That didn’t really come to pass. I’m not sure I agreed with the academy every time, but none of the winners were too ridiculous.

I usually catch a couple of the best picture nominees before the awards, either in the theater or on DVD, but I haven’t seen all of them since, I’m embarrassed to admit, 1997. And, it was easier then with only five movies to see.

This year, I saw all nine best picture nominated movies, plus Flight and The Impossible to catch Denzel and Naomi. I missed The Master and Sessions, but I plan to rectify that as soon as possible.

Now to the burning question—what did I make for our Oscar party? I made a vegan Muffulatta Sandwich. Now, don’t scratch your head and wonder why you weren’t invited. Les and I had a party for two. My son was home as well, but he wasn’t interested in the awards ceremony. He did come out for some of the sandwich. He loves anything with olives! He was also excited Argo won, since he stayed up late to watch it the night before.

I wanted to make a muffulatta sandwich, because I’ve been fascinated by the them since I watched Emeril Lagasse make one on television year’s ago. Les and I gave up meat and dairy again this year for Lent, so as delicious as all the Italian cured meats look in the original sandwich, I knew I needed a different filling. Roasted vegetables filled the sandwich deliciously. Les loved this sandwich, and I’ve made it twice now. I think I like the vegetables better than the meat. The vegetables add a juicy, flavorful compliment to the salty, tart olive salad. This Vegan Muffulatta Sandwich, can be tricky to eat (be sure to eat over a plate or a napkin), but it is worth it, and when you exchange the cured meat for vegetables it is healthy too!

Vegan Muffuletta Sandwich 
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Printable Recipe
1 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives, plus 2 tablespoons of liquid from the jar
1 cup chopped giardiniera (pickled Italian vegetables), plus 1 tablespoon of liquid from the jar
2 tablespoons drained chopped capers, plus 2 teaspoons of liquid from the jar
½ cup sliced Calamata olives
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 large round loaf of sourdough bread (I used a green olive loaf)

2 small Italian eggplants, sliced ½ inch thick
1 medium zucchini, sliced ½ inch thick
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and quartered
1 red onion, sliced ½ inch thick
½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, stir together the pimento-stuffed olives, giardiniera, capers and their respective liquids. Add the Calamata olives, garlic, shallot, parsley, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes. Stir in the olive oil and let the mixture stand for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the eggplant, zucchini, red onion and red pepper on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Bake until the vegetables are lightly browned and softened. The zucchini and eggplant take 10 to 15 minutes, and the onion and pepper take 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a plate when done, and let cool.

Slice the loaf of bread in half, and hollow out the top and the bottom slightly to allow for the olive salad. Spoon the olive salad on both sides of the bread evenly. Place the red peppers on the top layer over the olive salad. Arrange the red onion, zucchini and eggplant on the olive salad on the bottom layer. Carefully close the sandwich. Wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Cut the sandwich into wedges and serve.