Chicken Cordon Bleu and a Blog Hiatus

Post 400 at last. I feel I’ve created a large enough body of work that there’s a little something here for most everyone. Like a hefty living cookbook that embodies my blood, sweat, tears and soul.

Slowly over the past few months I’ve been weaning myself out of the blogging system by pulling out of clubs and websites, leaving cooking groups and discontinuing participation in blog stuffs preparing for this day.

I admit I’m anxious and not just a little scared to fly away from this project. This has been my life for years. It’s habit now that absorbs huge amounts of my time and emotional energy. It’s also my comfort and my way to express myself through food, photographs and words. Which is why I can’t just let it go or leave completely.

So this isn’t goodbye, but I’m taking a long overdue break from food blogging for a while. Oh, I’ll likely still pop on now and then when a recipe or story gets me excited and I’ll still take on special assignments, but I’m ready to start and finish a few nonfood projects I haven’t had time to work on.

This break is not something I take on lightly. Emotionally I’m tied to this body of work, as it’s the first time every creative process was my own. If I got an assignment, it was because I picked it. My own thoughts, visions and subjective views are all here. I’m intensely private by nature, but tried hard to put as much me in here as possible. It wasn’t always exciting, but it was always me.

However, I have a novel that's partially finished I’ve been promising myself I would tackle head on. I’m looking forward to much more writing time. I’m also gearing up to start a new trade I trained for and that job starts Tuesday. There will be a learning curve but I’m pretty excited and I get to work for a woman I sincerely admire.

I admit another reason for this break is I miss cooking freely without having to test and write everything down. Just fly by the seat of my pants kind of cooking. Doesn’t that sound nice? Plus I’ve been wanting to cook and taste other food blogger recipes and I can’t do that while I’m posting myself. It’s going to be fun!

Will you guys ever forgive me? I'll still be here, but I’ve turned the comment moderation on, as I won’t be checking this everyday. If you want to get a hold of me, add me to Facebook or shoot me an email please. Facebook is great as I’m always connected.

I also want to say thank-you, for everything over the years. Yeah I know I’m not capable of really leaving, but still, thanks. This idea for a food blog started more than four years ago when a group of MySpace friends and I took pictures of our meals and posted the recipes for each other. I’m still super close to those ladies and our inclusive group has grown into something wonderfully huge. Plus we have big girl blogs now and switched out MySpace for Facebook, which has been fun.

And after all these food blogging years holy crow do I need to go on a diet! Trust me, you don’t want to be around for all that boring food.

So here is that last recipe for a while. I thought I’d end with something wonderfully indulgent and an old time classic because tomorrow it’s lettuce for me!

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Print Recipe
This decadent recipe was submitted by Behr to Allrecipes.com and I think it’s probably the best Chicken Cordon Bleu I’ve ever had. Behr writes that it’s "The standard Cordon Bleu swimming in a creamy wine sauce." Sure it is, if standard means I’ve died and gone to heaven.

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.

2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by Behr to Allrecipes.com. Picture by Laura Flowers.

Chunka Hunka Chocolove Cookies

Desserts haven’t really been my thing lately, but when my friend Veronica won a blue ribbon at a fair for my chocolate chip version of this cookie I couldn’t resist playing around and making a chunky chocolate variation.

Be forewarned. This isn’t your average chocolate chip cookie preparation. So please don’t swear at me too much when you discover how many dishes stack up in your sink.

Chunka Hunka Chocolove Cookies
Print Recipe
If milk chocolate is more your thing than dark, swap out the 65% cocoa bar for another 33% one.


1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cups fresh light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon real vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon white vinegar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 cups good quality all purpose flour

1 cup walnut pieces
3.2 ounce bar Chocolove 65% Cocoa Content
3.2 ounce bar Chocolove 55% Cocoa Content
3.2 ounce bar Chocolove 33% Cocoa Content



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.


2. Chop chocolate bars into small chunks. Set aside.

3. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat toast the oatmeal stirring often until fragrant and some of the oatmeal is light golden in color. About 3 minutes. Transfer the oatmeal to a food processer and grind until fine and powdery. Set aside.



4. In the skillet, melt 1 stick of the butter over medium heat until foamy and lightly golden brown. Strain out solids and place butter in the refrigerator to cool to about room temperature.



5. Spread the walnuts onto a plate and microwave in 30 second increments 2 or 3 times until toasted, stirring in-between. Let the walnuts cool slightly.



6. Mix in a stand mixer the softened butter, browned butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and vinegar into the and beat on slow to combine, and then on high speed until fluffy and lighter in color.



7. Add the eggs and mix until combined. Add the oatmeal and baking soda and beat for another minute. Next, add the flour half at a time and mix on low speed just until incorporated.



8. Stir in chocolate pieces with all their crumbs and the walnuts with a wooden spoon.


9. With a size 50 cookie scoop or a generous tablespoon, drop the dough onto parchment paper 3 inches apart.



10. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden around the edges. Remove from oven and let set on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Makes about 45 cookies.


By Laura Flowers.

Grilled Chile Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Apple Chutney and Leftover Sandwiches

Here’s a healthy dinner idea with a recipe for leftovers.

This week, because I love this book so much, I’m almost entirely cooking out of “Cooking Light Way to Cook”.

I decided you need this book too. So I’m going to give it away to the person who gives me the best answer. I’d like to know how you’re becoming or staying healthy and how this book can help you.

I’m trying to be healthier too and need your support. I’m hoping your thoughts will get me through these stricter life changes. Please leave a comment. I’ll let the winner know on Friday the 22nd, so leave me a way to contact you.

Grilled Chile Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Apple Chutney
Printer Version, all three recipes.
This recipe was so much fun to make and tasted fantastic. The directions originally called for chops, but I doubled the spice rub and made two pork loins. There was plenty of chutney for both. You can make chops instead if you prefer, but reduce the rub by half.

Apple Chutney
1 tablespoon butter
3 apples
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons minced peeled ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1. Core the apple and cut it into slices. Cut those slices into thin wedges about 1/4 inch thick.

2. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet and add the apples. Saute for about 5 minutes or until the apples are lightly browned.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until the liquid is gone and the apples are tender.

Grilled Chile Pork Tenderloin
1 to 2 pork tenderloins (I get them in a package of 2 at the store)
1 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper or adobo chile pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooking spray

1. Turn the grill to medium-high. Rinse pork loins and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together all of the spices. Spray the pork with cooking spray and rub all over with spice mixture.

3. Grill, flipping once, until a thermometer reads 160 degrees in the center. Remove pork from the grill and rest for 10 minutes.

4. Cut pork into rounds and serve covered with chutney.

Haricots Verts (Green Beans)
If you green beans are pretty thin and young you can use this method to pan fry them. If they are thick, boil them for a few minutes and drain well before starting this recipe.

2 teaspoon olive oil
About 12 ounces green beans
2 to 3 thinly slices garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the beans and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat down if they oil starts to splatter.

2. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook until the garlic is lightly browned.

Spiced Pork Panini with Apple Chutney & Havarti on French Bread



This is my favorite part of this meal. These sandwiches are incredible and I’m so sad I’m out of both pork and chutney. If you anticipate leftovers, grab a loaf of thinly sliced French-type bread and some Havarti. If you don’t have a panini press, just grill in a skillet. Just be careful your fillings don’t fall out when you flip the sandwich over.

Thinly sliced French-style bread
Leftover pork, sliced in 1/2 inch thick rounds
Leftover apple chutney
Havarti cheese
Butter

Preheat your panini press to medium high. Lightly butter the outsides of bread. Place one slice butter side down and spoon on chutney. Add some Havarti, then pork and a little more Havarti. Top with another slice of buttered bread. Grill to melty-gooey happiness.

Pork recipe & green beans adapted from Cooking Light Way to Cook. Sandwich & photographs by Laura Flowers.

Shortcut Potato Gnocchi

The Italians may never forgive me for this post, but it has to be said. You can make potato gnocchi from start to table in about 25 minutes with good quality dried potato flakes.

There are benefits other than speed too. There’s no need to adjust the flour depending on the starch or water content of the potatoes. Plus, unlike the traditional method, your gnocchi won't turn gray if you don’t cook them immediately. They stay a beautiful golden color and can be frozen for later use.

Oh, and did I mention they're about a $1.00 a batch to make? I may never slave over traditional gnocchi prep again.

Shortcut Potato Gnocchi
Printer Version
This gnocchi recipe utilizes a food processor, but can be made in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment instead. Each batch serves 2 to 3 people, but I double the recipe in my food processor for five.

1 cup water
1 egg
1 teaspoon butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups instant potato flakes (from the bulk bin)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, place the water, egg, butter, salt, garlic powder and parsley in the food processor. Process until combined. Add the flour and pulse to mix in. Add the potato flakes and pulse to combine.

3. Move dough to a clean surface and knead for about 20 seconds. Grab chunks of dough and form into snakes. Cut 1/2 inch wide pieces from snakes and roll each piece into a ball with a fork. Pull the fork back toward you for a roll or two to make gnocchi shape.

4. Gently boil gnocchi until they float to the top and then cook for two more minutes. Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and serve with your favorite sauce.

Original recipe source from About.com. Adapted by Laura Flowers for a one bowl method. Picture by Laura Flowers.

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Jam Sauce Creme Brulee & Inside a Food Blogger Life

Have you ever wondered what a food blogger’s shooting area looks like? Are you a food blogger who’d like a peek into someone else’s setup? I thought I’d share a little bit of the inner workings of what goes around here.

When I’m not shooting for a client I’m here at my own home. That means my little house ends up looking a bit too much like a studio, but that’s the life of a regular food blogger.

In my southwestern windows there’s a square white child’s table and a homemade round table I built out of an old beat up coffee table and an outdoor side table. Both tables are set low so I can shoot above them without too much difficulty.

You’ll notice that there are several layers of tablecloths covering the round table. Storing them on top of each other keeps them from getting wrinkled, and I can quickly find what I’m looking for.

I also have several lighting set ups, but the one I prefer is a mix of natural light, soft boxes, and silver and gold reflectors. My other lights tend to stay stored away until I have a large shoot where I’m covering people and food, instead of just small place settings.

My camera is a Canon and I most often use a 50mm macro lens for food blogging. It gives me the flexibility to get close to my subject and move away from it without having to switch lenses. When there are hungry people waiting for dinner, it makes a difference!

Props are a big deal here. (Sorry about the mess, I really do need to clean them out.) When I’m shooting for a magazine oftentimes they’ll ask for a holiday or season specific shot months ahead, and without those types of props I wouldn’t be able to fill the order. This photograph is just a small section of my very messy prop area. Anyone want to help me organize? Please?

As far as food propping goes, I try to purchase as many items as possible that coordinate well together. Lots of solid colors with a few patterned pieces to draw the eye and make the look more interesting. That way the feel can be changed quickly but the items will still work together.

Most of my props come from discount stores like Ross, Wal-Mart when they clearance out their holiday items, and even the Dollar Store.

It’s also important that I take extra time for photographs to get my creative juices going. I try at all costs to shoot when I’m not stressed trying to feed the numerous people who come through my door. I’ve learned that sauces can be thinned out the next day with water, and many foods can be styled later without compromise to quality.

Since I’m a photographer by trade and not a food stylist, I have a couple of food styling heroes whose books have been vastly helpful to me. Food Styling: The Art of Preparing Food for the Camera by Delores Custer, and The Food Stylist's Handbook by Denise Vivaldo are my go to bibles.

Not all things Delores and Denise do apply to us as food bloggers, as we shoot real food that we actually eat, but I’ve learned little things from them that help a lot. Like trimming edges of hamburger buns to clean them up, and brushing foods with oil for a fresher look.

And that’s it. At least that I can remember right now. If you ever have questions please feel free to ask. I’m always happy to try to help.

Jam Sauce Crème Brûlée
Printer Version
This is a twist on the Blackberry Crème Brûlée with Brown Sugar Sauce recipe. Thick jam turns to flavorful sauce on the bottom of your custards. I used blackcap raspberry jam, but marmalade, strawberry or any favorite good quality jam would work well.

Special tools you’ll need are 4 six-ounce ramekins, a fine mesh sieve (strainer) and a torch of some kind. I use Jesse’s shop propane torch (more fire=more fun), but you can buy a little brûlée torch at most fancy kitchen stores.

2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1 cup or so fresh or frozen blackberries
8 teaspoons dark brown sugar, divided
Sugar for brûlée

1. Place 4 six-ounce ramekins in a metal rimmed half bakers sheet. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and set a kettle of water to boil.

2. Place the heavy cream in a 3 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring often until just the point of boiling. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl whisk together egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Whisking the entire time, slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot heavy cream into the egg mixture. Then pour the egg mixture into the heavy cream while whisking.

4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large clean bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon of your favorite jam onto the bottom of each ramekin. Slowly ladle cream mixture evenly into the ramekins, scraping all of it out of the bowl with a spatula.

5. Pull the oven rack out about half way and place the pan on it. Pour the hot water into the pan until it’s about half way up the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Custards should be mainly set around the edges, but the center will still be jiggly.

6. Carefully move the custards to a cooling rack. Once cool, move to the refrigerator and chill for at least four hours.

7. To Brûlée: Sprinkle custard tops with about a teaspoon of granulated sugar and torch with fire until deeply golden brown pulling back the torch as needed so the sugar doesn’t char.

Recipe and photographs by Laura Flowers.

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Blackberry Creme Brulee with Brown Sugar Sauce

Best crème brûlée ever.

When I die, please bury me in a giant vat of this amazingly perfect custard. It’s so incredible, it made crème brûlée hating Dishboy Scott moan and proclaim it to be about the best thing he’s ever put in his mouth.

It’s that good. It’s so good my husband Jesse, who could care less about dessert, inhaled half the batch in less than 24 hours.

Make this custard and you’ll thank me again and again. In fact, skip dinner and eat this instead. Why bother with dinner at all when there could possibly be such a perfect dessert in your life?

Blackberry Crème Brûlée with Brown Sugar Sauce
Printer Version
Like magic, brown sugar makes it’s own sauce on the bottom of each ramekin.

Special tools you’ll need are 8 four-ounce ramekins, a fine mesh sieve (strainer) and a torch of some kind. I use Jesse’s shop propane torch (more fire=more fun), but you can buy a little brûlée torch at most fancy kitchen stores.

2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
About 1 cup or so fresh or frozen blackberries
8 teaspoons dark brown sugar, divided
Sugar for brûlée


1. Place 8 four-ounce ramekins in a metal 9x13-inch pan. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and set a kettle of water to boil.

2. Place the heavy cream in a 3 quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring often until just the point of boiling. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl whisk together egg yolks, 2/3 cup sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Whisking the entire time, slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot heavy cream into the egg mixture. Then pour the egg mixture into the heavy cream while whisking.

4. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large clean bowl. Place 1 teaspoon brown sugar into each ramekin. Place blackberries over brown sugar so they are nearly touching, but not packed. Slowly ladle cream mixture evenly into the ramekins, scraping all of it out of the bowl with a spatula.

5. Pull the oven rack out about half way and place the pan on it. Pour the hot water into the pan until it’s about half way up the ramekins. Bake for 35 minutes. Custards should be mainly set around the edges, but the center will still be jiggly.

6. Carefully move the custards to a cooling rack. Once cool, move to the refrigerator and chill for at least four hours.

7. To Brûlée: Sprinkle custard tops with about a teaspoon of granulated sugar and torch with fire until deeply golden brown pulling back the torch as needed so the sugar doesn’t char.

Recipe and photographs by Laura Flowers.
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Blueberry Plum Pie and a Pilgrimage to Oregon Fruit

I glanced back at the low gray building with sadness and a bit of envy. For once, I found something worth trading my freedom for. A lifetime of hard work, friendship, fruit and being part of the lives of a group of intelligent women who share their days together.

I suppose I’m getting ahead of myself here. There is a story here, on their side and on mine.

Since 1935 a small company called Oregon Fruit has canned our best and most beautiful northwestern fruits. The labels were almost apologetic at first, as they believed processed fruit could never live up to the standards of fresh. They were wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Most of us Oregon Fruit fans know this as soon as we open a can. We look at 75 years of perfection.

“These are the best cherries in the world”, my mom would exclaim every year when she made her special cherry pies. My small mother seemed so tall then as I stretched high on my toes to peer over the counter to watch the magical pie making process. The highlight of our holidays, we waited for those pies for agonizing hours. The thickened cherry syrup was always the best part and I’d impolitely lick it off my plate every time. Now I know it’s the syrup in the cans my mother was after. Syrup that makes pies so perfect. I still can’t make a cherry pie like hers, but I’m getting closer.

My husband, daughter and I arrived in our RV, Otto the Travel Box, bright and early that late June morning. We’d slept at a rest stop just so we could get to the factory in time to meet my wonderful friend Terri and tour this sacred place. For me a passage, for Terri and friends, another day at work. Although this time, I got to finally meet my new forever friend.

Terri wrote to me many months ago when I posted a plum pie. I read her message stunned. How could someone from my favorite company find me? Even better how could they find me, make friends with me, invite me to Oregon and offer me my favorite fruit? All I can figure is I must have done something right in the world.



When I entered the building, Terri ran out and hugged me. I adored her at once of course, and she showed me to the welcome sign they made just for me. Terri then led me around and introduced me to everyone, including JoEllen, who took Jesse and I on our tour. Clara not being twelve yet, got to stay behind and play with Terri. I don’t think she minded too much, although she can’t wait to see the place when she’s older.

JoEllen was amazing, fun and with this spirit of knowledge we got to ask her everything from history details, to the old wood floors, to the canning and recycling process and then she proudly took us to see the giant osprey nest just outside the far building. She told us about the baby birds’ first flight fiasco and safe return. Ospreys being a favorite of mine, I took this as an omen.

There is so much more too. I met Ardis relabeling cans to go to food banks and discount stores. She’s a hoot! What I didn’t realize is if the cans don’t weigh quite enough they get relabeled and sent to people who can use them under a different name. Nothing is ever wasted.



Dressing up in sanitary gear, we finally entered the processing building. Workers lined the place making sure everything was perfect and clean before processed into their new product called Berry Up, created by JoEllen herself. Fruit syrup with fruit bits to be used in drinks. It smelled so good in there. Clean and fragrant with strawberries. I just wish we could buy the stuff; right now it’s only being used in restaurants because of the high price to put it on grocery shelves. Oregon Fruit being a small factory cannot afford to sell it to us as of yet. I hope someday they will. I have one little bottle left I’m hoarding in my freezer.

Speaking of hoarding, I stock Oregon Fruit Plums like I’m in a WWII rationing situation. They’re my favorite in the world, as the cherries are my mothers. It’s gotten so bad, I only give pies with Oregon Fruit Plums to the people who will share a piece with me!

I suppose my life is here in Idaho, but there are days I wish things were different. Days I wish I could have chosen to live and work in Salem, Oregon in a little privately owned fruit factory where turnover is nearly nonexistent and people take care of each other. The place where processed fruit is worthy of the best pies.



Blueberry Plum Pie Printer Version


Oregon Fruit’s canned plums perfume this blueberry pie with rich fragrant syrup and beautiful soft ripe plums. If you think canned fruit is substandard, you’ve never tried Oregon Fruit. As a small company, they only process absolutely perfect fruit, or they won’t can it at all.

1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 ounces) Oregon Fruit Whole Purple Plums in Heavy Syrup
3 cups (1 pound) blueberries
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 double pie crust
2 tablespoons butter

1. Move the oven rack to the lower quarter of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. In a small bowl mix together the egg white and water, set aside.

2. Mix together the sugar, flour and salt in a small bowl and set aside. Do not skip this step or you’ll have starch lumps.

3. Drain the plum syrup into a large bowl. Remove the plums from the can and take out the pits. Chop the plums and add to the bowl. Add the blueberries, white vinegar, almond extract, vanilla extract and sugar mixture. Toss together and set aside.

4. Place a dough in a 9” Pyrex pie dish. Brush with egg wash. Pour in the fruit and dot with butter. Top with the other dough and crimp and seal pie. Brush the top with egg white, sprinkle with sugar and cut vents in the top.

5. Bake pie for 30 minute. Reduce heat to 375 degrees, cover with a pie shield and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until pie is bubbly and bottom crust is golden. Cool for several hours before serving.

Recipe and photographs by Laura Flowers.

Weeknight Eggplant Parmesan

I found the coolest product at Safeway. Well, my version of cool. Frozen breaded eggplant without a bunch of garbage in it! I know, you’ve probably already heard of this amazing prepared food, but I’m in small town Idaho and don’t get out much.

I was even more amazed when I opened the box. Inside were big fat sliced and breaded eggplant, nothing more. No preformed weirdness and the pieces were all different sizes just like they should be.

This has to be the best convenience food ever. I should send the company a love letter. I wonder if they'd put a restraining order on me for being such a nut.

The sauce was just a doctored up jar of good quality marinara, but wow! This Eggplant Parmesan gives my homemade version a run for its money in about an eighth the time.

What a great healthy meal to have on a weeknight. Oh, I didn’t tell you this meal is healthy? It is! Especially if you bake the cutlets like I do and use just a thin slice of mozzarella on top.

Eggplant, I love you.

Weeknight Eggplant Parmesan
To make this dish vegan, use vegan cheese or leave it off entirely.

1 jar marinara sauce
1/3 cup red wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 pound box Dominex Frozen Eggplant Cutlets, Breaded Italian Style
1 ball mozzarella, thinly sliced
Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish, optional

Slow cooker method: In a small slow cooker add the marinara sauce, wine, olive oil, oregano, and sweet paprika. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Stove method: In a large sauce pan reduce the red wine by half over medium high heat. Add the marinara, olive oil, oregano and paprika and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Prepare eggplant cutlets according to package directions. If baking, flip cutlets over the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Add an extra 5 or 10 minutes if cutlets aren’t crispy and golden brown.

Place on plates, spoon hot marinara over the eggplant and top with thin slices of mozzarella. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes: If you have it on your oven, the convection setting works well for crisping up these eggplant cutlets.

Printer Version

Recipe & photograph by Laura Flowers.

Caffeinated Triple Bypass Brownies

Are you tired of those skinny thighs? Are your arteries so perfectly clean you feel fantastic? Have you missed caffeine? Is your diabetes so well controlled you feel like you’re on top of the world?

Well if so, do I ever have a recipe to fix that! This triple layer heart attack diabetic coma brownie is everything you need to reach a sugar buzz so high you’ll shoot off the earth like a rocket. Spacecraft? Who needs ‘em!

Caffeinated Triple Bypass Brownies

1 box Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix or Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix

1 ½ teaspoons very finely ground caramel flavored coffee

1 (11 ounce) bag Kraft Caramel Bits, or about ¾ of a bag of Kraft Caramels, unwrapped

¼ cup half & half

12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

1 cup mini pretzels, slightly broken

1 cup salted peanuts (lightly salted if you have them), roughly chopped

1. Line an 8”x 8” or 9”x 9” pan with foil all the way to the top and brush with oil. Make the brownies according to package directions adding the ground coffee to the batter. Cool completely.

2. Melt the caramels with the half and half in a large bowl in the microwave on high heat. Stir every thirty seconds until melted. Pour over cooled brownies. Let cool until set.

3. Melt the chocolate and shortening in a large bowl in the microwave on high heat. Stir every thirty seconds until melted. Mix in the pretzels and peanuts. Spread over brownies. Cool and serve.

Notes: Brownies can be sliced and stored in the freezer.

Recipe created by Laura Flowers with inspiration from a lost Associated Press story. Picture by Laura Flowers.

Shortcut Homemade Twinkie Copycats

I couldn’t face producing three batches of Twinkies from scratch for Jesse’s work this week. So I didn’t. Instead, I tweaked Todd Wilber’s pound cake mix version into something more Twinkie-like. What's neat about Todd's version is he made his copycats without a cream canoe pan by wrapping foil around spice jars to created molds. If I didn’t have the pan already, I’d have done things his way.

There were a couple problems with Todd’s recipe. I’m not sure if they’re because I used a nonstick pan instead of foil, but they needed a roll in simple syrup. Without it they weren’t really Twinkies, just pound cakes with filling and strange crusty outsides. I adjusted the cooking time as well, but that’s probably just a difference in baking methods. If you use the foil method they’ll take longer to bake.

If you’re not into shortcut baking, Leslie Bilderback made a fantastic, but complicated Twinkie recipe from scratch. It might be fun to tackle if you have the spare time, or are making just a single batch.

I think sometimes a shortcut is perfectly fine though. Especially for something fun like this. Overall, these little cakes are pretty darn Twinkie-like, not too difficult, and have that cool novelty of being baked at home. I'll be making these again.

Shortcut Homemade Twinkies
Simple Syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Boil together in a small pot with a lid. Once mixture comes to a boil remove the lid and cook for three more minutes to ensure the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cakes
Crisco for greasing
4 egg whites
1 16-oz box of golden pound cake mix
2/3 cup of water

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a cream canoe pan with Crisco. (Butter doesn’t work as well here).

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not a solid mass. In a separate bowl combine the cake mix with water and beat until blended. Then, fold egg whites into the cake with a spatula then beat it with the hand mixer at the end until just combined.

Fill the molds half full of batter. Bake for around 22 to 23 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden brown around the edges (but light on top) and a toothpick comes out clean.

Run a toothpick around the cakes to loosen the sides. Dump the hot cakes onto parchment paper. Turn cakes upside down so the bottoms are now on top. Place some of the simple syrup into a wide shallow bowl and immediately roll the tops, sides, and ends of hot Twinkies in the syrup. Try not to get syrup on the bottoms. Fill with cream filling, below.

Repeat the process for second set of cakes. Be sure to grease the pan again.

Cream Filling
2 teaspoons very hot water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups marshmallow cream (or one 7 oz jar)
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 chopstick

To do the cream filling, first mix the salt into the bowl of hot water, and mix until the salt is dissolved. Let it cool.

Combine the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl and mix, preferably with an electric mixer or stand mixer on high, until fluffy.

Now pour the salt-water solution in and mix.

When the cakes are mainly cool, poke a hole into the bottom in three places like a Twinkie with a narrow ended chopstick. Move the chopstick around inside to make some room for filling. Then stick a pastry bag into the holes and press gently to fill.

Storing “Twinkies”
Store in a wax paper lined covered container for a few hours before serving. Twinkies need time for their outsides to get soft. Twinkies also freeze quite well after filling.

Makes 16 Twinkie Copycats.

Adapted from Todd Wilber from Top Secret Recipes. Picture by Laura Flowers.

My Favorite Mustard Potato Salad

It was a beautiful Idaho day and we headed outside this evening to grill thick hand pressed bison burgers and then scooped this marvelous potato salad on top. We also had potato salad on the side, snuck bites of it out of the bowl, and should have stopped eating long before we did.

I realize you probably already have a favorite potato salad recipe, as most families do, but this one I put all my favorite potato salad ingredients in. It’s perfectly spiced and so creamy with olive oil, mayonnaise and pickle juice. I thought I’d offer it to you just in case you had room for another one on your table.



Creamy Mustard Potato Salad
6 medium-large Russet potatoes
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 Kosher Deli-style dill pickle, chopped fine
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dry dill leaf
¼ heaping teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon celery seed, rubbed between palms
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup extra light olive oil (Not extra virgin)
1 ½ tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
2 to 3 tablespoons dill pickle juice from the jar

Peel, dice, and boil potatoes in unsalted water until tender, but not so soft they fall apart. When done, place in a cold water bath, until cool, then strain well. Mix all dry spices and liquid ingredients together in a small bowl.

Add potatoes, onion, egg, and pickles to a large bowl, and gently stir in the seasoning mixture until well mixed. Chill at least an hour before serving.

Recipe and photograph by Laura Flowers.

Creamiest Macaroni & Cheese Ever

I stood in my kitchen growling over yet another bad recipe. I don’t know why, but I have terrible macaroni & cheese karma. I’ve tried everything. I even went as far as making all of Alton Brown’s recipes from Good Eats. Well ok, I didn’t fry mine into blocks. That’s going a bit too far.

Anyway, I got lucky. Dishboy Scott was over helping me cook that Monday evening and he started babbling about how he always makes a medium white sauce first, and it’s fantastic, and blah blah blah blah blah. I stared at him incredulously. “What did you just say?”, I demanded. “Back up a bit. You mean to tell me you have a fabulous, easy macaroni and cheese recipe you make all the time, and you’ve let me suffer for years through all my bad attempts?!”

I tossed the recipe in my hand into the garbage and Scott quickly instructed me how to make the most simple, most wonderfully creamy, and by far the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had. This recipe is a keeper!

I love my foodie friends. Thanks Scott you are awesome!

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese
Printer Version

Use flavorful, good quality cheese in this pasta. It makes all the difference.

1 pound good quality sharp cheddar or vintage white cheddar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 & 6 tablespoons unbleached flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
Lots of freshly cracked pepper
1 pound macaroni, cappelletti, or other pasta of choice
Salted pasta water

1. Begin boiling the water and cooking the pasta according to package directions in heavily salted water. Meanwhile, grate the cheese and toss with 3 tablespoons flour. Set aside.

2. In a large pot melt the butter over medium to medium high heat. Stir in 6 tablespoons flour (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons to make it easy), and salt. Cook until golden stirring frequently. Very slowly pour in the milk stirring completely into the flour as you go so lumps don’t form. Add lots of freshly cracked pepper and stir the mixture constantly until thickened. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Stir until melted.

3. When the pasta is done cooking, set aside about a cup of the salted pasta water. You'll need it for the sauce. Drain the pasta and add it to the cheese mixture. Stir gently to combine. Add pasta water as needed to make creamy.

Recipe by Dishboy Scott. Picture by Laura Flowers.

Vegetarian Style Chicken Snack Wraps

I love McDonald’s Snack Wraps. They’re a guilty pleasure of mine. Not for a snack, they’re a bit much for that, but for lunch occasionally. However, I don’t like the way they make me feel when I eat them. Like a heavy, greasy, unhealthy bomb in my stomach.

So now I make a cleaned up vegetarian version at home. These probably still aren’t the healthiest things, but I love them anyway. They don’t make me feel gross and have more flavor then the McDonald’s version.

Vegetarian Style Chicken Snack Wraps
I’m not certain vegetarian chicken patties qualify as real food, but they're pretty darn tasty! I far prefer them to real chicken patties.

1 box MorningStar Farms Chik Patties Original
4 Mission Multi-Grain Flour Tortillas, Medium Soft Taco
Fresh baby Spinach
Onion, thinly sliced
Bleu Cheese, Ranch, or Honey Mustard dressing (My favorite is bleu cheese, Jesse's is ranch)
Freshly cracked pepper

1. Cook Chik Patties according to package directions. Oven method works best, and use convection if you have it for crispier breading.

2. Place the tortillas on a plate and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high until warm. About 30 to 45 seconds.

3. Slice the chicken patties into strips. Arrange one patty's worth of strips on a tortilla and add spinach, onion, a drizzle of your preferred dressing, and some pepper. Fold the bottom upward so the stuffing doesn’t come out. Then roll into burrito shape. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Makes 4 snack wraps.

Recipe & photograph by Laura Flowers.

Kathia's Costa Rican Style Black Bean & Egg Soup

Kathia grew up in beautiful Costa Rica where plantains grow on trees and kids run and play outside. I’m lucky she chose me as a friend. Not only is she fun, intelligent, creative, and incredibly loyal, (she’s always the first to defend me), but she shares her childhood recipes too!

I think it was while we were sitting in a Cuban restaurant in Manhattan that she told me about this gorgeous, simple, delicious soup. It’s one of those busy day recipes, as Kathia tosses the black beans into the slow cooker before work and finishes the soup when she arrives home.

If I was in Costa Rica I’d be adding chopped plantains to the beans, but since my access to decent plantains is zero, I used carrots to sweeten the deal. If you find quality plantains, using them will make this more authentic.

Kathia I am so grateful to have you as my friend! Thank-you for this terrific staple recipe.

Slow Cooker Black Beans
With this method you won't need to soak the beans overnight.

1 pound dried black beans
1 clove garlic
6 cups hot water
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

1. Rinse beans well in a colander, then spread out on a baking sheet and sort out any rocks or bad looking beans. Place the beans in a slow cooker, and the garlic clove, and cover with hot water. Do not salt the beans at this point or the skins will get tough.

2. Cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours. Test for doneness. Turn off the heat and add the salt. Let the beans rest until you’re ready to start the soup.

Kathia's Costa Rican Style Black Bean & Egg Soup
For a hearty vegan meal, skip the egg and sour cream garnish.

¼ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 large bell pepper, your choice of color
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Lots of freshly cracked black pepper to taste
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/3 cup water for deglazing pot
1 recipe slow cooked black beans, above
Eggs, 1 per person

1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium high and add the onion, carrots, bell pepper, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir to combine and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and the onions start to brown. About 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Add the water to the pot and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Meanwhile puree 2 cups of the black beans with the garlic clove they were cooked with. Add the puree and the rest of the black beans with their liquid to the soup pot. Cook stirring often until bubbly.

3. Carefully crack the eggs into prep bowls, one per prep bowl. Then slide eggs gently into the soup pot and cover with a lid. Cook for a couple of minutes until the egg whites solidify but leave the yolks runny to taste.

4. To serve, scoop up the beans with an egg into individual bowls. Garnish as desired and serve with tortillas.

Garnish Suggestions
Diced avocado
Diced tomatoes
Chopped cilantro
Slices of lime
Sour cream
Tortillas

Recipe adapted slightly from Kathia Castro from Pink Little Cake. Picture by Laura Flowers.

Bugs Bunny’s Pasta or Roasted Carrot & Garlic Cream Bowties with Peas

Oh roasted carrots I’ve been missing you my whole life! I had no idea roasting you would create such buttery rich squashy flavor and take garlic to a whole new level of heaven.

Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner? Reeni from Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice I owe you big time for this recipe. It’s a staple in my house already and I’ve made it three times since you posted it.

Reeni thought she would add pancetta or bacon next time, and I decided to go the vegetarian route and add peas. I think nearly anything you choose to add to this pasta will be fantastic!

Bugs Bunny Pasta
Print Recipe
1 pound of Carrots, sliced in 1-inch rounds
5 cloves of garlic, whole, peeled
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
Sea or Kosher salt and fresh pepper
1 teaspoon Thyme
2/3 cup Heavy Cream
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated, plus more for serving
1 pound of Pasta
1 and 1/2 cups Reserved Pasta Water

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl toss carrot rounds and garlic with the Olive oil, using your hand to thoroughly coat the carrots and garlic with oil. Season well with salt, pepper, and thyme.

2. Bake in a 9x13 inch baking pan about 45-50 minutes until carrots are tender. Take the pan out and toss halfway through the cooking time.

3. When carrots are tender, remove from oven. Cook the pasta in a generous amount of salted water to al dente according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking
make the carrot cream.

4. In a blender or food processor puree the carrots and garlic together with the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese until smooth. When the pasta is done cooking reserve a cup and a half of the pasta water.

5. Drain pasta and add to a large mixing bowl. Toss with carrot cream, (add 1 ½ cups frozen petite peas here if using) adding pasta water a little at a time until you get a nice consistency and the pasta is evenly coated.

6. Serve with Parmesan Cheese and crusty bread/garlic bread.

Notes: Recently I've been roasting two heads of garlic for this pasta with great results. I guess if this recipe could possibly get any better, garlic would do it.

Recipe by Reeni @ Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice. Picture by Laura Flowers.

The Best Broccoli Cheddar Baked Potatoes

What makes these the best you ask? Fondue is my answer! I use the recipe for Hard Apple Cider Cheese Fondue for these amazing stuffed potatoes. What makes them so incredible is the extra-aged award winning Washington State University Cougar Gold Cheese that the cheese sauce is made from.

I would swim with piranhas for Cougar Gold Cheese. Big, fat, toothless, vegetarian piranhas. Ok, so I’m a chicken, but seriously, this cheese is super fantastic. But if you can’t get a round of it, any good aged white cheddar will work well.

The Best Broccoli Cheddar Baked Potatoes

4 Good sized Russet potatoes

Broccoli florettes, enough to cover 4 potatoes

Salt

Freshly Cracked Pepper

1 recipe Hard Apple Cider Cheese Fondue, below

1. Microwave Method: Scrub the potatoes, pierce with a fork, and place on a paper towel in the microwave. Cook on high, flipping over every 5 minutes until easily pierced with a knife. Set aside.

Oven Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, scrub potatoes, pierce with fork, rub with oil and place on the center rack of the oven. Place a foil lined baking sheet below to catch drips and bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until easily pierced with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, make the fondue and steam the broccoli.

3. Place the potatoes on individual plates. Cut with a sharp knife down the centers and squeeze potato together so the insides pop out a bit. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the broccoli on top of the potatoes and spoon the cheese fondue on top.

Hard Apple Cider Cheese Fondue

Ingredients

1 pound Cougar Gold (extra aged if you can get it), or other sharp white cheddar

2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup hard apple cider (Drink the rest while preparing fondue)

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. Crumble or shred the cheese. In a bowl, toss together the cheese and flour.

2. In medium sized sauce pan bring the hard apple cider to a boil.

3. Reduce heat to low and add the cheese mixture a handful at a time, stirring until melted before adding more.

4. Add the vinegar and stir together. Spoon over baked potatoes.

Recipe & Picture by Laura Flowers.

Sherried Tomato Soup from "The Pioneer Woman Cooks"

Ree Drummond’s book finally made it to our bookstore! I was so excited I grabbed it and ran to the checkout all the while stuffing my nose in it even as I walked to my car. I stayed up late into the night enjoying every single page. About 2A.M. I had an epiphany. I want to live on a ranch with photogenic cows, and I want to cook every single darn recipe in this book! Seriously. I’ve never had feelings like this before.

I have cookbook lust. I have it so badly that I’m even following all her directions. I don’t think this has ever happened to me. I haven’t been taking pictures of everything since this work is hers, but this soup made me stop and grab a shot.

You have to try this one. It is better than divine. It makes me not care so much about photogenic cows. Or not quite as much. Ree has me doing things I’ve never done before. Like buying cooking sherry and chicken base. I must not be in my right mind because these are two items I’ve sworn never to purchase!

Its lust I tell you. Cookbook, beautiful country food, photogenic cow lust. Plus the book has an all-American wild mustang pageant. I have to admit, Bernadette is awfully pretty, even if Ree is pulling for the super intellectual Ginger.

Ingredients
1 medium white or yellow onion
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
Two 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes
46-ounce can of tomato juice
3 to 6 Tablespoons sugar
1 to 2 Tablespoons chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooking sherry
1 ½ cups heavy cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Ree’s Instructions and Hilarious Ramblings
1. To begin, dice the onion.

2. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven.

3. Throw in the onion and cook until translucent.

4. Now dump in the diced tomatoes and stir to combine.

5. Add the tomato juice. I used organic juice because I wanted people to think, she’s cool because she uses organics.

6. Next-and this is important-in order to combat the acidity of the tomatoes, add 3 to 6 tablespoons sugar. Now, you’ll want to start on the low side, then taste and add more as needed. Some tomatoes and juice have more of an acid bite than others. (For what its worth and I realize it’s not worth much, I use 6 tablespoons of sugar. But I like a little sweetness to my tomato soup. So don’t listen to me.)

7. Next, add 1 or 2 tablespoons chicken base to the pot. I added 3, and it wound up being a little too much. But it’s a middle child thing… I’m always adding more, more, more!

8. Now you can add lots of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, then heat almost to a boil. Then turn off the heat.

9. Now! Here’s the nice little flavor that sets this soup apart. Add in the sherry, if desired. It’ll keep you honest-I promise!

10. And now, people. It’s time to get serious. And it’s time to examine yourselves, and I mean that figuratively, for Pete’s sake: when it comes to heavy cream, are you a man or a mouse? I need an answer now, because we’re about to add 1 ½ cups of the stuff into our soup. And mmm… stir it together.

11. Now chop up a handful of flat-leaf parsley. And really, I’m not opposed to that curly parsley. And actually, blind taste tests have shown that there’s really not much difference in taste. But flat-leaf is a little more texturally palatable, so if you can find it, it’s best.

“Texturally palatable.” You know, I just throw these phrases out into the atmosphere and I have no idea where they come from. Or where they are going. Or where they have been.

12. Next, chop up a few leaves of fresh basil. (Well, “chiffonade” is the proper term… but that’s way too complicated a topic to inject into this simple soup.)

13. Now go ahead and throw in the parsley and the basil, and stir together. Next, take a whiff of this heavenly delight. Then faint. Then pick yourself up off the ground and grab your pepper mill again.

14. I always set it to fine for this soup, and I really let ‘er loose. I love freshly ground black pepper.

15. Keep the soup warm and serve it on a cold day to people you love. The flavor will knock your socks off.

Recipe from Ree Drummond's book, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl". Visit her award winning blog. Picture by the unworthy Laura Flowers who now wants to live on a ranch with photogenic cows someplace where it doesn’t snow.

Parmesan Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

It's finally below 85 degrees and life doesn't feel so unbearably hot. That means its casserole season right? Wait, do casseroles have a season? They seem to in my kitchen when it’s simply too hot to cook.

I cracked open my Better Homes & Gardens Biggest Book of Casseroles for the first time in several months, and decided this very American, creamy, salty, gooey, blob of a casserole was what I wanted to welcome the start of fall with.

It was even good the next day, which was helpful because we had a lot of casserole to consume!

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked white rice
2/3 cup diced onion
1 ¼ pounds chicken tenders, thawed and cut into chunks
4 Tablespoons light colored cooking oil, divided
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed between palms of your hands
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 ¾ cups whole milk
½ of an 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1 ½ cups frozen cut broccoli, thawed and chopped slightly
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2/3 cup (4 ounces) diced fully cooked ham
2 Tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions
1. Cook rice according to package directions. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup of the diced onions. Transfer to a 2 ½ quart casserole dish or a 9x13 inch rectangle baking dish.

2. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

3. In a large skillet warm 2 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium high heat and add the chicken pieces. Salt and pepper the chicken and turn once when the bottom starts to turn golden. Finish cooking and add the crushed Italian seasoning and minced garlic and cook for a minute longer. Remove the chicken from the pan reserving the drippings.

4. Warm 2 Tablespoons cooking oil in the pan on medium heat and add the onions. Cook for 1 minute and then add the cornstarch and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer until reduced slightly, about 4 minutes.

5. Turn heat to low and add the cream cheese and stir until almost combined. Add the chicken, diced ham, chopped broccoli, parmesan, and dash of salt & pepper. Stir to combine and warm through.

6. Once warm, move to a casserole dish and cover the rice. Plunge a spatula in several places to incorporate the rice and sauce but do not mix. Bake for 30 minutes for the 9x13 inch pan or 45 to 50 minutes for the 2 ½ quart round casserole.

7. Remove from the oven. Toast the sliced almonds for 40 seconds on a plate in the microwave and sprinkle over the casserole. Wait 10 minutes and serve.

Make-Ahead Directions
Assemble as directed. Cover unbaked casserole with heavy foil; seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw covered frozen casserole in the refrigerator overnight (casserole may still be icy). Bake casserole, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until heated through. Sprinkle with almonds.

Recipe adapted from BH&G’s Biggest Book of Casseroles. Picture by Laura Flowers.