Meal: Ham and Asparagus Casserole

Ham and Asparagus Casserole:
This is cross between a quiche and a frittata. Sometimes I'll use Canadian bacon since it's lower in fat.

Ingredients
2 cups cooked ham, cubed
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 cups chopped fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2-1 inch pieces
2 tbsp butter
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the asparagus and green onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. When the asparagus and onions are tender, add them to the baking dish along with the ham. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, thyme, rosemary, garlic and pepper. Beat until smooth and pour over the ham mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Let it set for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Penzeys Spices

Meal: Pasta E Fagioli Bake

Pasta E Fagioli Bake:
This dish is a play off of the soup with the same name. The original recipe was a bit dry for my taste so I've added additional crushed tomatoes.

Modifications: This can be made vegetarian by eliminating the Italian bacon. Or for a more hearty dish cook up chicken breasts, diced and mix into the casserole before baking.

Ingredients
8 oz (1¾ cups) ditalini pasta
3 oz Italian bacon (panchetta or prosciutto), cut into ½-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
1 (16 oz) can plum tomatoes in juice
1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
¾ cup chicken broth
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup grated Romano cheese
2 tbsp grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp dried parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large sauce pot, cook pasta in boiling salted water as label directs. Drain well, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking water. Return pasta to sauce pot; set reserved cooking water aside.

Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned, stirring occasionally. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon bacon fat from saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion and 2 teaspoons olive oil, and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir in beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, pepper, and cooked bacon; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To pasta in sauce pot, add bean mixture, ¼ cup Romano cheese, and reserved pasta cooking water; toss well. Transfer mixture to 3-quart casserole. In small bowl, toss bread crumbs with parsley, remaining olive oil, remaining minced garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons Romano cheese until evenly coated. Sprinkle crumb mixture over pasta. Bake pasta 15 minutes, uncovered, until hot and bubbly and top is golden.

Good Housekeeping

Meal: Honey-Mustard Pork Loin, Butternut Squash Souffle, and Green Bean Casserole

This meal has some preparation adjustments to help speed it along. It won't take too long before you're sitting down to dinner. The trick it to start cooking the squash in the microwave and while that is going on combine all the ingredients for the Green Bean Casserole and stick it in the fridge. Once the Butternut Squash Souffle has only 30 minutes left in the oven, pop the casserole and pork loin into the oven along with it. Everything will come out pipping hot at the same time!

Butternut Squash Souffle:
This recipe ends up tasting like creamy gingerbread or some have said its similar to pumpkin pie. I just know its delicious. It's one of my favorite ways to eat squash.

Ingredients
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
3/4 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Peel, remove seeds, and cube squash. In a microwave safe bowl add 1/4 cup water and squash. Cook, on high, for 10 to 12 minutes or until squash can be easily pierces with a fork. With a hand mixer, beat in milk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to squash mixture and mix well. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes.


*If you are making this dish along with the Green Bean Casserole and Pork Loin, add the casserole and pork when the squash has 30 minutes left to cook. Turn the oven up to 375 degrees. Bake all three dishes for 30 minutes. The pork needs to reach 165 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer.



Taste of Home - Kathleen Cox; Wyoming, Michigan



Green Bean Casserole:
This is the classic casserole recipe. My husband calls them cream beans and has to have them every Thanksgiving. Since he didn't get them this year I've made it for him the week following turkey-day.

Ingredients
1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced-fat cream of mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans green beans
1 1/3 cups Fried Onions

Mix soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2 -qt. baking dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions. Bake at 350°F for 30 min. or until hot.* Stir. Top with remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 minutes until onions are golden.

French's ®

Honey-Mustard Pork Loin: This recipe requires a 2 hour marinating time so plan accordingly.

Ingredients
1 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup stone ground mustard
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar

Cooking spray

Trim fat from pork. Combine pork, mustard, honey and vinegar in a large seal-able plastic bag. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove pork from bag and reserve marinade.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees* for about 40 minutes. Pork should reach 160 degrees when tested with a meat thermometer. Let it stand 10 minutes before slicing to retain moisture.

Cookinglight March 1999

MENU: November 30-December 7, 2008

If you're not feasting on leftovers you might be looking for quick meals while playing catch up from time off of work. If you're not you, still might enjoy these quick fall meals. Two of them are one dish meals while the other uses pre-marinated pork loin that can be found in your local grocery store.

Menu
1. Honey-Mustard Pork Loin
Side: Butternut Squash Souffle
Side: Green bean casserole

2. Pasta E Fagioli Bake

3. Ham and Asparagus Casserole

Weekly Shopping
2 medium butternut squash
1 can fried onions
8 oz pasta, ditalini
3 oz Italian bacon (panchetta or prosciutto)
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans white kidney beans
1 (16 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) crushed tomatoes
12 oz cooked ham, cubed
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch fresh asparagus
2 cup pkg shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup stone ground mustard

Pantry Items
butter
sugar
milk
salt
cinnamon
nutmeg
1 dozen eggs
vanilla
2 (14 1/2 oz)cans green beans, drained
1 (10 3/4 oz) can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
pepper
onion
olive oil
garlic
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken broth
Parmesan or Romano cheese
bread crumbs
dried parsley
flour
dried thyme
dried rosemary
1 lb pork tenderloin
honey
sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
Cooking spray