Squash and Egg Casserole

This morning, we are having a goodbye breakfast for our lab tech, Matt.  He has decided to leave us and head to the Big Apple to work at Sloan-Kettering while waiting for an answer on his medical school applications.  I decided that maybe it was time to do something a little different in saying goodbye to Matt.  So I asked him if he liked breakfast.  He responded with a resounding yes.  Instead of asking the boss to pay for lunch (and be limited to 3 restaurants because of the lab's allergies), I invited our colleague's lab to join us and asked everyone to bring a dish to pass.  My dish, because I am still trying to use up everything I got during the 2 weeks Renee was in Italy, is an egg casserole.  I decided on this because I knew I had turkey bacon and a summer squash in my refrigerator.  This morning, when I went to get ingredients together, I discovered a second summer squash.  So instead of making a strata type casserole (which is a bit of a problem for me and for my boss who is celiac), I decided to just use the squash and bacon.

Squash and Bacon Egg Casserole
Note: I used turkey bacon in this recipe because I had it in my refrigerator and it's easy because it's precooked.  If you prefer, you can use regular bacon (which we often get from the CSA), but you would need to cook it before adding it to the casserole.  And if you are cooking bacon, you might as well cook up some onions as well ;).  I didn't put onion in this casserole because it was sort of a dump and bake recipe today.  I would do it differently given the time and availability of ingredients.

•  1 lb smoked turkey bacon
• 2 medium yellow crookneck squash*, halved and sliced thin
• 4 cups cheese (I used sharp cheddar and Italian blend)
• 12 eggs*
• 2 1/4 cups milk* (I used skim)
• salt, pepper and dried basil, to taste

Dice the bacon; place bacon and squash into baking dish and mix well.  Sprinkle with cheese.  In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk and seasonings; beat until smooth.  Pour egg mixture over squash and bacon.  Bake 10 minutes at 400F and then reduce heat to 350F.  Bake and additional 15-20 minutes or until a knife, inserted into the center of the casserole, comes out clean.

*CSA ingredients. 

Ratatouille

I know it's late in summer for me to admit that I have made my first ratatouille of the season.  However, this is my favorite dish when I have summer squashes available.  Since I am limited in volume that I can eat, I suppose I have avoided making this because I don't know how I will use it.  However, I will give you some ideas at the end of the recipe.  Since it is still quite warm (and thus, my apartment is warm), I am still not willing to use my oven or stovetop to cook, so this recipe is developed for a slow cooker.  I will also mention that I make many different varieties of ratatouille, including one that is sort of a tomato-based sauce-like version.  This version, is more based on eggplant and squash and has an entirely different taste and feel, but there is a pleasant sweetness that I really enjoy.

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

• 1 medium eggplant, diced
• 1 large sweet onion*, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic*, minced
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small yellow zucchini*, sliced (may use green zucchini if you have them)
• 1 medium crookneck squash*, halved and sliced
• 4 small tomatoes*, thin wedges
• 8 small bell peppers, mixed colors, large dice
•  1 Tbsp dried herbs (I use basil, but you could also use oregano, marjarom or whatever you like)

 Prepare vegetables.  Turn slow cooker to HIGH; add onion slices, garlic and eggplant.  Drizzle with olive oil; cover and cook for 1 hour, or until onions are soft. Turn cooker to LOW; add remaining ingredients.  Cook for 6-8 hours until vegetables are soft, but not mushy.

Note: this recipe, while it has tomatoes in it, is not as tomato-based as many versions are.  However, there is a nice sweetness from the eggplant and onions that is unique to ratatouille.  Serving possibilities: as a side dish, over pasta as a sort of primevera sauce, use as a filling for omelets, used as a wrap filling.  While I would love to use this as an entree, since I've had gastric surgery, I can only use it as a side dish or in omelets.  There is not enough protein to warrent using it as a meal.  

*CSA Ingredients
 

Corn

We got the first of the sweet corn for the summer.  I have been waiting for this because I like to cut it from the cob and freeze it.  You do not have to blanch corn before you freeze it (I found out last year). So, I will take about 2 cups of the corn to make tortilla soup and then split the rest between two bags, just in case Renee doesn't get more corn in the next two weeks.  I took the last two full packages, so she will take the next two. 

The chicken tortilla soup that I am making today is one that I found on the internet years ago and it has always worked out beautifully. It always comes out a bit different every time I make it because I am not loyal to any brand of salsa and just that little change can change the flavor of this wonderful soup.  I will actually name the brands that I use today, but you can use whatever brands you like.

Amy's Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Adapted from: http://www.a-crock-cook.com/amys-crock-pot-chicken-tortilla-soup.html

• 1 1/2 lb. (750g) chicken breast halves*
• 3 cups enchilada chicken broth* (from cooking enchilada chicken)
• 1 cup water
• 2 - 15oz. (420g) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups fresh corn kernals*
• 2 - 14.5oz cans of Rotel tomatoes
• 1 - 14 oz. (410ml) can of tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup hungarian peppers*, chopped
• 1 c. hot salsa (0rtega Thick and Chunky Mild)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 T. ground cumin

Place all ingredients into crock pot.  Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.  Remove chicken breasts and cool: shred chicken and return to pot.  Garnish with tortilla chips, cheese, tomatoes, avocados, etc. as desired.

Note: I had fresh broth from cooking a whole chicken and chose to use that instead of canned broth.  If you do not have fresh broth available, use 4 cups canned stock (if available) or broth.  When I have them available, I also opt to roast tomatoes with jalapenos instead of using Rotel.

*CSA ingredients

Enchilada Chicken

The one advantage of having been grounded this weekend is that I have time to cook.  I have an extra chicken since we got two in a row, so I offered one of them to my husband.  Originally, I was going to have to carry it up to MI and cook it up there.  Since I wasn't allowed to travel, I decided to cook it for him here.  I had gotten a packet of Rick Bayless's Enchilada Sauce (with roasted garlic and tomatoes).  I have tried his taco sauce and it was really good, so I am excited to see how this tastes.  Of course, my husband likes everything spicy (and enchilada sauce is usually quite mild), so I added jalapenos to the mix.  All of this was cooked in a crock pot.  I love cooking whole chickens in the crock pot because they always come out moist and beautiful.

Enchilada Chicken 

• 1 (4.5-5 pound) free-range chicken*
• 1 pkg Rick Bayless's enchilada sauce (with roasted garlic and tomatoes)
• 1/2 jar Jalapeno slices

Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken.  Place chicken upside-down into crock pot.  Pour enchilada sauce over the chicken.  Place jalapeno slices around and inside chicken cavity.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.  Using a quick-read thermometer, make sure that the temperature is 160F when placed in the thickest part of the thigh. 

*CSA ingredients

Fresh salad

It seems that this summer I am craving fresh.  So, when I needed to come up with another side for a picnic, I decided to go with cucumber tomato salad again.  However, this time, I had artichoke hearts available too.  I wasn't able to attend the picnic because I am still recovering from the anesthesia from when they removed my IVC filter on Wednesday.  However, I went ahead and made the salad so that my husband could enjoy it this week.

Greek Cucumber Salad

• 1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 (14-oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, diced
• 1 large tomato*, diced
• 1 medium cucumber*, diced

Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans; remove any loose skins.  Place beans in a zippered bag with olive oil and vinagar: marinate overnight.  Pour beans into a large bowl; dice other vegetables and add to the beans.  Toss with dressing.  Top with feta cheese just before serving, if desired.

 
*CSA ingredients

And It Continues

I would like to believe that someday I will have a medical procedure and I will not have some sort of complication.  Yesterday, they removed my IVC filter.  It took them 3 hours because the filter had tilted and scar tissue had started to grow over the top.  It appears that at least one of the struts had the same issue.  When they finally were able to hook the filter, they sent the sheath down to cover the hooks and one of the hooks broke off.  So, I now, permanently, have a small piece of plastic in my inferior vena cava.  I was told that it was nothing to worry about because the scar tissue covers it and thus it will no longer be a blood clot risk.  The alternative was to attempt to retrieve the piece, but because of the scar tissue that presented a bleeding risk. 

Needless to say, with all of the other things than have happened through all of this, my boss is not pleased.  He was going to call a cardiologist friend to see what her opinion was.  But in the meantime, I was told that he reviewed the x-ray and had two other doctors review it and "it's fine."  All I can do is hope and pray.  These experiences are not encouraging me to want to recommend our hospital to others.  It's really sad. After this latest episode, I probably will write the letter that my boss requested me to write.  I didn't want to at first, but there is just so much that has not gone exactly right and someone should know.

In the meantime, I am dealing with a very poorly placed bandage that they wouldn't allow me to change.  It's preventing range of motion for my neck to the point that I didn't feel safe driving.  AND I think it is causing me a lot of pain.  If I am right, when I remove it tomorrow, most of my issues will go away.  I am hoping.  Just so you can see, here's a picture of the bandage.  I will be glad to have it off tomorrow.

Recycle and Reuse

Have you ever wondered what to do with all those plastic grocery bags that you just can't seem to get rid of?  I was next door at Sunnyside Up Breakfast Nook and Gallery visiting Robin, Schulz, the owner.  She had a new artist visiting and was looking at her goods.  As we looked through beautiful scarves and pins, she asked if anyone was selling market bags.  She pulled a couple out and lo and behold, they were crocheted from plastic grocery bags.  They were so cool looking (and such a great way to reuse these nuisance bags), I asked her how to make them.  Here is a step-by-step in case you are interested in learning!

1) Lay grocery bag flat

2) Roll bag lengthwise

3) Cut off the bottom seam

4) Make bands by cutting strips about 1/2-1/3 inch in width

5) Unroll the bands and thread one through another

6) Form knot by taking other end of threaded loop and threading through threaded loop (did I say thread enough?) similar to how you would thread a lanyard

7) Pull the knot tight by pulling both bands (note, if you pull from the far end of each band, you are more likely to get the knot centered correctly)

8) Repeat with remaining bands and roll into a ball.  Then you can use these knotted strands in place of yarn when creating your market bag.

This pattern can be found at: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L10485.html?utm_source=20120713_July13&utm_medium=Emails&utm_campaign=Weeklynewsletter&utm_content=P-SimpleCrochetTote

Note: it may take some time to consistantly string the bands evenly.  I have not finished the bag yet, so I haven't figured out what to do with excess that is sticking out.  I am sure you just weave it into the stitches, but I will have to let you know when I finish.