Make and Take Meals

NEWS FOR THE DAY: The Harvest Bake Sale is tomorrow, Tuesday, October 27th at Madonna University sponsored by Nutrition Network of Madonna. Lots of healthy, delicious harvest treats will be available. If you need a Halloween treat for school or work, please consider saving yourself some time and still bring reasonably priced, healthy treats from Madonna’s Nutrition Network. All proceed go to support Nutrition Network and its philanthropies. I’m a member and I thank you for your support.



First off, let me tell you why I haven’t been blogging. The flu hit my home along with secondary infections. And I am still trying to recuperate. So with that, I thank you for your patience. In addition, I’m finishing up my post degree (graduating in December) so I have a lot of homework and application prep work to complete. I love requests because it really helps to focus my mind, power out a blog and stay topical to your interests.

That said, my dear friend, Laura, has requested a blog on casseroles you can take to various functions (teacher appreciation days, P-T conferences, funeral, sick friends, play dates, etc.) The list of occasions is endless and there is never an occasion for which food is not appropriate. I also like to keep some of the casseroles on hand “in case of emergency”. Emergency? Yes, in my home there are such events as “food emergencies”. Specifically, when I have school, my husband is stuck in traffic (or out of town), Anthony has two afterschool events and Alex needs to be picked up and taken to swimming. Missing a meal in my house is not option for any of the men in my household. So when looking at the calendar, I zero on the days that have the most potential for “food emergencies” and prepare for them. That is where the dishes below come in handy. They’re easy, nutritious and most importantly, present limited risk in the “danger zone”. The men in my house are not known for putting away food when they are done with it. There I have been evenings where I’ve let a meal for them at 6 PM and the casserole is still sitting out when I get home from school at 10:30 PM. Sadly, it gets tossed. This is not only a waste of food, but a waste of my efforts and huge risk to my family’s health. (Not to mention, they all have to deal with my wrath the following morning.)

The “Danger Zone” is when food is kept for long periods of time between 41 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature, plus the moisture and glucose in food create the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. And they do! Those little, germy bacteria will mass produce and run rampant. Remember: Keep hot foods, hot and cold foods, cold. Many people experience physical discomfort and attribute to colds and flus when in actuality, it’s a foodborne illness. I worry most for the people eating on buffet lines, like teachers. Trust me, people, the teachers at our school are not the ones you want to affect with foodborne illness. While you wouldn’t want to affect anyone with a foodborne illness, just imagine the chaos created when school gets called off due to illness. Scary stuff.

While every food is at risk, some risks are higher. Those with a high protein count are at the most risk. When I go to my son’s school to drop off a casserole, I always check the food there for temperature, as a kindness. If something has cooled off too much, even if it’s not my dish, I put it in the refrigerator and leave a note for the teacher to reheat to temperature. I would rather take the risk of offending a fellow parent volunteer than risk the chance of giving the teachers foodborne illness. It doesn’t take long and prevents a lot of problems. That’s not to say you can’t make a delicious meal for your buffet. Below I’ve listed some of my favorite “Make and Take” meals. I have many more so if you have specific request, please just comment on the blog. I’ll get you what you need. Keep peace in your home, be healthy and safe! Mangia!

Spinach and Swiss Cheese Strata- this was extremely popular at my son’s school in Wisconsin.

Ingredients:
9 slices white bread or whole grain
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/4 cups grated Swiss cheese
2 cups skim milk
1 1/2 cups Egg Beaters (or 6 eggs)
Salt and black pepper

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toast bread slices in a single layer until dry and crisp, about 30 minutes, turning over after 15 minutes. When cooled, spread margarine on one side of bread.
Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until combined. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Spray an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange some of the bread slices, margarine side up, in a single layer in dish. Spread half of spinach mixture and 1/2 cup cheese over bread slices. Arrange bread in another layer over cheese. Spread remaining spinach and 1/2 cup of cheese over bread.
Whisk Egg Beaters with milk, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Pour over spinach and bread layers. Lay plastic wrap directly on top of the layers and place weight on top (suggested: 2 1-pound boxes of confectioners’ sugar). Refrigerate covered at least 1 hour or overnight.
Remove from refrigerator and let stand on counter 30 minutes. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover casserole and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over top.
Bake uncovered 50 minutes or until center is puffed and set, and edges pull away from pan on sides

Chiles Rellenos Casserole - This is one of Anthony’s absolute favorite meals. I usually make one for school and one for us. It’s even yummy for breakfast.

2 cans whole green chili peppers*
3 cups low-fat, sharp cheddar cheese**
4 green onions -- sliced
3 cups low-fat, shredded mozzarella cheese
6 eggs (or 3 eggs and ¾ cup of egg beaters)
4 cups skim milk
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 jars of red or green salsa, your preference
* 7 oz. cans- Or you can roast, seed and peel your own. Also, 3-4 cans (4oz.) of chopped green chiles will work in a pinch.
**shredded (approx. 12 oz.)
Split chili peppers lengthwise and remove seeds and pith. Spread chilies in a single layer in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
Sprinkle Cheddar cheese, green onions, and 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese over chilies.
In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, flour, and salt together until smooth. Pour over chilies and cheese.
Bake, uncovered, in a 325 degrees oven for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in custard comes out clean.
Meanwhile, mix salsa with the remaining 1-1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle over casserole and return to oven for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving with a side of tortilla chips... or not.

Stacy’s Cheese Blintz Souffle –Super easy and super delish! I had this the morning of my wedding with my bridesmaids

12 store bought, frozen cheese blintzes, THAWED
½ stick low-fat butter
4 eggs (or you can use 2 whole eggs and ½ cup of egg substitute)
¼ C sugar (you can use splenda, but it will taste slightly different)
1 ½ t vanilla extract
½ t orange extract
1 ½ C fat-free sour cream
1. Melt butter in 9 x 13 glass baking dish
2. Layer blintzes in dish
3. Blend remaining ingredients really well.
4. Pour over blintzes
Bake @ 350 degrees for 45 minutes, uncovered. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. How easy is that??? Enjoy!
Makes 12 whole servings ( or 24 half servings).

FRAN’S GERMAN CABBAGE ROLLS
I got this recipe from my wonderful friend, Fran. Such a wealth of information that woman is! She told me when making this dish to place head of cabbage wrapped tightly in heavy duty foil in the freezer the night before you assemble this dish. Yes, the freezer. This will break down the cabbage on the cellular level just as if you’d blanched the leaves in boiling water, but it’s less mess and much easier to handle and clean up.
Sauce:
1 28oz.can tomatoes
1 8 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 small onion chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/4 teaspoons black pepper
Prepare sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine ingredients, bring to a boil over high heat, turn heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Rolls: 16 large cabbage leaves
2 pounds of lean ground beef
1 cup cooked rice
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
8 gingersnaps, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a deep bowl, combine the meat and the next 6 ingredients. Place 1 large spoonful of the meat mixture on each cabbage leaf; fold over the top and bottom, envelope fashion. Lay the tolls in a single layer in an oiled 10 x 15 baking pan, with the seam side down.
Pour the tomato sauce over the rolls, then sprinkle the crushed ginersnaps over all. Cover and bake for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 30 minutes longer. The rolls will be nicely browned and the sauce a bit thickened. Serve with some of the sauce ladled over the rolls.

TOMATO AND ZUCCHINI GRATIN
1 pound beefsteak tomatoes, 1/4-inch slices
1 pound zucchini, 1/4-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped mild herbs (basil, oregano,tarragon, etc.) fresh is best, but dried will work
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and pepper
Parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven 400 degrees. Coat a gratin or baking dish with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Season each slice of the tomatoes and zucchini with salt, pepper, and 1 Tablespoon olive oil. In a small mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs, herbs, cheese and remaining 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Mix thoroughly. Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Alternate layers of the tomatoes and zucchini in the dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top the vegetables. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Garnish with parsley.
Yield: 4 servings

Potato,Egg Red Pepper and Onion Frittata This dish sounds complicated, but isn’t really. It’s considered Italian peasant food, which in my book is some of the best Italy has to offer. We ate this a lot growing up. Feel free to omit the parmesan. I added it for my family, but when I was growing up we never had cheese in it.

Ingredients:
2 large bell peppers (red and yellow), sliced in circles
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 Cups cooked, cubed, white potato (frozen potatoes will work)
9 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, roughly grated (optional)
Black pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Clean red and yellow peppers--discard seeds, stems, etc. Slice peppers into round rings. Set aside.
2. Slice onion thinly. Set aside.
3. In nonstick skillet (that can go into the oven) or a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, warm a small amount of olive oil. Add sliced onions and saute until tender, about eight minutes. Don’t forget to season your vegetables with salt to taste, if you need it.
4. Using a fork, transfer sauteed onions into a bowl and set aside.
5. Warm the pan again over medium heat. Add sliced bell peppers and saute gently until soft (15-20 minutes), tossing frequently to cook them evenly. Add the potatoes the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown.
6. After peppers and potatoes are cooked, add them to onions and let both cool down in bowl. You don't want to add the peppers to your egg mixture, or it will cook too fast.
7. In another bowl, beat eggs, then add the cooled onions and peppers. Stir in parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
8. Into the same saute pan in which you cooked the onions and peppers, add the remaining olive oil. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the egg mixture, then the onions and peppers.
9. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the Frittata sets, but is not browned, about 12-15 minutes.
10. To finish cooking, place skillet in preheated broiler six inches from heating element. Broil until the top is golden (about 1-2 minutes).
11. Using a spatula, loosen the edges from the pan and slide the Frittata out onto a serving dish. Cut into wedges, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Easy Chicken Broccoli Divan- this is a great dish because it provides protein and vegetable. At many potlucks there is often a plethora of carbohydrate, grain-filled sides. This can provide balance. It’s also great served over wild rice, quinoa or brown rice if you’re serving it as a meal. Dale, my husband, loves this dish.
• 2 C frozen broccoli florets
• 2 (10.75 ounce) can healthy-choice, low-fat, condensed cream of chicken soup
• 3 tablespoons sherry
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 2 cooked chicken breast halves - bones and skin removed, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place drained broccoli into a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside.
3. Combine soup and sherry season with pepper. Mix well
4. Pour half of the hot cream sauce over the broccoli and top with chicken. Stir Parmesan cheese into the remaining sauce, and pour over the chicken slices. Sprinkle top with extra cheese, if desired.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until heated through, then broil for a few minutes until top has turned golden brown.