RECIPE ROUNDUP
Fellowship and Food
By Kevin Hargis
The potluck is a venerable tradition in Texas. From church rec halls to workplace break rooms to gatherings of friends at home, the event is a great opportunity for fellowship over a meal where no one person gets saddled with all the cooking.
What participants choose to bring to a potluck can reflect their tastes, but it can also be a function of their level of kitchen prowess or a tight schedule. Planning the group endeavor can make a big difference.
A successful potluck will invariably have a ringleader, someone who keeps a list of needs—salad, paper plates, desserts—and recruits cooks to help fill the holes. Have you ever been to a potluck that wasn’t coordinated, and everyone brought a dessert or there were 13 salads and no dessert?
I’ve been a member of a couple of supper clubs that met once a month for a potluck. The most fun and enjoyable meals were those that had themes (New Orleans Night, Dinner on the Mediterranean, Peasant Food). Those themes pushed me and the other cooks in the group to find recipes that fit.
If you’re called upon to fill a niche for a potluck meal, you might keep this recipe in mind. I first enjoyed it courtesy of my then-future wife, Lisa. It was the feature of the first meal she prepared for me almost 10 happy years ago.
While it wasn’t part of a potluck, this casserole has what I consider the essentials of a good potluck dish: It’s inexpensive to make, simple to put together and easy to transport and keep warm. And it doesn’t require meat, pleasing even the vegetarians in the crowd.
BLACK BEAN CASSEROLE
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (11 ounces) cream of celery soup
1 can (10 ounces) tomatoes and green chiles
2 cups frozen corn kernels
18 corn tortillas
4 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained
2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese
Tortilla chips (optional)
In 2-quart pot, sauté bell peppers, onion and garlic in olive oil until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder, black pepper, salt and soup with half a can of water. Add tomatoes and chiles and corn. Open cans of black beans. If juice is thin, drain most of it off and add beans to soup mixture. If juice is thick, add all to soup mixture. Meanwhile, spray 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Line bottom with six of the tortillas. Spread a third of bean mixture over tortillas. Add second layer of tortillas and spread another third of bean mixture on top. Add third layer of tortillas. Top with remaining bean mixture, then cheese. Crumble a handful of tortilla chips on top, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or until bubbly.
Servings: 12. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 319 calories, 13.4 g protein, 11.6 g fat, 41.8 g carbohydrates, 728 mg sodium, 20 mg cholesterol
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Recipe Contest Winner: Susan Cook, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative
Prize-Winning Recipe: Chicken Squash Casserole
Comfort food was the order of the day when the staff of Texas Co-op Power tested recipes for our Potluck Casseroles contest. Cheese was a must-have ingredient, and so were cream soup concentrates. As always, you can use low-sodium and low-fat versions of the soups and low-fat or nonfat cheese to lower the fat and sodium profiles of these recipes.
CHICKEN SQUASH CASSEROLE
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 packages (14 ounces each) frozen squash with onions and red peppers, thawed and drained
1 cup sour cream
1 can (11 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup salad dressing (mayo-type)
1 small can (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 to 2 teaspoons black pepper
1 small box (6 ounces) cornbread or chicken-flavored stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted
Combine all ingredients except stuffing mix and butter in a large bowl. Spread into a 9x13-inch pan. Top with dry crumbs from the stuffing mix. Sprinkle the seasoning packet from the stuffing mix on top of the dry crumbs. Top with melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
Servings: 8. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 358 calories, 14.9 g protein, 19 g fat, 28.6 g carbohydrates, 532 mg sodium, 61 mg cholesterol
COOK’S TIP: You can substitute two 14-ounce packages of frozen squash plus 1/2 cup onion and 1/2 cup red pepper if you cannot find the squash mix for the recipe.
PEACH SWEET POTATOES
6 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 can (15 ounces) sliced peaches, drained
Butter
Place potatoes in large pot. Cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and allow to cool, then peel and cut potatoes into cubes. In small bowl, combine brown sugar, nuts, salt and ginger. Put half of potatoes in ungreased baking dish. Top with half of peaches and half of brown sugar mixture. Repeat layers, then dot with butter. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. Garnish with nuts.
Servings: 10. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 145 calories, 2.4 g protein, 2.7 g fat, 28.8 g carbohydrates, 144 mg sodium, 1 mg cholesterol
Nancy Pumphrey
Big Country Electric Cooperative
GERMAN POTATO BAKE
4 cups cubed, hot, cooked potatoes
1/2 pound Velveeta, cubed and divided
2 tablespoons margarine
5 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled and divided
1/4 cup green onions, chopped and divided
3/4 cup salad dressing (mayo-type)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 jar (2 ounces) chopped pimientos, drained
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
In a large saucepan, combine potatoes, half the cheese and margarine. Stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Add 2 tablespoons bacon, 2 tablespoons onion, salad dressing, sour cream, pimientos and pepper. Mix well. Spoon into 1 1/2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese, bacon and onions. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through.
Servings: 8. Serving size: 1/2 cup. Per serving: 297 calories, 8.2 g protein, 17.2 g fat, 22 g carbohydrates, 727 mg sodium, 36 mg cholesterol
Cathy Tower
Hamilton County Electric Cooperative
BEEF AND MUSHROOM LASAGNA
1 cup sliced, sautéed mushrooms
1 can (11 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup milk
1 pound ground beef
2 cups spaghetti sauce (homemade or from jar)
9 cooked lasagna noodles
1 cup mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, more if desired
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix mushrooms, soup and milk in a small bowl. Cook beef until browned, drain, then add sauce. Put layer of three noodles on bottom of 2-quart casserole dish. Top with half the beef mixture and 1 cup of soup mixture. Repeat layers, top with remaining noodles and remaining soup mixture, then cheese. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is golden brown.
Servings: 8. Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 353 calories, 20.8 g protein, 12.3 g fat, 35.9 g carbohydrates, 572 mg sodium, 48 mg cholesterol
Kathleen Gordon
United Cooperative Services
COOK’S TIP: Reduce calories by using butter-flavored cooking spray to sauté mushrooms. Add 1/4 cup of chopped onion to the sauté for even more flavor.
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RECIPE CONTEST
$100 for the top winning recipe! AUGUST’s recipe contest honors the humble pig. Pork chops. Bacon. Ham. The meat of the porcine variety offers a bounty of flavors and textures that can either enhance a recipe or be its main feature. Please share your favorites with us. The deadline is APRIL 10.
Send recipes to Home Cooking, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You may also fax them to (512) 763-3408, e-mail them to recipes@texas-ec.org, or submit online at www.texascooppower.com. Please include your name, address and phone number, as well as the name of your electric co-op. The top winner will receive $100 along with a copy of 60 Years of Home Cooking and a Texas-shaped trivet. Runners-up will also receive a prize. |