Broccoli Cheez Whiz Casserole

2 packages frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup Minute rice
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 can mushroom soup
dash salt
Cheez Whiz

Cook and drain broccoli. Add rest of ingredients, plus enough Cheez Whiz to taste, but not enough to make it liquid. Bake at 350º F until brown and bubbly.

Mimi

Marinated Vegetables

Marinade
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon each: sugar, thyme, marjoram, basil, pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 large bay leaf

Vegetables
carrot slices
zucchini slices
cherry tomatoes
broccoli flowerets
cauliflower
celery chunks
baby corn ears
mushrooms

Mix the marinade, add the vegetables, store in the refrigerator for several hours. Drain the vegetables thoroughly and place in a bowl to serve.

Martha

Springtime Lemony Meatballs with Pasta

Originally from Sunset, 2012, slightly modified.

Meatballs
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon each sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoon plain dried bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves

Mix ingredients in a large bowl to combine. Divide into 1-tablespoon portions, using wet hands, roll into balls. Chill on a baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use, up to one day. Preheat oven to 425º F.

Pasta and Vegetables
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound small red potatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and ground pepper

16 ounces egg noodles or pappardelle pasta
1/2 cup shelled fresh peas or thawed frozen
1/2 dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup roughly chopped flat leaf parsley

Toss onion, garlic, and potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper in a large roasting pan until evenly coated. Nestle meatballs around vegetables; bake until onion and potatoes are tender, and meatballs are cooked through, about 40-50 minutes.

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding peas during the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving some pasta water, and return pasta and peas to the pot.

Stir wine into meatballs and vegetables, and pour into the pot of pasta. Add lemon zest and parsley; toss to combine, adding pasta water if mixture looks too dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter, garnish with parsley.

Sarah 

The Famous Senate Restaurant Bean Soup

2 pounds navy beans, washed and run through hot water until the beans are white again
1½ pounds smoked ham hocks
1 onion, chopped
butter

Put beans in a large stock pot with 4 quarts of hot water on medium-low heat. Add ham hocks, and boil them slowly for approximately 3 hours in the pot with the cover on. Braise the onion in the butter until light brown; add to bean soup. Season with salt and pepper, then serve. Serves 8.

Mimi

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

1/4 cup chicken stock
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 10.75-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 10-ounce cans Ro-tel tomatoes
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
12 corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 325º F. In a large saucepan, cook pepper and onion in chicken stock until tender, about 5 minutes. Add soups, Ro-tel, and chicken, stirring until well-blended. Alternately layer tortillas, soup mixture, and cheese, repeating for 3 layers. Bake 40 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Makes 8 servings.

Laura

Chicken Tetrazzini

2 cups diced, cooked chicken
8 ounce thin spaghetti, cooked, drained, kept warm
1/4 cup butter
1/4 flour
1¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2½ cups chicken stock
3 tablespoon sherry
1/2 heavy cream
1/2 grated Parmesan
Optional: broccoli or mushrooms, sautéd

Melt butter in heavy saucepan; remove from heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Stir in chicken stock slowly. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and boils 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in sherry and cream slowly. Combine sauce, chicken, spaghetti, and mushrooms/broccoli; spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole and sprinkle parm over the top. Bake at 425º F for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and brown on top. Serves 6-8.

Laura

Creamy Chicken and Chile Enchiladas

1 pound chicken breast strips
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 4.5-ounce can chopped green chiles (or jalapeños)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
flour tortillas
2 10-ounce cans green chile enchilada sauce
3 oz. shredded cheese

Heat oven to 400º F.  Cook chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked. Add cream cheese, chiles, and onion.  Cook and stir over medium heat until blended.

Spoon enchilada filling into tortillas, roll up and place seam-side down in a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

Pour enchilada sauce over top, sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Laura

Barbecued Meat Balls

1½ pound ground beef
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
3/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon salt
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup liquid brown sugar or 1/2 cup regular brown sugar
2 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon oregano
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat over to 400º F. Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well and shape into 1-inch meatballs. Place in a 9x13-inch pan and bake for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, make the barbeque sauce by combining tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Remove meatballs from oven and discard grease. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake 20 minutes longer.

Beverly

Italian Beef

Note: This is a dish from the upper Midwest, particularly Illinois, where it is served on a long sandwich roll with grilled onions and pepperoncini. There was a lady who came by with these sandwiches to our law office in Carbondale every Tuesday, which we renamed "Italian Beef Day." - Laura

2 large cans tomatoes
3 pounds boneless chuck roast
1 pound pork roast
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Cook in a roaster 4-5 hours at 325º F. Shred meat with two forks.  Alternately, put in a slow cooker for several hours.

Jackie

Turkey Casserole

4 cups diced, cooked turkey
1 cup turkey or chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoon flour
3/4 cups milk
2 cups uncooked noodles (egg noodles)
1 cup celery, chopped
small amount of pimento (optional)
bread crumbs
shredded cheddar cheese

Heat broth, soup, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix flour and milk; add to broth mixture, and cook until thick. Put turkey, noodles, celery, and pimento in baking dish in layers. Pour broth mixture over dish, and top with breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake at 350º F until hot and bubbly; about 1 hour.

Mimi

Enchilada Casserole

1½ pounds lean ground beef
1 garlic clove
1 small onion
1½ picante salsa
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can tomato sauce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1 tablespoon lime juice
1½ teaspoon salt
12 corn tortillas
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
shredded lettuce

Brown meat, onion, and garlic, then drain off the grease. Add picante salsa, spinach, tomato sauce, tomatoes, lime juice, and salt. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Arrange 6 tortillas on bottom and sides of a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture. Arrange the remaining 6 tortillas over, then spread sour cream evenly over tortillas.  Top with remaining meat mixture. This can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours.

Let stand 30 minutes. Bake at 350º F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Let stand 10 minutes, then garnish with lettuce, olives, and additional picante salsa.

Gran Duddie

Chicken Tagine

1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 garlic cloves, chopped fine
2 chicken breast halves, without skin
2 drumsticks, without skin*
2 thighs, without skin*
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup green olives, chopped
grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
14½ can tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine first 5 ingredients and rub over chicken. Place chicken in a covered baking dish and add remaining ingredients. Cover and bake at 400º F for 1 hour or until chicken is done. Serve with couscous or rice.

*Can use all breast meat instead

Jackie

Lime-Glazed Chicken

6 half chicken breasts (or three whole)
salt and pepper
oil or cooking spray
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon chives, minced
1/2 teaspoon dill weed

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté chicken in oil or cooking spray approximately 5 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken to heated serving platter and keep warm. To pan, add lime juice and broth; cook over low heat until bubbling. Add butter, chives, and dill weed; heat until boiling. Spoon sauce over chicken.

Sarah and Jason

Herbed Chicken Paillards

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh summer savory or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1½ teaspoon minced fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
pinch ground allspice
pinch cayenne
1/3 cup olive oil
4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned
lemon wedges

In a bowl, combine herbs, spices, and oil. Pound chicken breasts between sheet of dampened wax paper until they are 1/4 inch thick, and rub them with herb mixture. Stack breasts in a shallow dish and chill, covered, overnight. Sprinkle breasts with salt and pepper, and grill them on an oiled rack over glowing coals for 2-3 minutes per side or until they are just firm. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

Laura

Baked Oysters

Disclaimer: these vague directions have been verified with the cook and this is as good as it gets!

2-3 pints oysters, drained on paper towels
butter
Worcestershire sauce
plain white breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
half & half cream

Butter a glass baking dish. Put drained oysters in the dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover with finely crumbled bread crumbs. Drizzle with half & half. Dot with butter. Bake at 375º F for 30-45 minutes or until browned.

Gran Duddie

Oven Breaded Fish

Sauce
2/3 cup low fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt or sour cream
1 green onion with top, chopped
1 small garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine and refrigerate at least one hour.

Fish
2 eggs
3/4 cup dry Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds fish - catfish, orange roughy, perch, halibut, or haddock
vegetable oil

Beat eggs lightly; combine bread crumbs and salt. Dip fish pieces in eggs, then in bread crumbs. Arrange on a baking sheet, spritz lightly with vegetable oil. Bake 10-15 minutes at 450º F, until fish flakes with a fork. Serve with sauce on the side. Serves 8.

Martha

Chicken Cacciatore

1 oz. dried mushrooms
4 tablespoon olive oil
4 chicken breast halves, cut into chunks
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (substitute 1 28-can whole tomatoes, drained)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
freshly ground pepper
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme, crumbled
salt to taste

Put the mushrooms to soak for 1/2 hour in a bowl with just enough warm water to cover. Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook chicken until lightly browned on all sides. Add onion and sauté a minute or two, then splash in the wine and let it boil up. Lower the heat and add the garlic, tomato paste, and the tomatoes, the soaked mushrooms and their liquid (carefully strained), and the seasonings. Cover and cook slowly for 40 minutes or until done. Remove the bay leaves, taste, correct salt.

Garnish
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoon minced parsley

Mix together and scatter over the top. Serve with pasta or rice.

Laura