Zucchini Gratin

Zucchini Gratin, inspired by Ina Garten

Our celebration for July 4th involved a cookout with a few friends, very low key this year. Ribs were prepared, and we each brought a side dish, easy on me, easy on the hostess. My contribution to the meal was a zucchini gratin. The reason for the zucchini dish is simple -- we have been the recipients of LOTS of zucchini. I'd made a huge pot of ratatouille ( You can find my recipe here.) earlier in the week, and we still had those leftovers in the refrigerator.

I decided to make a different casserole to take along. I found the original gratin recipe HERE on the Food Network website, by Ina Garten. I love her take on most recipes, but sometimes I  find them to be very rich, and they often include some rather expensive ingredients. This recipe for Zucchini Gratin included Gruyere cheese. I looked for it at my big box store, hoping for a bargain, but no such luck. I think they had every kind of cheese, except Gruyere. I then went to our least expensive grocery store, and they had it, cut into 7 oz. chunks, for $9.99. Yes, that is correct, less than 1/2 a lb. for $9.99. I hightailed it over to the domestic cheese refrigerated case and purchased a humble block of Swiss cheese for around $4 per pound. I also used less butter than Ina and I used 1% lowfat milk, instead of the full fat she favors. In addition, I was too lazy to make fresh bread crumbs, so I used plain ones from the pantry. AND GUESS WHAT? It was delicious.

So, I can honestly say, thanks, Ina, for the wonderful inspiration. The flavor was very delicate and had a slightly sweet taste, probably a combination of the onions and fresh ground nutmeg. Don't omit the nutmeg, and use freshly grated if you possibly can, it makes a huge difference! And if you want to spring for the Gruyere cheese, go for it! This dish looked great, tasted delicious, and wasn't that bad for us. It also cooked up quickly, after a fairly easy morning prep.

Will I make it again? Absolutely. And the 6 eaters at the party ate almost every bit of it, the truest test of all: Crowd approval. There was a little bit of a small serving leftover, but that didn't last long.....just sayin'.

Zucchini and onions in the pan,
milk poured over, thickening. 

 Zucchini Gratin

4 T. butter, divided use
2 lbs. zucchini, washed and cut into 1/8" rounds
3 large yellow onions, halved and sliced into half moons
3 T. flour
1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
1 cup low fat milk
1 cup grated Swiss Cheese
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Butter or spray with cooking spray a 13 X 9" casserole. 

In a large, heavy skillet, melt 3 T. butter and add the onion. Saute' the onion for 10 - 15 minutes over medium to low heat, until soft and just starting to caramelize. Add the zucchini and stir until combined with the onion. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and sprinkle the zucchini with the flour. Gently stir the flour into the vegetables until the flour is absorbed, with no white, dry flour showing. Add the milk and turn the heat up. Continue to stir gently, so you don't break up the zucchini. Bring the mixture to a boil, while it makes a sauce and thickens. As soon as it thickens, turn off the heat. 

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Pour the zucchini/onion mixture to the prepared casserole, spreading it in an even layer. Mix the grated Swiss cheese with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle evenly over the top of the vegetables. Dot the topping with the remaining 1 T. butter, cut into small pieces. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, until brown and bubbly. Serves 6 - 8. 

Zucchini Gratin, hot and browned from the oven.

Broccoli and Tomato Bake

I love this dish! With tomatoes coming in season, and broccoli all over the farmer's markets, this dish is a winner. I got the recipe from a dear friend and it's a hit every time I make it. Don't be afraid to try making a white sauce, it's not nearly as hard as you think it is. Just go slowly, and don't turn the heat up too high while you are whisking away! I promise extreme yummy goodness! It can also be make ahead of time, up to one day, if you like to cook in advance or keep it low stress when entertaining.

Broccoli and Tomates, baked in a creamy parmesan sauce

 

Broccoli and Tomato Bake

2 large tomatoes, thickly sliced


1 big crown of broccoli, separated into servings that are about 1 in. in the stem w/ a large floret on top

3 T. butter

3 T. flour

1 c. milk (lower fat it fine)

½ c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese**

Salt and pepper

½ c. Panko or regular bread crumbs (unseasoned)

1 T. melted butter

¼ c. additional shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Steam the broccoli spears for 3 minutes. Remove them from the heat and drain them. They should remain intact and bright green. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and stir in the flour, making sure it is completely incorporated (we’re making a basic white sauce.) Keeping the heat on medium, add the milk and begin whisking the mixture. As the mixture begins to bubble, the sauce will thicken. Keep stirring. When it gets thick, add in the cheese, a pinch of salt and a little pepper. Stir until the cheese melts, and then turn it off. The sauce should be of pourable consistency. If it looks too thick, add a little more milk. Taste it and correct the seasoning, if needed.

Spray a 13 X 9” baking dish with cooking spray or wipe with a little oil. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the sliced tomatoes in a single layer in the bottom. Layer the broccoli florets over them. Pour the sauce evenly over the top of this. (At this point you may refrigerate the dish for up to one day, if you like to prepare in advance.) Sprinkle the dish with the bread crumbs and pour on the melted butter. Add the last ¼ c. grated Parmesan if using. Bake for 30 minutes, until hot throughout and bubbly. Serves 6.

**You can use any kind of cheese your family prefers. Cheddar and Swiss will both work well. The original recipe called for Parmesan, so that’s what I wrote

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Once again, I find myself craving Mexican food, specifically Chicken Enchiladas Suizas from the of blessed memory Richmond fave, La Siesta. Those ooey, gooey, cheesey, rich white sauced enchiladas, loaded with fat and calories. What's a girl to do? Gotta' have 'em! So, to satisfy my craving and not break the bank -- uh, calorie bank that is -- I created this casserole, using leftover baked chicken (rotisserie from the store works fine) and some lower fat, lower cal ingredients. I also eliminated frying the tortillas briefly in oil, as most recipes call for, which helps out. I bet you are going to like this one, next time you want something rich and creamy!

Beth's Chicken Enchilada Casserole
2 cups cooked chicken, diced, skin removed
6 corn tortillas
1 c. shredded cracker barrel 2% milk low fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 c. shredded monterey jack cheese
1 can chopped green chilies, divided use 1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1/3 c. light sour cream 
1/4 c. salsa verde
1 green onion, sliced, green and white parts
6 black olives, halved (optional)
Cooking spray

First make your sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 of the canned chilies, soup, sour cream and salsa verde. Remove 1/2 c. of this mixture and in another bowl, mix it with the chicken, the remaining green chilies and the sliced green onion.
Cut your tortillas into four pieces. Spray an 8X8" square baking dish with cooking spray. Take 3 of the tortillas (12 pieces) and layer them in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Dump in the chicken mixture and spread it evenly over the tortillas. Add the two cheeses. Cover this with the remaining 12 pieces of tortillas. Spread all of the remaining sauce over the top of this as evenly as you can. Sprinkle with the halved black olives if desired. Bake it covered with foil, low and slow, about 325 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour until it is hot and bubbly. Let it cool at least 10 minutes before you cut it, to give it a chance to come back together. Makes 6 big pieces. We like to serve it with fat free refried bean from the can, gussied up with a few spoonfuls of our favorite salsa and topped with some shredded lettuce. My son insists I serve guacamole with it too, but he's a growing boy and can take the calories better than his old mom!