Green Bean Casserole

The humble green bean casserole has always 

been a popular Thanksgiving side dish.

Did you know that more than 40 million 

Americans will be making it this year?

Why just make it at Thanksgiving? There are

 so many other soft foods that day that I 

prefer a sauted green beans almondine 

or roasted brussels sprouts. 

I like it much better throughout the year
with a roasted chicken, pork roast,
or grilled steak. It's so easy and I can
make it ahead of time.

Green Bean Casserole
2 16oz cans green beans, drained, 4 C
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 C milk
1/8 t pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
1 t soy sauce
1-2/3 C French's fried onions
Combine: beans, soup, milk, seasonings and
2/3 onion rings. Pour into a greased 1-1/2 qt
greased casserole. Bake @350º for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and stir to combine. Top with
remaining 2/3 C onions. Return to the oven  for
another 5  minutes.
Serves 6

Oma's Spargel mit Weisse Sosse (White Asparagus in Cream Sauce)

This classic German dish is one of my very
favorites growing up with my German family.

I was born in Lampertheim, Germany which is the

 white asparagus (spargel) capitol of the world. 

Lampertheim

The Lampertheimer Spargellauf (“Asparagus Walk”) is a public walking event that is traditionally held a week before the Lampertheim Asparagus Festival (Lampertheimer Spargelfest).  Every finisher gets a Spargellauf T-shirt. 

During the spargel harvest season there are 

festivals all month long celebrating this delicacy.

Last summer I was having dinner at a well known
German restaurant in Dallas, TX. The sign outside
 boasted that they had white asparagus flown in
from Lampertheim, Germany! Imagine that!

My little hometown, founded in 832.

It's  not so little anymore.

I found fresh white asparagus at the farmers
market last weekend. It's not always available.
Here's how I make it.

Start by trimming off a bit on the ends. 

Add those ends to the pot for extra flavor. Use a
saute pan large enough to fit the spears; add salt,

 1 c water, cover and simmer until fork tender.

Use a spatula to gently remove to a platter while
 you  make the sauce. Save the cooking liquid.

Add the  butter to the sauce pan and let melt. 

  (saved cooking liquid in a measuring cup)

Add enough milk to the reserved cooking
liquid to equal 1 C.

Whisk the flour into the hot butter. Stir until
bubbly and cooked, about 2  minutes; add salt.

Whisk in the reserved 1 C liquid, stirring
constantly until bubbly and thickened. 

Now add the egg to the measuring cup and

whisk in the Half and Half. 

Add that mixture to the pan, cook,
whisking constantly. Turn off the heat.  

Whisk until smooth and thickened.

Taste for salt and add a pinch of nutmeg.

Carefully return to the asparagus to the pan.

Cover to keep warm until serving. Or...

put on a serving platter and keep warm in a
low temp oven along with your dinner plates.
You'll have enough cream sauce to ladle
some extra sauce over boiled potatoes which
are traditionally served as a side with spargel.
This is good with grilled chicken, pork, steak,
roasts, and of course schnitzel.

Oma's Spargel mit Weisse Sosse

       (White Asparagus in Cream Sauce)
1-½ lbs white asparagus

4 T butter

4 T flour

¼ t salt

pinch sugar (optional)

1 C reserved asparagus broth 

    (add water or milk to equal 1C)

1 egg

½ C half and half

pinch nutmeg

1. Use a shallow sauce pan that will fit the
 asparagus. Add 1 c water and salt, cover with
 the lid and simmer until fork tender, about 5
 minutes. Use a spatula to gently remove the
 asparagus to a serving platter.

2. Add the reserved cooking liquid to a 
measuring cup and add enough
milk to equal 1 C liquid.

3. Add the butter to the saucepan and when
bubbly hot add the flour, whisking until
smooth and cooked, about 2 minutes.
Add salt. Whisk in the reserved 1 C
cooking liquid. Cook until
 smooth, bubbly, and thickened.

4. Add the egg to the measuring cup
 and whisk, then whisk in the half and half.
Add that to the sauce in the

pan and turn off the heat. Taste and add
 more salt if needed. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg. 

5. Use the spatula to return the asparagus 
to the pan and cover it with the sauce.
Put the lid back on the pan to keep warm
 until ready to serve or put everything on 
an oval serving platter and keep warm in
the oven. 

*You'll have enough sauce to spoon little 
over the boiled potatoes side dish. 

Tip: If you cannot find fresh white asparagus, use

2 jars of Reese (brand has 11.6oz jars). Skip step 1

and drain the asparagus and reserve the liquid to

use in the sauce for step 2

Guten Appetit!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Rattlebridge Farm

Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This may be your new favorite vegetable.
It's the only way we like to eat our
 brussels sprouts.

It's the easiest way too! 

Plus roasting them gives them great flavor. 

Even people that don't particularly like 

brussels sprouts will like these.

Trim and wash the sprouts. Cut them in half if

 they are large. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

Roast in a hot 400º oven for 20 minutes, 

tossing the pan once if you remember. This is

the perfect vegetable to make when you are 

roasting your main dish in the oven, like pork 

tenderloin or roast chicken. Just pop them

in for the last 20 minutes. 

I like to munch on the crispy brown 

outer leaves that fall off. 

Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

brussels sprouts

olive oil

salt and pepper

Trim the stem end of the sprouts and

 cut in half if large. Mix in a bowl with a
drizzle of olive oil to coat. sprinkle with
 salt and pepper.Toss. Roast @400º for
20 minutes until crisp on the outside and
tender on the inside. Shake the pan once.

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
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How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

Don't let that big yellow spaghetti squash at

 the Farmers Market intimidate you!

It's one of the easiest vegetables to make.

No peeling, no dicing, just pop it into the oven 

or microwave. When it's tender, cut and scrape

out the seeds. Then rake the inside with a fork 

into long strands. 

How can you resist that happy, 

sunshiny yellow color? 

The easiest way for me to make it is
 in the microwave. Three big reasons: 

1. It takes only 10-15 minutes.

2. It doesn't use that much oven power

or heat up the kitchen.

3. Most important; it's easier to cut when it's

 softened up a bit. Too dangerous and

 hard to cut when it's raw.

Pierce all over about 10-15 times.

 Microwave for 5 minutes to soften.

 Now it's easy to cut in half.
Cutting in half horizontally will give
you longer spaghetti-like strands.

 Scrape out only the seeds.

 Put in a dish with 1/4" water and return

 to the microwave for another 5-7 minutes.

 Start shredding with a fork.

Spaghetti Squash~ Easy Method

Pierce all over with the tip of a sharp paring

knife. Put it in the microwave for 5 minutes.

That will soften it enough so that you can cut

it in half easily. Scrape out only the seeds. 

Put cut-side down in a shallow casserole and 

add abut 1/4 inch of water to the bottom.

return to the microwave for another 5-7

minuted until tender. Remove and let cool 

so that it's easier to handle. Hold with a 

kitchen towel and use a fork to rake out

the inside into spaghetti-like strands.

Alternative: 
~ You can bake it whole for 1 hour @375º.

Then it's easy to cut and scrape out the seeds.

~ You can cut it in half, scrape out the seeds, 

drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and 

pepper and roast cut side down @425º for 

30 minutes, until fork tender, then

~ Simply season with salt, pepper, butter

~ Use in place of pasta.

~ Saute 2 minced garlic cloves in 2 T butter. 

Add 1/4 C minced fresh parsley

 and 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese. 

Add the squash strands.

Toss to heat through. Salt and pepper.

~ Add sauteed spinach, bacon, and feta cheese.

~ Saute with butter and fresh herbs, like sage.
~ or...try the recipe I'll be posting next!

Enjoy!

Links: Facebook, Between Naps On The Porch,

Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil

This bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and basil

couldn't be easier. It's a favorite that's always 

on the menu when we visit the kids in Atlanta. 

Telaryn doesn't follow a recipe and after 

you've made if once you won't need to either.

Bruschetta (pronounced brusketta), 

is a classic Italian appetizer. It's a simple
 mixture of chopped fresh tomatoes,

fresh basil leaves, salt, pepper, garlic,
 and olive oil. That's it! Use as many
tomatoes as you like; season them with salt
and pepper; add some minced garlic and enough
chopped basil leaves to give it color and flavor.
Drizzle it all with olive oil until it is well coated.

It's mixed up earlier in the day so that the flavors

have time to marinade, about 8 hours. That makes

it a nice make-ahead dish. It will last in the 

refrigerator a few days. Don't know for sure 

because it usually doesn't last that long with us.

Slice a baguette and brush one side with olive oil.

Toast oil-side down on a baking sheet for about 5

minutes in a 450º oven. Serve olive oil side up

topped with tomato-basil mixture.

You can garnish it with a small basil leaf

 or a dollop of pesto.

My measurements here are a starting point.
It's also good on fish; Tilapia and Salmon.

 Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

4 T basil leaves, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2-3 T olive oil

Combine and refrigerate, covered for 8 hours.

Serve atop toasted baguettes.

Enjoy!

Links:  How to Propagate Basil,
 Between Naps On The Porch

Green Beans Almondine

I love fresh green beans and this almondine recipe

makes them extra delicious for everyday

and special enough for holiday dinners.

Rinse 1 pound fresh green beans.

Trim ends.

Place in a  microwave-safe dish with a sprinkle

 of water. Cover and cook 5 minutes drain well.

 You can also stem cook them with a little water in
covered saute pan for 5 minutes.

 Drain well!

 Add the butter, seasoned salt, and almonds.
Saute 2 minutes until the almonds are toasted.
Toss it all together and continue cooking,
stirring frequently, for another 3-5
 minutes just until the beans are tender.
Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Green Beans Almondine

 1-16oz bag fresh green beans, ends trimmed
 2 T butter
 1/2 t seasoned salt
 1/4 C sliced almonds
 1 t lemon juice

Micro green beans with a little water for 5 minutes and drain.
Add  butter and seasoned salt, to a hot saute pan.
Add the almonds and saute until toasted about 2-3 minutes.
Add beans and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Toss in lemon juice.

*You can also make it all in the saute pan: steam the beans, covered, for 5 minutes with just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Drain well. Push to the side and add the butter, seasoned salt, and almonds. Continue as above.

Enjoy!

Links: Designs By Gollum,
My Romantic Home, Home Sweet Home,
Between Naps On The Porch