Casserole Kathy

Growing up two of my best friends mom often made casseroles and her name was Kathy so her kids jokingly called her Casserole Kathy. It was a joke to them because they thought their mom was not the most adventurous cook, as my mom was. As I have grown in age and in the kitchen I have a new found love and appreciation for casserole, I guess t you could call me a Casserole Kathy. I love casseroles so much I could probably create a blog just around them.....hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Here is one I made this week, it was divine...yes I used the word divine to describe this casserole. Try it and be wowed!

Tex-Mex Barley Bake

Directions

• 2/3 cup pearled barley
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• One 15-ounce can corn,drained
• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 1/4 cups milk, warmed
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil, add barley, lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl and let cool. Reserve the saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat, add the scallions and sautee. Stir into the barley with the corn, black beans and tomatoes.
3. Using the same saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour for 1 minute, slowly whisk in warmed milk and bring to a simmer, then cook for 1 more minute. Stir in 2 cups cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir this into the barley mixture, transfer to a shallow 13 by 9 baking dish.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle the chips and remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and the chips are toasted, 10-15 minutes.

2nd chance dinner with pork tenderloin cont....

On my March 2nd, 2011 blog I made a pork tenderloin and then made little sandwiches out of the leftovers. We enjoyed this pork tenderloin so much we made it again last week. I wanted to think of another 2nd chance dinner with it and when I went to the grocery store I saw a fruit salsa that caught my eye and helped spark my idea for this 2nd chance dinner.

This time I made what I called California burritos because it made me think of California, duh!

Ingredients

• leftover pork cut into small pieces
• leftover cooked rice
• 2 onions caramelized
• black beans
• shredded lettuce
• shredded pepper jack cheese
• tortillas
• fruit salsa ( such as mango)

I think when it comes to burritos it is everyone's personal taste on what they want or like in it. We had guests over and I set up the ingredients and let them choose what they wanted in their burrito and how much. These were amazing, I really like the Californian twist I put on them. It is fun at times to step out of the culinary box on what you expect from a recipe.

Giada's balsamic chicken

Although Giada's recipe just called for drumettes, I used a Foster Farms picnic pack which had drumettes and thighs in it. These packs are good if you want to entertain on a budget. I got a pack that would easily feed 4-5 people (depending on appetites) and it was only $5.00. You can even get a picnic pack that size for cheaper but Foster Farms is a more expensive brand.

This recipe was easy, cheap and really good. We had it with some brown rice and it was delicious. I am thinking about making this recipe again for an italian dinner because I know this will be a crowd pleaser!

If you are entertaining soon try this recipe for your guests! I know they will not be disappointed.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 5 sprigs of rosemary
• 5 garlic cloves, halved
• 10 to 12 chicken drumsticks or a picnic pack which is usually a mix of drumsticks/thighs
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves, in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal with as little air as possible in the bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the chicken drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil (in order to kill bacteria). Reduce the heat to simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve.

Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.

Cook's note: I like the rosemary and garlic flavors in the background. Brushing the cooked drumettes with the reduced marinade helps the flavors along. Also, re-moistening helps the parsley and the seeds to adhere.