Month: November 2014

Broccoli Casserole

celebrations, cooking, family

Thanksgiving would not be the same without Mrs Frances Lawrence’s broccoli casserole.  She was a part of my mom’s gourmet group and was the previous resident of my friend’s house.

Ingredient List

  • 2 bunches of broccoli, steamed (till still a crisp in the stem) and chopped.
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1/2 c butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 tsp Lawry’s season salt (edit: 3 tsp)
  • 2 c milk
  • 6 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tsp chopped parsley
  • 1 c mayo

Directions:

  1. Saute onions in butter till translucent
  2. Turn down the heat and add flour combine with the butter, then turn up the heat
  3. Add milk, cook for 1-2 minutes
  4. Add mayo, parsley, seasoning and broccoli.  Stir to combine.  Then stir in eggs.
  5. Pour into a large baking dish (I use my Crate and Barrel large square baking dish)
  6. Place in 350 oven submerged in a water bath
  7. Bake till knife inserted comes out clean, top is slightly puffed and lightly browned (about 70 minutes)

Braised Chicken with White Wine, Mushroom, Cauliflower, Tomato and Olive Tapenade over Pasta

cooking
  • 1 package of bone-in chicken parts (I used 4 drumsticks and 2 breasts, split)
  • 14 oz chicken broth
  • 2 large spoonfuls of tomato and olive tapenade (Mediterranean Tapenade from Costco)
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 c white wine
  • small bunch parsley chopped
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 carrots halved lengthwise, then cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 head small cauliflower
  • 8 oz mushrooms cut into large chunks
  • dried rosemary
  • dried thyme
  1. Bring oil-coated cast iron enamel skillet (with lid) to med-high heat
  2. Brown chicken on all sides
  3. Remove chicken and some of the fat
  4. Add leeks and garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute
  5. Add vegetables and sauté for a few minutes until no liquid remains
  6. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute
  7. Add white wine and allow to bubble, then add chicken broth.  Season to taste
  8. Add rosemary and thyme
  9. Reintroduce chicken.  Nestle them into the sauce.
  10. Cover pan and allow to simmer until chicken is cooked
  11. Once the chicken is cooked, removed the chicken from the pan.  Allow the sauce to concentrate and thicken as needed.  Season to taste.
  12. Thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch if needed
  13. Add the chicken back and serve over noodles.