Vegetable Casseroles

Vegetable Casserole

Diane makes this for family gatherings. Amy recently made it to take to Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's farm. The photo is Amy's. Made ahead of time, it heats up well in the oven or can be dished out for re-heating in the microwave.  Diane says it tastes even better for leftovers the next day, "Although there usually aren't any leftovers when the cousins come over."

Instead of using fresh vegetables, Diane says she uses a 750 mL (large size) bag of President's choice California Mix frozen vegetables. Thaw in refrigerator the night before. If vegetables are still a little frozen that's okay. 

• 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 small bag baby carrots
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk OR 1 cup  milk and 1 cup 5% cream
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt or plain salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (Diane uses 1/8 tsp)
• 1 cup marble cheddar, grated
• 1 cup medium cheddar, grated
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups crushed buttery crackers (Diane uses only 10 Ritz crackers, crushed)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9 x 13" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or rub with vegetable oil.
3. Boil broccoli and cauliflower for 3 minutes, drain.
4. If substituting frozen broccoli and cauliflower, thaw and drain.
5. Put drained broccoli and cauliflower in the baking pan.
6. Melt butter in a small saucepan.
7. Whisk in flour until you've made a roux.
8. Whisk in milk, spices, and 1 cup of marble cheese.
9. Simmer until thickened slightly, then stir in sour cream.
10. Pour the cream sauce over the vegetables.
11. Top with 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese.
12. Put crackers in a plastic sandwich bag and crumble or if using larger quantity, use blender or food processor to make cracker crumbs.
13. Sprinkle crackers over top of grated cheddar.
14. Bake uncovered in preheated 350 degree F oven 35-40 minutes

Crispy-Topped Vegetable Casserole

Featured December, 2013, in the Canadian Milk Calendar and contributed by the Hofer family.

Instead of the sour cream and 2 cups of grated cheeses in Diane's recipe above, this recipe uses cream cheese. For the topping, Parmesan bread crumbs replace the crumbled Ritz crackers.

You can use any combination of the three vegetables up to a total of 6 cups (1.5 L) or just use 6 cups (1.5 L) of one of the vegetables, depending on what you have.

• 2 cups (500 mL) each: chopped broccoli, cauliflower, carrots (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups (500 mL) chopped cauliflower
• 2 cups (500 mL) chopped carrots
• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) butter, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic (optional)
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup (250 mL) milk
• 6 oz (175g) brick-style cream cheese (3/4 pkg) cut in cubes
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) fresh bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) grated Canadian Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Butter an 8-cup (2L) shallow baking dish.
3. If using frozen vegetables, thaw then drain them, place in buttered dish, and skip the rest of this step. If using fresh vegetables: Place carrots in a large saucepan, add water to cover by 3 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium and boil gently for 5 minutes or until just starting to soften. Add cauliflower, then broccoli. Cover, leaving lid slightly ajar, and boil gently for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Cook fresh vegetables just slightly in the boiling water since they will cook further in the sauce in the oven. Drain well and place in buttered dish.
4. In medium saucepan, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium heat. Sautee 1 cup chopped onion and the garlic if using, in the butter about 5 minutes or until softened. Add another tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. Sprinkle in 2 Tbsp flour and cook, stirring with whisk, for 2 minutes. Gradually pour in 1 cup milk, whisking constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook, whisking, for about 3 minutes more or until thick and bubbly.
5. Reduce heat to low. Add cubed cream cheese and stir until smooth.
6. Pour cream cheese sauce over vegetables in dish. Stir gently to coat evenly.
7. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes if using fresh vegetables OR for 15 minutes if using thawed frozen vegetables.
8. While casserole is baking, melt 1 Tbsp butter and toss with 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs and 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese. Sprinkle crumb mixture over casserole.
9. Bake casserole 10 to 15 minutes more or until heated through and top looks crisp and golden.

Magical Vegetable Souffle

Adapted from Patricia Telesco's recipe "Manifestation Puff" in A Floral Grimoire, 2001.

She suggests choosing the vegetables you cook with to correspond to the energy you need, for example cauliflower for intuition, spinach for prosperity, carrots and asparagus for passion, corn for safety and fortune; olive and onion for peace, potatoes for health and healing, mushrooms for psychic awareness.

Similarly, the seasonings you add can be significant: rosemary for remembrance and happiness; sage for wisdom, longevity, and to clear negative vibrations; thyme for beauty, a good mood, and a sense of humor, basil for compassion and prosperity; garlic for healing and banishing; ginger for energy and prosperity; mustard for health and fruitfulness; parsley for security and cleansing; Tarragon for power and zest. 

• 3 cups vegetables, diced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
• seasonings of your choice, to taste
• 1/4 cup Italian-style bread crumbs
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup grated cheese
• parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Grease a quart-sized casserole dish.
3. Wash and dice 3 cups vegetables.
4. Steam or precook in boiling water in a large pot until tender.
5. Turn off heat. Drain.
6. Return vegetables to pot and set aside, not on burner.
7. Whisk 3 egg yolks into 1 cup cold milk or half-and-half. Set aside.
8. Warm 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan, adding 2 Tbsp flour to make a paste.
9. Turn heat to low and add milk mixture slowly, stirring constantly, to make a cream sauce.
10. When mixture is smooth, add seasonings and some grated cheese.
11. Stir the mixture into the pot of vegetables and set aside.
12. Beat the egg whites with a mixer until fluffy.
13. Fold fluffy egg whites into the vegetable mix.
14. With a spatula, transfer vegetable mixture to the buttered casserole dish.
15. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.
16. Serve with a garnish of fresh herb.

August Medley

From Vegetables with Schmecks Appeal by Edna Staebler.

Combine any vegetables you like but these work well.

• 1 pound green beans, sliced diagonally
• 1 cup sliced green or red pepper
• 1 pound slivered carrots
• 2 onions, finely sliced
• 2-3 tomatoes, cut in quarters
• 1-1/2 cups small mushrooms
• 1/4 cup fresh lima beans

Mix together, place in a buttered casserole dish. Melt and pour over the vegetables:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 Tbsp fresh herbs
• 1 tsp salt
• pepper

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour.

Eva's Harvest Casserole

Another Edna Staebler recipe, this Mennonite dish can be made using squash, turnip, pumpkin or overlarge zucchini.

• 2-1/2 cups diced squash or turnip or pumpkin or large zucchini
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 large lump of butter "as large as you like"
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup bread or cracker crumbs
• 1 cup grated cheese
• a sprinkling of wheat germ

1. Boil the squash, celery, onion, butter and water for 5 minutes, then drain.
2. Stir in eggs, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup crumbs, 1/2 cup cheese.
3. Put in buttered casserole dish and top with remaining crumbs and cheese and wheat germ.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, check and if it looks dry add a little boiled water.