Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Amy
Having made the Hachis Parmeatier a few times now, you can free hand it without the recipe and make it your own...any kind of pre-cooked meat (she used beef and sausage) such as leftover pot roast with some beef broth and a few tablespoons of tomatoe paste (any veggies can be added or not). This meat mixture is spread on the bottom of a gratin dish (about 2 inches deep) and topped with a layer of creamy mashed potatoes and shredded gruyere and parmesian cheese. I have taken to mixing the gruyere into the mashed potatoes and layering in, then topping with the parmesian for a little brown crust.
If you think of it in terms of a French Shepard's Pie, you can do just about anything you want and use up leftovers.
ilene

If you need something vegetablish or vegetarian, you could consider the CI Summer Vegetable Gratin. It works really well at room temp, and it looks good. Lays out thin in a pan so it does not get all gushy. I think it's just tomatoes, onion, zuchinni and small yellow squash - pretty easy stuff to find.

One of my friends brings this to events and even the non-vegetable lovers like my husband enjoy it.

Amy, I looove your mac and cheese recipe
Nancy

Where is the "smacking yourself on the side of the head" smilie?!

Duh...

Amy

Anyway tested new vs old Jack Bishop recipe? I'm meal planning for the coming week; tax time, and I'm half-crazed.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

A friend of my sister's sent us a spiral-cut ham, so we're going to have that (some will no doubt make paninis, my sister's new favorite kitchen gadget), and I'm making a double batch of mac 'n cheese. There are only eight of us tonight, but there will be eleven tomorrow, so I need to figure out what to make. I'll probably do some sort of baked chicken. My Mom's lemon-baked chicken is excellent, so I may just make that. Foods that remind us of our childhood seem to be appealing right now.

Amy

I generally do the Baked Ziti from C&B -- the sausage variation.

Yumm to everything!
Nancy

I've only made the one from a couple of years ago and really liked it, but my kids did not. They prefer a slow cooked sauce. Thankfully that freezes well.

Lemon baked chicken sounds wonderful, please post if you can Amy!

Mary, I do that too for sort of a "mock" cabbage roll. I have also used grated store bought cabbage and layered it with the meat and sauce mixture. It works in a crockpot too. It's so much easier and less time consuming.

Laurie