26
M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 5
SHIRRED EGGS IN
MUSHROOM SAUCE
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Some Thoughts for Spring
Lighter fare is now in season
Spring is at long last upon us, and
our food for thought turns to lighter
fare.
We can put away our turkey roasters, torte
pans and other remnants of the holiday
season as we look forward to a bright and
cheery summer.
The recipes that follow are eclectic, to be
sure. You can use either of the two breakfast
casseroles for brunch or lunch and do the
same with the shirred eggs in mushroom
sauce. You can use the strawberry coconut
pie as a light and delightful end to almost any
meal.
If you have carnivorous as well as
vegetarian friends, you can serve both
casseroles and, for once, make everybody
happy.
So go ahead and celebrate spring in the
kitchen. It’ll soon be time to haul out the
grill and the smoker and take advantage of
the (hopefully) long summer ahead.
BREAKFAST
CASSEROLE WITH
BACON OR SAUSAGE
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 1 lb. bacon or sausage
• 1 lb. grated American cheese
• Sliced bread, buttered, crusts removed
Line a 9-inch-by-13-inch pan with the
buttered bread and cover with cooked bacon
or sausage. Blend the eggs and milk
and pour over the bread and bacon or
sausage. Top with grated cheese, then
cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next morning, bake the casserole
for 45 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes
longer.
BREAKFAST
CASSEROLE WITH
PEPPERS AND
ASPARAGUS
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 large red and 1 large green pepper,
chopped
• 1 lb. asparagus tips
• 1 lb. grated American cheese
• Sliced bread, buttered, crusts
removed
In a medium-sized pan, sauté the
onions and peppers until limp. Line a
9-inch-by-13-inch pan that has been
sprayed with Pam with the buttered
bread and cover with cooked peppers,
onion and the uncooked asparagus
tips. Blend the eggs and milk and pour
over the bread and vegetables. Top with
grated cheese, then cover with foil and
refrigerate overnight. The next morning,
bake the casserole for 45 minutes in a
350-degree oven. Remove the foil and
bake 15 minutes longer.
• 8 oz. fresh sliced mushrooms (or 1
one large can, drained)
• 2 T butter
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken
soup*
• 1/4 can milk
• 2 T finely chopped celery
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 6 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 T melted butter
Sauté the mushrooms in the butter in a
saucepan until tender (about 5 minutes).
Add the soup, milk, celery and parsley.
Simmer, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce into a shallow ovenproof
casserole. Carefully break in the eggs,
spacing them equally apart. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper and a generous amount
of Parmesan cheese. Dribble melted
butter over all. Place in a 350-degree
oven and bake until the egg whites are
set and the cheese is lightly browned.
Serves 6.
*You can substitute cream of
mushroom or cream of celery soup, if
you prefer.
STRAWBERRY
COCONUT PIE
• 2 pints fresh hulled strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 container Cool Whip
• 1 7-oz. package of flaked coconut
• 1/3 cups margarine or butter
To make a 9-inch coconut crust,
combine the coconut and melted butter
or margarine in a bowl, press into a
9-inch pie plate and bake in a 300-degree
oven for about 30 minutes or until
golden brown. Cool. For the filling, slice
the berries, saving about a half dozen
whole ones for the garnish. Mix the sliced
berries with the sugar well and set aside.
In a pan, soften the gelatin in the water,
then cook over low heat, stirring, until
the gelatin dissolves, then let it cool. Add
the gelatin and lemon juice to the berries
and fold in the Cool Whip. Chill until the
mixture mounds when dropped from a
spoon. Pour the mixture into the pie shell
and chill several hours until set. Garnish
with whole berries.